New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-09-10

motor cars and navtgable balloons. BY some
unexplained influence he was appointed head of
the bureau of correspondence al the Compton
Rationale d'Escompte. Valentine de Merelrs
requirements were such that large sums of
money had to be obtained. Gallays method was
simple and effective. In his capacity of director
of correspondence he became familiar with the
letters accounts and habits of the principal de-
positors of this great financial establishment, the
Compton d'Escompte. Those that most in
terested him were the opulent customers who
had no immediate necessity to cash their secur-
tiles.
For instance. day he would slip in the
correspondence a letter written by himself,
skilfully drawn up and forged and which, to all
intents and purposes, order from large
depositor to pay to Baron de Gravel" or to
Nine. de Merel'' the Of, say, $4,000. The
letter, after being duly numbered and recorded
by Galaxy chief of the correspondence bu-
reau, would be forwarded to the proper official
of course. owing to the skilful imitation by
Galaxy of the customers handwriting and sigma
ture. The document would then be brought by
clerk to the manager OF the Compton dEs-
compte, who would. in a routine manner, affx
his signature, directing the cashier to transfer
the account make the payment. The Baron
de Gravel or Nine. de Merelli," who had
counts at various banks would thus pocket the
money. The formal letter from the manager Of
the Compton d'Escompte acknowledging the re-
ceipt of the rich depositor's order. and announc
ing that the payment or transfer had in &C
cordance with instructions. been made" would,
in due course. pass through the hands Of the
director of the correspondence bureau (Gallay),
who would simply destroy the letter. No trace
OF the fraudulent transaction left and in
this way Gallay's defalcations in three months
amounted to close upon 100000 francs. All
the operations had to be completed within a
period of three months, because it is the custom
of the Compton d'Escompte to send to its Gus
toners every quarter statement Of their &C
counts No one connected with the bank had
any suspicion of Gallay's double life, and he had
ingratiated himself with his chiefs and his fell
low employees hard working, faithful official
When the period OF three months drew to
close at the end of July Galaxy applied for his
yearly holiday of a fortnight. He distracted all
compromising letters and documents and got
ready for his flight across the Atlantic with his
devoted Valentine. He chartered a British
steam yacht, the Catarina, Of 800 tons, for a
three months cruise. The yacht, with English
captain, English butler and footmen and crew
of twenty-siX hands, proceeded from Gosport'
where the charter had been effected by NJ.
Clerq a we'll known yacht agent, for the cash
pavment of $4,000 francs. Ninety cases OF
supplies including fashionable gowns. hats.
manteaux, under linen stockings. besides smart
clothing, a piano. musical instruments, BOOKS
wines. cigars. spirits and provisions, were pur-
chased and forwarded to the Catarina at Havre.
When all was ready Galaxy hired an automo-
bile of one of the most up-to-date makers and
started with Valentine de Mereln from Paris
to Havre bv way Of Saint German, where they
dined: Nantes, where they passed the night;
Vernon where they took coffee; Rouen, where
they bought some sugar candy, ana fVetoe'
where they lunched. About 100000 francs We're
expended in preparations for the yachting trip.
They dined at Frascati's, at Havre, and late IN
the evening embarked on the Catarina. together
with Nine. de Merellfs sprightly French maid,
who had come from Paris by train Next morn
ing just as the Catarina was steaming out OF
Havre NJ. Hahn, a photographer-jou journalist,
proceeding across the bows of the yacht, was
levelng his camera at Galaxy and Valentine de
Merelli who were on the bridge beside the cap
tan-he having supposed they were Russian
grand duke and his companion. They both
turned their backs before the click OF the camera,
and Galaxy frowning upon NJ. Hahn. said:
Get out of the way I will you down or
throw you overheard How can you be such
a frightful cad to take photographs here
without permission"
She touched at Las Palmas for coal and fresh
provisions on August 10. and arrived at Bahia,
Brazil, on August %. when. in pursuance Of ca
BILE messages from the French government, Gal
Law was taken by the Brazilian authorities. and
975 900 francs IN banknotes. besides jewels ana
a wardrobe sufficient for several generations
was found on the yacht, and where, by means or
the elastic web of diplomacy Galaxy and Valen-
tine de Merelli at the date of the present
writing seeking to obtain their liberty The Voy-
age was a diverting one. for Nine. de Merel
in fair weather. had her piano on deck and
played and sang TO the crew. who danced and
enioyed themselves. Galaxy supplied the officers
of the yacht and the physician. DR.. Horace kap-
Ian whom he had engaged in Paris at salary
of $500 month for the voyage. with excellent
champagne and choice cigars
1t somewhat pathetic to note that all that the
Paris police found in the sumptuous apartment
Of this twentieth century Nine. de Bovary'
in the Rue Gustave Flaubert. was manuscript
carefully rolled up and tied with pink ribbon.
and hidden in a porcelain with withered vi
Diets The sheets of paper were closely covered
with Valentine de Merelli's long wavy handwrit-
ing and bears the title MY Romance. La Vie
nest qune Chimere'l In the apartment In the
Rue Francois Premier which Galaxy had hired
under the false name of Baron de GraVeI was
found, beside the book written by him on the
mechanism and the handling Of the motor cars
a manuscript that turned out to be a treatise
on navigable balloons and auto boats. which Gal
lay had written in accordance with the request
of well known firm Of Paris publishers. This
escapade Of Galaxy and Valentine de Merelli,
which extended over four thousand miles which
put the diplomacy and the police Of two CONT
nents in motion. and in the course OF which two
p-au a