The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1906-12-28
The Man Who
Never was Found

M. Scipion Desruelles kept a small
shop in the Rue de Seine, Paris. He
had wife, but no children. He was
small tradesman and his wife, a
large, coarselooking woman, quite
capable of taking care of shop and
Scipion.
Scipion's past life had been singu-
larly uneventful. One single circum-
stance had ruffled it, and that he used
often to relate. One night, ten years
back, Scipion had gone to the thea
tire, and after the performance had
taken madame to a restaurant. Re-
turning home, after he was in bed
Scipion heard noise in the shop
He armed himself with a bootjack
and captured burglar
The man, who said he was an Ital-
ian named Vedova, disclaimed earn
estly all felonious intentions, but
could give no good account of him
self. Scipion prosecuted him Wig
orously, and he was convicted and
sent to Brest. Two years later Scip-
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him arrested as an escaped convict
In 1852 Scipion received official no.
tice from Martinique that a bachelor
cousin on the island, whose name
was Pache, was dead. and had left
htm heir to all his large property.
Desruelles was further asked by
the notary at St. Jean to come out in
person, in order to save himself
great loss and inconvenience.
When Desruelles reached Martin
ique and went to ST. Jean, he was
struck dumb to find his cousin alive
and well, and all the notarial papers
he had received forgerles. There
was nothing to do but go back
again.
The brig was to sail in a day for
New Orleans, and Scipion determined
to go thither in her, take train to
New York and steamer thence to
Havre. Arrived in New Orleans,
Scfpion put up at boarding house
in the French quarter, and devoted
himself to sightseeing.
At breakfast the second morning,
he was warmly greeted by strAng-
or, who said: Il am truly delighted
to see you Monsieur Quentineau!
When did you arrive?"
Scipion gently. informed the man
that he was not Quentineau, but Scip-
ion Desruelles. The stranger with
violence said the dodge wouldn't go
down there! Next thing he'd want
to repudiate that bill of $725 he
owed Marais & Hughes!
Scipion Desruelles, alias Quentineau,
was cast into prison. A lawyer with
difficulty, and at the cost of half his
money, proved he was not QIenti-
neau, but Scipion Desruelles, a pas
senger aboard the brig Braganza, of
Bordeaux. But for the captain he
would have been convicted, for sew
eral witnesses swore he was Quenti-
neau.
At Memphis he was misdirected.
enticed into low groggery and rob-
bed of every cent he had left Scip-
ion then wrote to Paris to madame
for a remittance. A cotton broker
gave him some correspondence to
look after, and he earned enough
to eat But no answer nor remit
lance came from madame. At last he
wrote to his cousin in Martinique,
and received shortly draft for $500
francs.
Soiplon Immediately started for
New York. Here, while waiting for
the Havre steamer, he was again ar
rested as Pierre QuentineaI, fugi-
tive from justice and bond-forger.
BY good luck the cotton broker
from Memphis happened to be in
the city, and Seipion established an
alibi.
While waiting in the customs Of
fee man came behind him, slipped
something in his hand, and whisper
ed: Don't be afraid, Quentineau!
They have nothing whatever against
you! Here's what l owe you"
Desruelles turned quickly, but the
man was already lost in the crowd,
and Scipion found eight gold Napo-
Icons in his hand. Mechanically he
put the money in his pocket, cursing
this Quentineau whom everybody
persisted in installing him for.
His baggage proving all right, Sep
lon was permitted to start for Paris,
but still under suspicion that he was
not Desruelles, but Q sntineaI. At
Rouen, in the railroad restaurant, he
changed Napoleon to buy bottle
ct wine and half q chicken. AS soon
as he reached Paris he drove to Num-
ero 70 Rue de Seine. His modest
sign was no longer there, but in
stead one of "LamAalle, couture ct