Los Angeles herald., 1910-08-07
DETECTIVE CHIEF
LEADS VAST ARMY
M. Hamard, Head of Paris Secret
Service, Controls Greatest
Force on Earth
QUESTIONS 10000 JANIT0RS
Possesses Wonderful System;
Commands Flying Brigade
and 400 SIeuthS
QUESTIONS 10000 JANIToRS

Who is M. Hamard? Everyone has
heard of him; but few know the vast
secret forces at his command.
He is the chief Of the government de-
tectiVeS for Paris and surrounding
cities. In vast building, aided by a
perfect anthropometric service and in
quisitorial judges d'instruction, he di-
rects 400 real sleuths ranking as in
SpectorS, brigadiers and principal in
spectors-plus flying brigade Of 210
plain clothes men.
These do not include the company of
women sleuths, concerning whom no
facts are divulged, nor the surete
gegerale, or minister's detective forces
watching over all France.
He Is Hamard, great, gray, ruddy
man, with immense head, kindly face
and bluff voice. But do not trust those
friendly ways If you have anything to
hide. He can turn suddenly violent,
beating down the prisoners nerve by
roaring over him.
l got the idea that M. Hamard has
vaster affiliated army, lurking in
cafes and other public places, from
the "Chantecler" imbroglio. Guinchard,
the bohemian, had procured me the
scenario and 100 lines for simultaneous
publication with certain European
papers, at a moment when the theater
management was boasting that not
line could leak out.
We kept 1t very secret.
Yet at the Grand cafe one day an
elegant young gentleman came up to
me and whispered that an. Hamard
would be obliged for some informa-
ton"
An automobile waited.
That elegant party turned out to be
Brigadier Daurimont, a sleuth of great
mark. In the auto he led light talk
on prominent Americans of Paris. BY
the time we arrived l saw he was
pumping me.
Twenty men could walk abreast up
those barrack-like stairs, three flights,
with glimpses of blank corridors lined
with closed doors. Into one popped
very stylish yo g lady; from an
other emerged a red nosed tramp.
what are those rooms?" I asked.
"Oh, just rooms," the brigadier an
swered politely. Now 1 know that
they are full of mysteries, tricks, dis
guises and sleeping rooms for inform
ers to lie hidden and detectives to
snatch repose.
ROUTINE is TRICK
Silence and a prison smell of disin-
lectants. M. Hamards Office is an
immense room, five windows on one
side, without trophies or clerks. The
great man had quit his lunch-at the
call of a greater, "the minister" "I
had two sardines and q bite of bread
he said with ominous good humor, and
began my civil status.
1t is routine but also a trick The
simple formula, with the confidential
brigadier writing slowly, Name, when
born, where, profession, fathers name,
domicile, profession, mothers maiden
name, married or single, income, rent,
how long in Paris"-rattles the vic
tim, who is anxious to learn what they
want him for.
you are selling stolen property"
began NJ. Hamard harshly.
That relieved me. 1 knew he must
be mistaken.
you are dreaming, dear monsieur" 3"
said.
"Do you deny that you have
bought a stolen copy of Rostand's
'Chantecler' before representation, to
peddle to the papers cf the world and
an American publisher for an ad-
vance pirate edition?"
1 laughed; and the end came quick
ly. He does not see what is in one.
Before had said another word he was
smiling with relief at the report he
would make to minister and influential
poet, and murmuring that he had been
right and they" mistaken. Then I
assured him that NJ RoStand was per-
fectly protected by American copy
right and that I had simply procured
100 advance lines for my own papers.
"Are you sure that other American
papers have no more?' he asked; and
saw no harm in telling him that
they had none at alias the event
proved. Certainly they only feared
America.
Better not send more than fifteen
lines" he said kindly, indicating that
1 was free. Thanks. Au revoir. If
can ever be agreeable to you. call on
me personally"
"Really?" I said. "Will you permit
me to photograph you some day? And
give me some data about your detec-
tives?"
He promised, and kept it. What I
never learned was how two sets of
secret service spies-the minister's and
Hamard's own-knew so much about
my secret doings. I think, however,
that NJ Hamard has affiliated spies in
public places, like one waiter say, in
each important cafe, music hail. dance
hall and promenoir. AS to the incident
itself, I make no comment-only that
1t shows the minute organization of a
Richelieu still alive.
AMERICANS ARE ROBBED
So M. Hamard gave me my inter-
view.
He has just become popular with the
rich Americans of Paris by breaking
up the ultra modern band who dis
guised themselves to rob as model
servants. In one of their flats was
found a counter detective service on
newly arriving Americans, with bun
dies of references stolen from honest
servants. Blue books, steamer sail
ings and tabulated clippings from
American papers.
your millionaire Americans are
slow to complain when robbed" said
M. Hamard, "yet they are in too much
of a hurry to verify servants refer
ences. The slick robbers counted on
these American tendencies and had
taken great riches in money, Jewels,
laces, furs and art objects from the
Blank and Blank and Blank families
before a complaint reached me-"
In authentic interviews one cannot
always give names. These notable
Americans do not want to be talked
about and NJ. Hamard sealed my lips.
| asked him how he broke the band up.
'Mere routiie," he answered.
Do you know what M. Hamard
means by "routine?" He organized
special brigade of 100 sleuths and fifty
plain clothes men to guard new Amer
leans. In a week twenty families un-
knowingly, had each a secret service
exnert among their servants. and