The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-08-13
FAMOUS ADVENTURE RECALLED BY TRIAL Partisan Banker Forced to
 Sign Receipts POLAIRE SEES GHOST "Ugliest Woman Is Obsessed by Ma poleon in Vision-Crime of Abbe .
 St. Genevieye-Girls Try
 Suicide for Some Man
POLAIRE SEES GHOST
By PAUL VILLIERs

l Paris. August 12-(Special)-The trial and conviction of a local business
 man and one of his employees, which occurred recently in the Assize court recalls one of the most sensational crimes in the history of this city. Readers may recall the remarkable adventure which fell to the lot of Pros per Pooh, a local banker in January, when he was compelled to sign re-
 ceipt for Al, 1000 francs, which was owed to him, and other papers as well. me case was recently on at the Assize court. Poch told the story In plaih' simple manner He stated that on the day in question a business man, Boul- nois to whom he had advanced money called at his office and told nm or client who wished to negotiate loan adding that If he would accompany him to Villemomble, where he resided, the matter could be settled at once.
 They went to a restaurant, and then they started for Villemomble, where the banker was taken to rather out of -the-way cottage. Hardly were they in the hall when another man, Mugnlef'
 an employe of Boulnois, producing re-
 volver, cried Not a word You are
 caughtw and, addressing his accom-
 
 down to the cellar"
 The terror of Pooh may readily he
 imagined. Clinging to the banister ne
 shouted "Murder. with all the power
 of his lungs but nobody came to the
 rescue, and a gag was added 10 ms
 other discomforts. A sharp struggle
 ensued. The confederates tried to drag him down the staircase but he resisted,
 and the gag having got away he was able to gasp out: What do want of me? If YOU want to kill me do so, put Will not go down to the cellar"
 Boulnois declared that Pooh would not be hurt If he would do as he was told, and as the unlucky banker had no choice but to consent. he was ordered 70 hand over as a preliminary all the cash that he had about him. Out came his purse, which Boulnos took, but when the banker hinted timidly that this would leave him nothing for his jour ney home he returned 15 francs.
 Poch was then made to seat himself | at a table where several papers were l laid before him. He was looking them
 over when the revolver was once more l in evidence. Boulnois excla inning, Sign | or dier As the lesser of two evils the banker preferred to sign the papers. Besides the receipt for the 41,o0O francs he signed several promissory notes, amounting in all to 15,000 francs. Yet in spite of his compliance he was detained until night came, and then he was led off to a wdod, where he wan dered about in the dark for hours. Boulnois asserted that he had been shabbily treated by the banker, and l that he had enticed him to the cottage simply to be even with him. All that | his employee, Mugnier. would allege in I his own defense was that he merely
 had obeyed orders. S4 An attempt has been made to demon strate that the banker lent money at exorbitant interest. several witnesses being called in to support this conten- tion: but the public prosecutor said It was a mistake to imagine that any one who had dealings with an usurer could obtain complete liberation.
 Mile. Polaire, famous as "the ugliest woman in Paris" has a new claim to public interest. She declares that she has been visited by the ghost of Napo- leon.
 Mile. Polaire recently became the owner of a very famous mansion in the
 Faubourg St. Germain. It belonged during the revolution to Tallien, the famous member of the convention. The great Corsican often visited the house
 in the days of his glory. Madame Pa
 laire declares that toward sunset q
 few weeks ago she was reclining on her couch. Thoughts were passing through her mind of famous persons who had once moved in that room, of the dramas
 and tragidies, the events in the history