The Wagner leader. (Wagner, Charles Mix County, S.D.) 1912-1912, 1912-03-22
PARIS POLICE FORCE
STARTS WORLD SEARCH
Three Children of Prominent
Family, Missing IL Years,
May Be in America.

Paris, March 1S.-Undismayed by q
failure extending over IL years. the
French detective police have again
started a world wide search for the
three children Of Madame S~ourdillon.
who disappeared in 1899 and who are
believed to b. now living in the United
States. The case is SO appealing and
pathetic in its nature that the police
have asked the newspapers OF America
70 assist in finding some trace OF the
missing children. the Oldest OF whom. II
living, is now a young woman or IL
years.
Madame Sourdillon has spent her life
and her fortune in an endeavor to
her children She is the daughter of
Charles de La Sale. a surgeon Of the
French navy, who for distinguished and
gallant services was presented with a
sword by the city Of Brest. Mademoi-
selle de la Sale married 10 years 9
Caesar Louis Sourdillon, who was then
a Partisan journalist. In 1899 she OBJ
tanned a divorce ON the ground OF
cruelty and abandonment. The decree
provided that the husband be permit
ted to see their three children
day a week. On April Is. 1898. Madame
Sourdillion's maid took the children
Louise, aged s; Bertha, 4, and Charles
ITO the house OF a common friend,
only to return to say hat they had
been taken for a walk. Since that day
mdudAiC oOuEuiiiOh has iiGfCA cCCA bCA
children.
At once the grief stricken mother be-
gan a search TO which was devoted all
of the keenest detective instincts of
France. England and other European
countries. Finally the children were
traced to England and then to the
United States. Every French consul or
diplomatic representative in America
was at once notified. The trial led to
San Francisco. then to San Diego and
Los Angeles. At Denver all trace was
lost and for years nothing has been
heard.
Formerly a woman of considerable
wealth. Madame Sourdillon has ex-
pended her entire fortune in her search
and is now earning her living by con-
Quoting a pension. She still believes
that she will find some trace of her
children. and the French authorities
join with her in her expectation that
the publication of the facts throughout
h United States may crown her years
efforts with success.
The American Paid.
The death of Jules Lefebvre. the
been allowed by many anecdotes of
his interesting career. Despite his
success, Lefebvre remained what he
was from the start-a man of simple
and charming manner On one point
alone was he firm and intractable. He
detested utterly any form or attempt at
bargaining.
One day, so the anecdote goes, an
American of wealth called to see him.
II ould like" the American said to
the artist. "a full length portrait of
myself. How must. If you please. win
it be-"
Twenty thousand francs" (about
$4,000. replied Lefebvre.
Very well. But il I ask you to make
two portraits instead of one-that is,
one of my wife and one of myself. I
suppose your price will be different"
Certainly" responded the artist
And how much will ii be-"
LefeDvre reflected a moment. then
said simply. 1T will be 10000 francs"
The American paid.
To Honor Champiain.
The approaching dedication of a
monument to ChaEplain on the bord-
ers of the lake which bears his name
and to which France will send a spec
ial delegation with a beautiful bust by
Rodin. has created considerable inter-
est in the district of France where
Champaign was born.
The explorer was born at Brouage.
about eight miles south of Rochefort, in
On the which was erected in
his honor in 1878 at Brouage one reads
that Samuel Champlain was born to
wards 1870" 1t was from Brouage that
the future founder of Quebec went to
Hayre and thence sailed to the new
world. Today his natal town. formerly
an important city, is no more than a
modest. almost deserted village, situ-
ated in the center Of a marshy territory
from which the sea long ago retired.
AT the deep ditch. which was formerly
the edge of the port, a customs col
lector will today show the huge rings
where vessels formerly tied up On the
ramparts. now covered with vegetation.
may still be seen the arms of Mazarin,
who was Captain Of Brouage."