El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-03-16
Twelve YEARS
SEARCH HAS
FAILED
Missing Children of Madame
Sourdillon viii Now Be
Sought in America.
MOTHER SPENDS A
FORTUNE IN VAIN

Paris, France March 16.-Undismayed
by a failure extending over u years.
the French detective police have again
started a world wide search for the
three children of Madame .SourdiIlon.
who disappeared in 1899 and who are
believed to be 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
TO assist in finding some trace Of the
missing children. the oldest of whom. II
living, is now a young woman Of IS
years.
Spends Fortune IN Search.
Madame SourdiIlon has spent her life
and her fortune in an endeavor to find
her children She is the daughter OF
Charles de Ia Sale surgeon OF the
French navy. who for distinguished and
gallant services was presented with
sword by the city of Brest Mademoi-
selle de Ia Sale married Is years ago
Caesar Louis SOurdinon. who was then
a Partisan journalist. In 1893 she OBJ
tained divorce on the ground Of cruz
city and abandonment The decree pro-
vided that the husband be permitted to
see their three children one day a week.
On April IS, 1893 Madame SOurdillOn's
maid took the children-LOuise aged 6: N
Berthe. f. and Charles, TO the house
OF a common friend, only to return TO
say that they had been taken for
walk Since that day Madame Sourdil-
Ion has never seen her children
Europe Is Searched.
At once the grief stricken mother pc
gan a search TO which was devoted all
Of the keenest detective instinct OF
France. Englan1 and other European
countries Finally the children were
traced to England and then to the
United States. Every French consul or
diplomatic st preventative IN America I
was 81 cEce rotified- The trail led 10
san Francisco, then to san Diego and {
Los Angeles. At Denver all trace was {
lost and fer years nothing has been 4
heard.
Formerly a woman OF considerable !
wealth, Madame SOurdillon has eXDend- I
ed her entire fortune in her search AMI /,
IS now earning her living by conducting I
e pension. She still believes that she I
VIII find some Trace of her children, !
and tic Fl ench authorities join with 7
her in Der expectation that the l-ubli- (
cation Of the f1cts throughout tie Z
United States may crown her years ef-
forts with success
Aneedote Of LefeBvre.
The death Of Jules Lefebvre. the cele-G
brated French portrait painter. has
been followed by many anecdotes Of
his interesting career Despite his sue
cess, Lefebvre remained what he was
fran the start-a man Of simple and
charming manner On one point alone
was he firm and intractable He de-
tested utterly any form or attempt at
bargaining.
One day, so the anecdOte goes. an
American of wealth called to see him.
I would like" the American said TO
the ATTEST, "a full length portrait Of
How much, If you please, win
Twenty thousand francs" Cabout
$4,000, replied Lefebvre-
Very we'll But If 1 ask you to make
two portraits instead Of One-that is,
one Of my wife and one Of myself. I
suppose your price viii be different"
Certainly" responded the artist
And how much viii il be2'
Lefbvre reflected a moment, then said
simply: 1T will be 10000 francs"
The American paid
The ChampIain Monument.
The approaching dedication OF q
monument to Champlaln on the borders
Of the lake which bears his name and
to which France viii send special
delegation with beautiful bust by
ROdin, has created considerable interest
IN the district of France where Cham
plain was born.
The explorer was born at Brouage,
about eight miles south of ROchefort I
n the department of Charente-In-
'erfeure- On the monument which was
erected in his hOROr IN 1878 at BrOuage
born towards 1870" 1t was from Z
3rouage that the future founder OF
quebec went to Havre and thence
sailed to the new world. Today his ma
al town, formerly an important city. is
10 more than modest, almost deserted
-iIage, situated in the center of q
narshy territory from which the sea
ong ago retired. At the deep ditch
which was formerly the edge Of the I
port, a customs collector will today
5how the huge rings where vessels for
nerly tied up. On the ramparts now
covered with vegetation, may still be I
teen the arms OF Mazarin, who was
Capt. OF BrOua ge.''
Also may be seen in this melancholy
-illage a church which incloses among
)ther tOmbs that OF the marquis Of
yarnavalet an ancient prison, and
finally, the ruins Of the walls and door
Il the house in which Champlain was
BORN ruins which were recently pur-
,hased by an Englishman. (
An interesting celebration which oc-
.urs in July, is that Of the bi-centenary
IF the Able de lEpee, inventor Of the
leaf and dumb alphabet An influen-
ial committee has been formed to or
yanize the fetes which are to beld in
Paris from July IS to August (, In the
course of which there viii be an inter-
rational deaf and dumb congress.