Morris tribune., 1913-12-05
DODGED A LEGACY
Romance of a Soldier of the
French Foreign Legion.
CAST ASIDE MANY MILLIONS.

Good Fortune Became Known, and
His Fate Is an Uneoved Mystery.
The French Foreign Legion is the
most picturesque military organization
in the world. 1t is the refuge of men
of all nations gone wrong through i'm
pulse or misfortune who wish to bury
themselves in oblivion while fighting
to regain an honorable place in the
world of life and activity.
The rank and file of the corps is
composed of princes, dukes, marquises,
counts and viScOuntS, generals and Of
ticers of all grades, all arms, of the
armies of all countries, magistrates,
fnanciers, diplomats, lawyers and
professional functionaries of all sorts;
honest Adventures who simply want
to 'see the world;" the neurasthenic,
the disheartened, the unemployed;
those who, having lost everything but
honor or having lost honor itself
would make new start
All this diverse human metal, thrown
into the melting pot together, is even
tually nodded into that brave, stole,
loyal, devoted, patient and tenacious
prototype Of the man of arms, the
Legionary.
Of the Foreign Legion a thousand
romantic tales are told, of which the
following true story may be taken as
an example:
One day General Bruneau, command
er of the legion, received a registered
letter, pOstmarked Vienna and signed
by the representative of we'll known
Austrian detective agency, to the fol-
lowing effect:
Monsieur lie General-Will you kindly in
form me if a young man Of AustrO- Hun
garian nationality, supposed to have en-
listed in the Foreign Legion under the
name Of Justus Perth, is now at Saba
You will understand the interest we have
in finding him when 1 inform you con-
f1dentially that in consequence of unfore-
seen happenings he has become, without
his knowledge or expectation, sole heir to
a fortune of 100000 crowns Inclosed is
a photograph taken when he was stu
dent at the University Of Prague
The photograph showed a stocky
youth of perhaps twenty to twenty-five
years of age and whose somewhat
beefy face was fringed with precocious
whiskers. He wore eyeglasses, which
made it difficult to judge Of the form
and shade Of his eyes.
General Bruneau's first step was to
have his secretary adjutant search the
enlistment rolls for the name Of JUS
tus Perth. No such name appeared.
Then he had all the Austrians of the
detachment line up and scanned their
faces in the hope Of identifying the
original of the photograph Only two
both of whom were recent arrivals
showed possible traits Of resemblance
and these in a very imperfect degree.
These two Austrians were closely
examined by Dhuermer. the secretary
who spoke the German language flu
emily. Both denied stubbornly thai
they had ever used or heard of the
name Of Justus Perth.
Possibly it may loosen your
tongues" pursued the secretary, ''if
tell you why the general is looking foi
this Perth. The fellow has just inner
tied 100000 crowns. Now, is either
one of you Justus Perth?"
"Nein."
"Nein."
"Send them back to their companies
It is of no use," said General Bruneau
Time passed and the incident haC
been forgotten when in 1902 there
came to Bruneau formidable lookin!
envelope bearing the government sea
Of the minister Of foreign affairs.
inclOsed a letter which drew from tn
officer an exclamation of surprise.
This letter was diplomatic para
phrase of the former inquiry by tn
Vienna secret service agency regarding
Justus Perth It insisted upon fur
Their investigation, to be conducts
with more care and discretion than i
the previous instance Furthermore
the commandant was confidentially ad
vised that "Justus Perth was only
fictitious name and that the real It'll
of the person to be found at any pric
was Count Otto Won x.
Another photograph, more recer
than the one which had accompanie
the first inquiry, was appended.
"No sooner did set eyes on this PHI
tograph," continued Bruneau, "than
made the astounding discovery thu
the Count Otto Won X, the pseud
Justus Perth, was none other than til
secretary adjutant, Dhuermer, VIII
had so energetically questioned til
two bewildered Austrians called up b
fore me on the former occasion!
''My course was now simple enoug
shortly after that first interrogation
our secretary interpreter, Dhuerme
had been transferred to Tonkin,
regular course of the annual relief I
the battalions serving there. This il
formation 1 wired to headquarters.
''Next day the response came:
''Legionary Dhuermer sent home
count of health, en- route Singapore.
"Another cipher telegram to tt
French consul at Singapore broug