The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1913-11-28
DODCED A LEGACY
Romance of a Soldier of the
French Foreign Legion.
CAST ASIDE MANY MILLIONS.
This Singular Titled Austrian Refused
to Disclose His Identity When His
Good Fortune Became Known, and
His Fate is an Unsolved Mystery.

SOOu DeCdm0 NnOWny ana
His Fate Is an Unsolved 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
ficers of all grades, all arms, Of the
armies of all countries, magistrates,
financiers, 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 well 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 Sadia?
You will understand the interest we have
in finding him when l inform you con-
fidentially that in consequence of unfore-
seen happenings he has become, without
his knowledge or expectation, sole heir to
q fortune of 12,000,000 crowns. Enclosed is
photograph taken when he was a stu
dent at the University of Prague.
The photograph showed a stocky
youth of perhaps twenty to twenty-five
years VI dSG anu WIN oOhICh IAI
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 very imperfect degree.
These two Austrians were closely |!
examined by Dhuermer, the secretary, !
who spoke the German language flu |
emily. Both denied stubbornly that |
they had ever used or heard of the |
name of Justus Perth.
Possibly it may loosen your
tongues" pursued the secretary, 'if l
tell you why the general is looking for
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 had
been forgotten when in 1902 there
came to Bruneau n formidable looking
envelope bearing the government seal
Of the minister of foreign affairs. 1t
enclosed a letter which drew from the
officer an exclamation of surprise.
This letter was a diplomatic para
phrase of the former inquiry by the
Vienna secret service agency regarding
Justus Perth. 1t insisted upon fur
Their investigation, to be conducted
with more care and discretion than in
the previous instance. Furthermore,
the commandant was confidentially adj
vised that "Justus Perth" was only a
fictitious name and that the real title
If the person to be found at any price
was Count Otto Won Y.
Another photograph. more recent
than the one which had accompanied
the first inquiry. was appended.
mo sooner did set eyes on this pho
.ograph." continued Bruneau. than I
made the astounding discovery that
the Count Otto Won X, the pseudo
Tustus Perth. was none other than the
secretary adjutant, Dhuermer, who
had so theoretically questioned the
-wo bewildered Austrians called up be-
tore me on the former occasion!
my course was now simple enough
Shortly after that first interrogatory
'ur ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. Dhuermer.
had been transferred to Tonkin, in
regular course of the annual relief of
he battalions serving there. This In
formation | wired to headquarters.
Next day the response came:
'Legionary Dhuermer sent home ac-
cunt Of health. en- route Singapore
Another cipher telegram to the
French consul at Singapore brought
he following:
''Legionary Dhuermer. alias Count Otto
on X, disappeared from transport steam
r. roadstead OF Singapore; cannot be
ound
"And the mystery remains unsolved