The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-05-26
Great Trials of History.
Trial OF "naron Dc Irichemont."

favorito practice OF tho French
crooks" OF the nineteenth century.
secu;s 10 have been for an imposter
TO assume the name OF nobicman,
moro or less important. and awindle
the crcdulous public.
In October. 1894. n mysterious per-
sonagc was charged At the bar OF tho
Assize Court OF the Seine, with as
Stunning titles totwhich he had no right
ful claim, and OF conspiring to over
throw tho court OF Louis Philippe This
man. described as being a little per-
son and OF aristocrat!c appearance, had.
with the aid OF n multitude OF names
and various dissuises. successfully Inn
posed upon the unsuspecting people
OF France for several years But one
that paled all his previous imposi-
lions vas made. when, from being n
baron and sometimes answering 10 tho
cognomen OF BERNARD. he blossorned
out into the Dauphin OF France, and
laid claim 10 the throne.
Ii he was not successful In his claim
1t was certainly not for any lack OF
necessary funds. FOR the Marquise OF
Grigny, a woman of eighty-two, gavo
him all her available money, and was
ready TO assign to him her estate.
when the law ntcrposcd.
When on trial he asserted that n,
had been smugglcd out Of the tcInplo
In clotheshasket and another child
who was always supposed to be and
was buried as the Dauphin. put In his
place.
Part OF the evidence that pu, an
end to all his claims was made by
himself, in the shape Of u diary. which
he kept In a cipher and through when
the authorities were able TO show that
his real name was Heberl
But the real evidence which con
victed him Is worthy 10 be recorded.
as II is not only evidence. but inter
ostinc trst-hand history /, was given
by an old man. bent, very deaf. and
whose voice was almost gone IT ~aa
Lasne. the faithful keeper OF the tenn
pie. He said:
Two people came to my house and
asked me II the Dauph!n were really
dead. and told them that the child
had died In my arms. and that though
thousand years were 10 pass His
Majesty. Louis XVII. would never re-
appear"
Then the interrogatory proceededt
Was he long me-"
He was Ill for nine months after
the establishment of the Commune.
Z. When DR. Dessault died sud.
denly from an apoplectic stroke. NJ
Pcllata took his place and continued
the same treatment. At the end OF
three months the poor child died rest
ms on my arms"
But It Is said that another child
was substituted FOR him. and that tho
real Dauphin had been smuggled ont
OF the temple?"
That Is I, false Idea. I used TO bo
captain of the French Gardes In tho
old days. and In that capacity often
saw the young Dauphln. have at
tended him In the Pardin des Feuiilants.
and am convinced that the child who
was under ha
solcmnly declare that the child who
died In my arms was In reality Louis
NVII"
That ne was undoubtedly tho sam.
child?"
Undoubtedly the same child. with
Many would-be "Dnuphins" havs
been caught and held tight by that
declaration.
As there was no difficulty In trac-
ing his career. all the audacity or tho
impostor could not save him
In his denunciation, the public pros-
ecutor was most emphatic I'm his de-
mand that severe sentence should
be passed upon this dsturber OF tho
state Tho bold and eloquent apneaI
of the "Dauphin" awaited him moth.
ing Tor the jury were perfectly in
different to 1t.
They found him guilty OF plot 70
upset the government Of tho King. or
exciting the people to civil war or
attempt!ng to change tho order OF suc-
cession to the throne. and three addi-
tional minor offonSes
The Acknowledgement cmphosiy.a
tho advisability OF giving tho heaviest
penalty which the law allowed ana
the 'uhpe condnmnad "Henr,-Unhert
F'h",N"rt Lou!s-Unctor" calling bip,
SELF Baron dc Rlrhcmont, to twelve
ycars' Imprisonment
tcnce was pronounced with utter un
concern and said TO those about him
In q low voice:
"The man who does not know how
to suffer Is not worthy OF prosecu-
ton"