Omaha daily bee., 1920-03-07
BY JOHN H. KEARNES.

Auburn Neb., March o-(Spec-
cial.)-The little village of Julian,
where he had made his home for
the past three decades, is mourning
the death of Calixte L. Mesnet, who
was considered by his conferees in
the banking business in southeast
Nebraska, as being the ideal country
banker,
Mr.. Mesnet was an unusual man
and had an unusual history. He
came from family that was one of
the oldest and most aristocratic in
France. family of great wealth, of
great social prestige and numbered
among the elite for many centuries,
yet, because of some peculiar atavis-
tic. strain, he chose career where
success could be attained only by
the most democratic of men.
He was born on an estate III La
Cinq Mars, department of Indre ct
Leire, France, May 4, 1857. The
estate adjoins that Of the De Castel-
lanes and one of his boyhood chums
was the Count Boni de Castellane.
former husband of Anna Gould. now
the princess De Sagan, man who
typihed in his life and character
istics the highest type in the life OF
Europe during the bourbon reign
and whose excesscs and extrava-
eances, whose hauteur and caste
arrogance brought on the French
revolution, and which has since per-
sisted in men of the De Castellane
stripe.
Mr.. Mesnet was reared in this
atmosphere. His father was
wealthy manufacturer of machinery
and it was his plan to rear his son
so that the latter would follow in
his footsteps, as chatelain of the
estate and owner of the factory. To
this end, the young man was sent to
schools in London, Paris and Hell
delburg., In accordance with the
family custom in France. a mar
riage was arranged between him
and the girl of his parents choice,
but he rebelled against the order
ing OF his life on these lines, and
this brought about an estrangement
between him and his father.
Emigrates to America.
About the time his enga cement
was to be announced. he was in
London, and while there he became
acquainted with some gentlemen
who were engaged in the business
of exporting Belgian and Pcrcheron
horses to America. He became in
terested and persuaded them to send
him with the shipment
Landing with his charges at Gal |
weston he went with them to big |
ranch near San Angelo where he |
learned the duties of cowboy and
because of his interest in horses, he
was also kept about the breeding
barns. $780,.
On the ranch, and in stall in
one of the barns there was a stall
lion so vicious that none of the
ranch hands dare go into the stall
with him. He was an outlaw and
A man killer. One day the owner
ordered Mr.. Mesnet 70 60 into the
shall and bring the stallion out. II
have the courage, monsieur" said
he to the ranchman "to fight you
or any man on the place 1t would
rot be courage to obey your order.
It would be hairbrained recklessness
and suicide"
He lost his job and came to Ne
,raska. Here he associated himself
n 1883, with Mark M. Coad, at FIRE.
mont, one of the leading draft horse
importers in the west.
Becomes Bank Cashier.
One day, while at Lincoln, the
Young French emigrant met Emile
Berlct, a wealthy Nemaha county
,armer. and native of Switzerland.
He was attracted to Mesnet and pre-
vailed on the latter to come and
work for him on the farm.
He displayed such good judgment
md business ability that his EN-
,loyer felt it should be employed
otherwise. There was need of
bank in the little village Of Julian,
learby, and Berlet induced Mesnet
o organize bank there in 1891.
Young Mesnet, without previous
became its cashier, and
70 remained to the time of his
ieath.
He soon became the counsellor
md friend of all the people OF the
leighborhood. He loaned the
money of the bank to men who