The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1923-04-07
WOMAN CATCHES
PARIS RAFFLES
Fashionably Dressed Thief Loot
ed Many Houses Before He
Was Finally Trapped.

Parfs.-Paris boasts OF q gentleman
burglar in the person of one Serge
Henri Louis de Leuz, young man of
good family, fashionable appearance
and extravagant tastes. but with de-
generate tendencies and long crimi-
nal record. His trial, however, rubbed
OFF most Of the glamour Of his career
as q gentleman, If not as q master
Of his profession.
Leuz is thirty years old and is the
SON Of former director of the Franco
Russian bank. He lived a good deal of
the time with his parents In the sub
urb Of Neuilly while pursuing without
their knowledge his double existence
In Paris as man Of the world and
a house-breaker. s......s-.s-s ...... ..--...-.
He was educated at the Carnot Ly-
ceum and the Paris School Of Electric.
ity, Before the war he served In the
cavalry, but was discharged as unfit
because. of frequent attacks Of hys-
terra. In 1914 he enlisted In the mill,
tary supply train as canton driver.
He soon deserted, however, and, hav-
ing also been accused Of theft, was
transferred after arrest to an African
battalion. He asked to be sent to the
front and behaved creditably there for
q while, obtaining two citations for
bravery. But once more he deserted.
He was again arrested and was put
into the non-combatant forces.
Three Times a Deserter.
He deserted a third time and was
thrown out Of the army. In November,
1920, he was sentenced to two years
imprisonment for burglary, but was
soon released under the general am
nesty. Since then 1t is estimated that
he has committed IS robberies, % Of
them involving HOUSEKEEPING.
He operated almost exclusively be-
tween noon and p. m, when most of
the apartment house eoncierges are at
meals. He was always stylishly
dressed and carried his tools In a
small bag something like a brief case.
He stole only articles of little weight
and high value.
Leuz was caught a few weeks ago
through the vigilance of concierge,
She saw young man with limp en-
ter the house, but asked no questions,
mistaking him for the son Of the own
or. Presently he came out again, bag
In hand. She halted him.
"You don't know whom you are talk
ing to- he said CONTEMPORARY. But
she insisted on an explanation.
II am wounded soldier" he went
on, more ingratiatingly. II just stepped
in here to rearrange my brace. didn't
think 1t was necessary to ring at your
Office"
Trapped by Janltress.
He then limped away and entered q
neighboring house. The janitress be-
came suspicious and followed him.
She told the, other concierge to 60 for
a policeman while she detained the
stranger.
"Here is thousand franc note for
you" the latter said, becoming
alarmed.
The concierge refused it.
"Have pity on me-" he pleaded, II
have q sick mother"
The second concierge appeared with
the officer, who arrested Serge. At the
police station they found that he car
ried complete burglars kit. He con-
fessed and even furnished the police
with q full list of his robberies.
He valued the articles which he had
stolen at 100000 francs, but said that
he had realized very little on those he
sold through stolen goods receivers.
At his trial it was brought out that
he had had passion for stealing since
early youth. He had robbed his school
mates. He had. been arrested four
times before the war for theft, and
seven times in all before the two
concierges trapped him.
Leuz made the claim that he COM
mitted his crimes while under the in
fluence Of drugs. But the physicians
who examined him declared him to be
completely responsible.