Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-08
The Vanishing
ofAlex Couturier,
a Story Taken
From the Police
A,rhives atLyon,
France.

" EVALLOIS came into my laboratory
with water streaming from his
everlasting raincoat and cap snd
A shook himself for all the world
like big dog.
'What beastly climate this town has" he
growled. You, as q Londoner, should feel
at home here. Thank heaven we never get
this in CarcasSonne, where was born"
laughed at his quaint appearance. "You
are mistaken If you think London is as bad
as this" replied; I'VE have plenty of variety
in the old town. but it doesn't rain all the
time. What are you busy on now?"
"Oh, a queer case. I don't know what to
make of 1t yet We had the visit of lady
named Nine Leonce Couturier some days ago.
Her husband has disappeared. They had not
been married very long and she is still very
much in love with him. It seems that abSo-
lutely nothing happened to account for his
leaving her. His business is prosperous and
he had no worries, so far as she knows. No
ENHANCEMENT either
But suddenly, Unexpectedly, he just vanished.
On Friday last, she expected him home for
the evening meal, which was usually served
about O'Clock. She waited in vain until IL.
then just as she had decided to go to the
neSr$t police station. the telephone bell rang.
"A strange deep voice with curiously husky
intonation asked If she was Nine. Couturier.
On receiving q reply in the affirmative, the
unknown said: Your husband has had an
urgent call from former school friend who
is in great trouble. M Couturier has taken
the train to Paris, so as to help him. He was
unable to come home first, but he begs you
not to be alarmed. He will return in a few
days Since then-that's q week ago-she
has had no news and decided to come to us. ;"
what have you done?" queried
We'll, we found that the call had been
made from the Perrache railway station, and
by description the telephone operator gave
us, it was Couturier himself who phoned He
probably disguised his voice by placing hand
kerchief before the receiver"
why couldn't he have spoken in a natural
and sensible way to his wife?"
We'll, probably he was afraid of having to
explain-what he couldn't explain. Now that
call was just after IL, and there is no train
to Paris until nearly in the morning. Plenty
of time for him to go home and explain to
his wife, had he wished to do so. But shere
is q train at 11:14 for Marseille and that is
where he went
by a lucky chance that train takes no
passengers from Lyon unless they pay for
the full distance from Paris. It is a Riviera
express and Couturier, who had only ticket
from Lyon, made q fuss, that's bow the
guard happens to remember him. Besides
which, he was the only French passenger
who got in there.
PUT in Marseiile, beyond the fact that he
met some one in the buffet at the station,
we learned nothing. He may have gone along
the Rivera or toward Spain, or he may De
still in the town."
mo easy matter, If he doesn't travel, to find
him in Marseille" said.
Precisely. But we have ascertained that
he drew no money from his bank on Friday;
SO the urgent reason for his trip south came
along after 4, that is, after the banks had
closed. Nor had he much money, for when
paying the extra amount due on the train,
he had to search his pockets for loose change
and barely scraped enough together. Naturally
the banks were warned and yesterday we
received the news that check signed by him
had been cashed at the MarSeille branch of
the Credit LyonnaiS. The manager first tele-
phoned TO Lyon, but accepted the check when
Couturier showed him his driving license
which as you know bears q certified signature
and photograph"
We'll, SO far there is nothing strange about
the case. Probably just woman somewhere in
the background"
-True-but now the plot thickens Another
check was cashed to bearer and the man who
cashed 1t was q Chinaman and noted dope
peddler. Since then, neither the yellow man
nor Courtier has been SEEN Nor has the
poor wife received any news.
LaughtOn believes that the man is a drug
nend, or that he is interested in the secret
sale OF poisonous drugs. Something occurred
which made his immediate presence in Mar
seille imperative. The wife would have in
sisted On coming too. for she is very jealous"
And you believe that?" I asked incredu-
lousIy why can pick dozen holes in that
theory"
SO can L didn't say believed it. Never
theless there Is q queer fact to support the
thesis. detective has arrived in Paris who
has been after a big gang of smugglers for