The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-05-01
By SAMUEL DASHED AND
THOMAS COPE
United Press stan Correspondents
lCoprrIFht- 1913. hv united Press

Copyright. 1884, BY United Press
PARIS. May 1T is the small
fry of the national government OF
France, the underpaid, shaving petty
officials permanently in Office, who
transact the nations business. Re-
sponsible cabinet ministers. in Office
and out again within a few weeks
sometimes know nothing of the per-
sonnet of their departments.
It was TO these small fry that
Serge Alexandra Stavisky appealed
through bribery and "favors" and
on whom he built a circle of &C
quaintance that re. ched into the
French ministries themselves. Sta
viskv accomplished much of his I'M
foreground work in the police de-
partment-which may prove why, in
case after case against him, evil
dence of his croOkedness was fire.
quently lost or missing" when he
came to trial.
At one period in his checkered
career. Stavisky turned stool pigeon.
He might have been valuable to the
police, with his knowledge of every
shady character. every escaped con-
vict, dope peddler. prostitute and
confidence man. AS a matter of
fact, he became a police informer
only to use the police to his own
advantage.
Obtained Unusual Privileges
Because of his work with the
police, he obtained unusual priyi-
leges and passes emitting him to go
into places which would, otherwise,
have been barred to him. He used
his police cards effectively. Time
after time, his gambling permits
were taken away from him for
cheating. and time after time they
were restored because of his police
influence.
Through his wife. the beautiful
Arlccte. Stavisky made other pow
erful friends. One who, If not
actually a friend, was tolerant of
him. was Paul Boncour, foreign
minister of the Chautemps cab
met. l-Boncour helped the
lovely Arlctte because he had been
a friend of Arlette's father
At an international financial
conference at StreSe, Stavisky &C
tually was brazen enough to arrange
a dinner to which the busy dele
gates-including the brilliant Fin
ance Minister Bonnet-were invited.
ut
was their host. Later, they learned
that StaviSky was using the dinner
in an attempt to market an issue
of Hungarian bonds which would
have petted him millions. The
foxy premier, Daladier, put an end
to that.
Links Names With Bankers
StaviSky even appeared at Basic,
and by judiciouS work with French
newspaper men, succeeded in having
his name linked with the officials
of the Basic bank, to add to his
prestige. Bonnet. for his careless
attendance at the handsome Serge S
banquet. lost his cabinet portfolio,
although he had been apparently
quite innocent.
Now the director Of the surete
generate, efficient French secret
service, had at least fifteen reports
on Stavisky-all of them bad. Yet
all the efforts of Director Pachot
to call the attention of the au-
thoritieS to them came to naught.
The officials apparently weren't in
tercSted.'
All of these operations were &C
compliShcd through a shower Of
checks-checkS to deputies, ana
newspapers and newspaper editors.
Stavisky compromised DuBarry Of
"Volonte" and Darius and Aymard,
newspaper directors. But, so many
innocent Frenchmen did he influ-
ence or magnetic, it is impossible
to separate the sheep from the goats.
Every person whose name appears
on one of StaviSky'S check stubs
became touched with tse same stain.
TOmOrrOw-The mystery of Judge
Prince.