The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1934-08-09
" FULTON THATCHER GRANT
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
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GA "A

161s q
Two investigations were worked ir
parallel: the Bayonne swindle and the
1926 stavisky swindle.
Counsellor Prince, you will remem.
Der, had compiled voluminous note:
on the latter case and when he wa:
killed was about to hand an especial
" brilliant report to President Judge
Lescouve. Lescouve had a large part
Of this report, nevertheless. and went
to work to finish up the 1926 case ir
q big way. The first hearing before
him was on March %. and 1t opened
up one OF the most brilliant angles
Of this exceedingly complicated and
astounding story.
The star witness was q Roumaniar
named Sylvan Zweifel. In 1926 he
had been nothing but a little book
keeper with q sick wife. He presented
himself one day at the offices Of a
banking house whose head was the
coming young financier." Sach a
StaviSky. He asked for part-time
work. For some reason or other STAY
isky took a shine to him and, instead
Of giving him the petty work he de-
manded. he made him his big rep
resentative" and sent him into the
provinces to open up new offices. gave
him large sums to carry OH BourSe
operations and In general made him
feel important as well as rich.
Then the crash came. Stavisky was
arrested. Poor Zweifel was likewise
He knew himself to be dupe and a
victim Of ignorance, and he was con-
science-sure Of making everything
right when the trial came off.
But the trial did not come off! 1t
was postponed 10 times In five years
stavisky was freed Professionally. and
zwaefel was held in Jail to mediate.
Imagine the Joy with which he came
to Lescouves inquest!
What he did was to tell an ne knew
and he knew plenty. He gave away
Stavisky's lawyers. Andre Hesse and
his partner, Gaulier. as having in
fluence to get the case postponed. He
swore that Doctors Marie and vachet
had made false medical certificates to
get Stavisky out OF the Sante on lib
erty. And most important of all he
revealed to the French public that
Stavisky had been given over to the
police in 1926 by man whose name
Is still something to conjure with in
France, a man whose life was more
unbelievable than q Jules Verne ro-
nance. It needed only that name to
make the Stavisky story absolutely in
credible. It was Jean Galmot.
Man Of Wide NotOriety
suppose even In America. the
name Of Jean Galmot means some
thing still. It was only short time
ago Gin 1920 that he died. as mysteri-
ously as he had lived, in French
Guiana, and his name filled many q
column In the newspapers. But fol
those who do not recall him. the story
Is worth telling.
This brilliant adventurer started or
q career Of journalism In Nice. Hi.
able writing soon made a name FOL
him and he turned his hand to pc.
litics. Identified with the Republican.
Socialist party, he fought his way ur
and was elected deputy for French
Guiana. He built himself the reputa.
ton Of one Of the most able speakers
and most ardent fighters the French
parliament had ever seen. He also
made many enemies.
In 1923 he was involved in terrific
scandal, known as the Rum Plot, anC
was convicted OF running a racket or
the French colonial rum production
that absorbed as much Of the public!
attention, or nearly SO. as Stavisky's
operations are doing today. Disgraced
denied by his party. forsaken by hi
friends, he came back to France ane
disappeared for a time In the vague
haze Of the demi-monde. Then, sud-
denly, he died In a hospital at Cayen.
ne, poisoned by his servant.
zweifels testimony linked Galmo1
to Stavisky. It was Jean Galmot VIII,
gave the Russian swindler away Il
Judge Pachot and Inspector Gripoi.
in July. 1926. he testified, when thu
detectives went to Marly-le-foi anc
arrested the young racketeer at din.
Eer.
With this revelation the stor,
b;ossomed forth. Deputy Philipp'