The North Cumberland Reformer. — 1895-10-05 (Carlisle, Cumbria, England)

DETECTION. OF CRIME IN FRANCE.—" The French detective," says M. Gustave Mace, Director of Criminal Investigations in Paris from 1879 to 1884, "has an advantage to start with when he enters upon a case, being furnished with more clues than an English or American detective usually has. All the lodging-houses and hotels of Paris, all the stage-offices and depots, are sources of information that are open to officers of the law, and arrivals and names are regularly and systematically registered. The result is that the advent of a suspicious person, either under his own name or bearing any of his numerous aliases, is in possession of the detective at the beginning of the inquiry; he knows where the criminal is staving, and can obtain an accurate account of his movement at any moment. When the widow Stordeur was murdered in 1882, all the clue I had was that the assassin's name was Bistor, and that he had formerly been a publisher's traveller. My first step was to go round to all the booksellers of Paris and ask for a list of their travellers, past and present. Not one of the lists contained the name Bistor.' But the name Delafoy' occurred on several. Now Delafoy had once been in partnership with Bistor, so I surmised that Bistor had assumed the name of Delafoy,' and I therefore resolved to seek for him under that name. A number of detectives were disguised as Look-hawkers, supplied with packs, and sent to look for the man I wanted in all the departments surrounding Paris. All but one of them returned to Paris unsuccessful ' • that one had pushed on to Creil and there found Delafoy, who was no other than Bistor, and had him arrested.?'  DIVERSITY OF CusToms.—The most astonishing diversity of customs is discovered in the ceremonies connected with marriage and other important moments of life in different nations. Probably every Englishiner.,who has studied races would be astonished to meet with a nation in which, on the birth of a baby, the father and not the mother was put to bed and nursed; yet though this custom seems so ludicrous to us, it prevails very widely. In some parts of Australia when a man marries each one of the bride's relation s gives hun a good blow with a stout stick, by way ot a warm welcome into the family. Among the Kahnucks of Central Asia, again, the marriage ceremony is very romantic. The girl is put on a horse and rides at full speed. When she has got a fair start the lover sets off in pursuit ; if he catches her she becomes his wife, but if he cannot overtake her the match is broken off, and we are at.s.urpd, which we can well believe, that a Kalmuck girl is very seldom caught against her will. This idea of capture in marriage occurs almost all over the world. Hence, no doubt, the custom of lifting the bride over the doorstep, which occurs or did occur among the Romans, the Redskins of Canada, the Chinese, the Abyssinians, and other races. Hence, also, perhaps our custom oi the honeymoon, and hence, may be, after a wedding, things are thrown, as _McLellan has suggested, in meek anger after the departing bride and bridegroom. It is remarkable how persistent are all customs and ceremonies connected with marriage. Thus our bride-cake, which so invariably accompanies a wedding, may be traced.. back to the old Roman form-of marriage by eolyarreatio or eating i together, and is found also n other parts of the world, as, for iraitance, among the Iroquois of North America. It must, we know, be cut by the bride, because it is the duty of the wife to prepare fool for her husband.  ' How TO 3lAxn 'Mr