North Carolina Newspapers

THE CAUCA3IAIJ Thursday, XoTetaltr a Page Six. TRUTH ABOUT THE CASE The Experiences of M. F. Goron, Ex-Chief if the Paris Detective Police Editsd by Albert Key zer NUMBER NINETY-FOUR (Copyright by J. (Editor's Note. I made M. Goron'i ac quaintance some years ago, and was at once struck with his extraordinary pow ers of observation, his keen-wittedness, and his devouring energy In the discharge of his difficult duties. For It must be re membered that the Chief of the Paris De tective Police wields enormous power and Is allowed a certain discretion except, of course, when a crime has been committed to save Innocent persons the disgrace of a public scandal. A few months ago I was tmokin; a pipe In his study, a room hung- with trophies a museum of crime. I saw him take up a thick, leather-bound volume, the pages covered with writing, with here and there portraits and curious-looking drawings. This Is my diary," he began, but sudden ly stopped when he saw roe start. "Tes. it Is my diary." he repeated; "but what's the trouble V "Four diary? And you never thought of publishing It?" "No," he retorted with a smile; "the fact is, here are ail my Impressions, and certain facts " I did not even know the end of the sen tence; I took up the book and began reading at once; and the more I read the more I marveled. The next morning we commenced work, and this series Is the result. A. K.) HE BELGIAN Government had demanded the ex tradition of the swindler Karstens, and, for purposes of identification, I had asked the peo ple who had deal ings with him to come to my office. Among those who called upon me was Charles Vernet, a financier, and, while I listened to th evidence he gave In a clear, concise manner, the conviction stole upon me that I had met him before under different cir cumstances. But where? when? Al though I have an excellent memory for faces, his features were not fa miliar to me; yet his general appear ance, the way he raised his right hand when he spoke, roused old recollec tions. "Who is he?"I inquired the next day of the police commissary in M. Charle3 Vernet's district. "Who is he?" repeated my friend, with a touch of surprise in his voice. "My dear Goron, don't you really know Charles Vernet?" "Well, yes, of course I understand he is a financier, with plenty of money; but I know nothing about him." He shrugged his shoulders. "Look here, Goron, I never know when you are making fun of anybody; but if you put the question to me se riously, let me tell you that Charles Vernet is not only rich, but bears a good reputation on the Bourse, and is received everywhere." "How long has he been in Paris?" "About ten years. He came here with a large fortune made at the Cape, j and has doubled it since." "Who Is he?" I again asked myself when I went to bed. For days and days the man's face seemed to follow me. I mentally pass ed in review the various persons I had met in the course of my career, with out being able to locate him. Yet I felt certain I had seen him when his name was not Charles Vernet. I took out my journal, looking over the cases with which I had been con nected since I became xhief of the detective police. And still no trace of him. I worked my way back to the days when I was assistant to M. Clement, at the Prefecture, and police commis sary, in the Pantin Quarter, until I came upon the murder of Moulin, the notary's clerk, by a fellow called Si mon. And then I paused; for it sud denly dawned upon me that Simon was the man I must have had in my ; mind when I saw Charles Vernet. Moulin lived in the Rue des Ab besses, and he and Simon were friends. One night a lodger, occupy ing a room below Moulin's, was awak ened by the noise of a scuffle over- ! head, and, going to the rescue, met a man hurrying past him. Moulin was lying on his bed stabbed to the heart. When Simon was arrested the next day, the lodger recognized him as the man he had seen on the stairs. Si mon, who had already been implicated in several unpleasant affairs, never admitted his guilt; and, in the ab sence of dlrec proofs, the Jury brought in. a verdict by which he escaped the guillotine, but was sentenced to twen ty years penal servitude. I Inquired at the Prefecture, where I learned that Simon and a man called Aymard had planned to escape from Cayenne. Aymard had succeeded in getting away, while Simon, his face battered in and his body covered with, wounds, was found in a ditch. His identity had been disclosed by his jacket, which bore the number "94. The report of Simon's death did not remove my doubts. But, as in the face of the official statement I could not well apply to the authorities for assistance, I determined to try to solve the problem myself. If my theory was right that Charle Vernet and Simon were the same person it must have been Si mon who placed the telltale jacket with the number 94 on the body of 'Aymard, whom, no doubt, he had mur dered to insure his own safety. This trick bad "been performed several Sat i & Llpplncott Co.) times and, from my recollection of Si mon, he was not the man to shrink from killing his companion. I took all the papers relating to the Simon case with me, and gathered from them an interesting fact. While under remand, Simon probably to curry favor with the authorities had denounced a youth named Berger, as having been concerned in a burglary in the Rue des Saints-Peres, in con nection with which three men had been sentenced to long terms of im prisonment Berger was arrested, but, as It was proved that he had thus far borne an excellent character, and had been fooled by his companions, he got off very lightly. I had reason to suppose that Ber ger, knowing it was Simon who had betrayed him, would not be sorry to get even with his enemy, and I there fore decided to have a talk with him, without, of course, letting him know more than was strictly necessary. In fact, I had to be very careful how I went to work. So far, everything was only suppo sition. The official report about Si mon's death might have been true, and my theory about the likeness be tween the two men the financier and the convict altogether wrong. In that case a mistake would have proved dis astrous. Twelve years had elapsed since the trial of Simon, and it was possible that Berger had disappeared. For tunately I had a clue. Berger at the time of his arrest, was courting a woman who kept a tobacco-shop, in the Latin Quarter, the widow of a man called Samson, for which reason the students had christened her "Delilah." When I called at the little shop in the Rue Saint-Andre-des-Arts, I found it had changed hands, and in the place of the buxom Madame Delilah was a thin, good-natured looking little wom an, fond of gossip. I bought some cig arettes, and she was soon giving me the biography of every member of her family. Then I deflected our talk to Madame Delilah, whereupon the lady tobacconist looked severe. "Did you know that person?" she asked. "No, no," I hurriedly replied, "I have only seen her once or twice, when she was engaged to a man a man I can't remember his name." The lady-tobacconist continued to look severe and, with scorn In her voice, remarked: "Engaged, engaged who do you think would have engaged himself to Delilah?" "I fancy I heard she was going to marry somebody called Burger or Berger." "Berger, you mean. That jailbird?" "Yes. What has become of him?" "When he was discharged from prison he took up photography, and migrated to Belleville; but that's sev eral years ago." In Belleville, the populous quarter, there are several establishments where the Paris workmen celebrate their weddings, and, according to cus tom, have themselves photographed on the important day. The restaurant of the Las Saint-Fargeau, at the top of the steep Rue de Belleville, is the most famous place for this kind of en tertainments, and I decided to go there first. When I reached the es tablishment, at two in the afternoon, several wedding-parties had taken pos sion of the garden, and a pho tographer was busy with his appa ratus, while his assistant arranged the groups. "What is the name of the artist?" I inquired of the proprietor. "Mas son," he replied. At that moment the assistant passed us to fetch, a chair from the house. I stopped him, and asked whether he knew & photographer named Berger. He eyed me curiously. "My name is Berger." I had reason to congratulate myself on my luck. And, looking at the man, I detected a likeness to his portrait I had seen at the Prefecture. I waited till the rush of work was over, and then beckoned to him. When I told him who I was, he frown ed. "M. Goron," he exclaimed, "I hoped this horrible affair was forgotten. I am earning my living honestly. Why am I again to be troubled?" "You have nothing to fear, my good fellow. Your affair, as yon call it, is dead and buried. All I ask you Is to call on me, to-morrow morning at half-past ten. I have a question to put to you." "All right, sir," he sighed. On my return to the office I sent a note to Charles Vernet, with the re quest to come to me the next morning at eleven, as I wanted some more in formation from him regarding the Bel gian swindler. At half-past ten, punctually, Berger was announced. "Berger," I began, "yon need not look so miserable. I give yon my "ord nobody will hurt yon." He smiled faintly. "I want you to go into the adjoin ing room and wait for me." A few minutes past eleven Vernet was introduced. I apologized for trou bling' him agsln, rd handed him a few documents r litire to the Kar sun affair. While he was reading them I went to Berger. The small room where X had left him, and to which nobody had accees, opened Into my ofice. In the doot was a little hole. Ton see that hole?" I asked. "Yes, sir." "Put your eye to it, and look care fully at the gentleman inside. When he Is gone I shall call you." My conversation with Charles Ver net did not last many minutes; anc" the moment he had left I went to Ber ger. He stared at me like one In a dream. "Well, Berger T He remained silent for & while, and then shook his head. "Who is he?" he said at last "That Is the very question I wanted to put to you." He sat deep In thought one hand playing with his hat turning it me chanlcally around. "Who is he, and why did you show him to me?" he asked again. I remained silent "M. Goron," he cried excitedly, "you have awakened in me a feeling I had managed to smother. You know my history. Yon know how I was drag ged into the affair, and you know the name of the villain who brought the trouble on my head. When I was dis charged from Galllon I had but one Idea to be avenged on Simon. And when I heard his body had been found in Cayenne, I thought he still might have escaped he is so artful. Then I looked at every man in the streets, and I fancied I saw Simon. At last it became such an obsession that I felt I was growing mad under the strain, and I fought hard against it, until Si mon's face ceased to haunt me. And, now, to-day, this feeling has returned In all its intensity. Why?" "Yes why?" "It Is the sight of the man that did ; it He is not Simon. He looks quite ; different Yet, something in his man- b Tfus meant for & ner, in the way he holds himself. minds me of him. Who is he?" "That is none of your business. Now, go home and think no more about it I will give yon an introduc tion to one of my friends who can put a lot of work in your way." Bergers face brightened. Thank you, M. Goron; you don't know the struggle I am having." "You will get on better now. Her is my card. And not a word about this Interview." Berger had strengthened my sus picions, and the moment had arrived for the decisive trial I had a difficult part to play, but I felt equal to it Charles Vernet entertained frequent ly in his tastefully furnished apart ment in the Rue de la Faisanderie. He also went much Into society, and was a constant guest at the house of Mad ame S , the well-known sculptor, at whose receptions the elite of the artistic and literary world congre gated. Madame S , a charming hostess, and one of the most fascinating of women, had often invited me to these gatherings, but I never found the time to attend them. Now, however, I made up my mind to go to the soiree she was giving at the end of the month, and I called on my friend, Ca mllle L , who, I knew, helped her with them. "Camllle," I said; T want yon to ask me to luncheon with Madame S and also to secure me an invitation to aer reception on th ?Pth " 7 i m&sMlim i ti III If "Ncthing eatier said Camffia. Two days later I received aa ta vi ta tlea to lunch with hla and Madame S , at Durand's. When coffee was erred. CamlUe turned the conversa tion to the soiree. "I suppose." be said, "yon win. as usuaL have an 'All Paris' assembly, in cluding the financial swells?" "Oh, the financial swells," laughed Madame S "are always eager to meet celebrities." And she mentioned the names of her guests. Charles Vernet was among them. "Why don't yon invite our friend here?" asked Camllle. "What is the good?" pouted the lady. "He never comes." "Try him again." "Very well. M. Goron. will you give me the pleasure of your company?" "It will be an honor to me, mad am e." Madame S clapped her hands with joy. "I am much obliged to you, M. Goron. And I want you to contribute your share to the night's entertain ment Cannot you tell us something Interesting?" "A lecture?" "Why not? That would be splen did." , "I doubt whether it would amuse your guests; but possibly I may find something else to suit their jaded pal ates. And, If it is not indiscreet on my part, will you allow me to bring my young nephew? He is here on a visit" "By all means; I shall be delight ed." The eventful evening arrived, and I drove up to Madame S 's with a parcel carefully wrapped In brown paper, which I left down-stairs in charge of one of the servants. As to my nephew, nobody would have guessed that the good-looking, well dressed young man, with the gardenia in his buttonhole, was a smart de- Joke he remarked. tective In whom 1 placed absolute re liance When I entered the salons ie guests had nearly all arrived. I recog nized Failleron, Luclen March of the Illustration, Alphonse Daudet Meis sonnier, Puvia de Chavannes, La moureaux. Fran claque Barcey, Benja min Constant, Sardou, actors and actresses from the leading theaters, famous scientists a brilliant crowd. There was some excellent music, and then a long-haired gentleman un folded the mysteries of the cinemato graph at that time quite a novelty. A professor from the Sorbonne show ed us a new electrometer; and a 80 cietaire from the Comedle-Francalsa gave some recitations. I was sitting in a quiet corner, watching Charles Vernet deep in con versation with three or four Stock Ex change men, when Madame came to ward me, both hands extended. "Dear M. Goron," she cried, "It is now your turn." And, taking my am, she led me to the center of the room. My friend Camllle asked for silence for the hostess, who said: - "M. Goron, whom we are all glad to welcome here, has promised to give us some of his experiences. It is a sur prise I kept In store for yon." Loud applause followed. A small table with the traditional glass of wa ter was brought for me; the ladies sat in a semicircle, the gentlemen formed the background. "Ladies and gentlemen," I began, when silence was restored, "our charnv teg betters n&t told yos I would re late seae of my experience. I bare no such intention, for the simple rea son that yea all know xsore about tbera than I do myself. Newspaper reporting has become one of the fine arts, and no sooner Is a crime com mitted than, the payers bring th full est details. Kay, the up-to-date jour nalist seems even to have the gift of prophecy; for many a time I read of burglaries and attempted murders that have not yet occur, ed. I there fore, thought that Instead of giving you narratives offering but little In terest I would draw your attention to the curious evolution which the de tective's profession, like everything: nowadays, has undergone. "Years ago. the man whose duty it is to fight the enemies of society had his own powers to rely upon. Be tween him and the criminal it was skill against skill, art against art Then came the modern inventions railways, steamers, the telegraph, the telephone and matters grew worse for the detective. Alas! it was the murderers, the forgers, who had the advantage, inasmuch as they could steal a long march upon Nemesis, and get their accomplices to use the tele graph and the telephone for their benefit "The question, therefore, was to dis cover a system by which society, and not its foes, would reap the advantage. Ladles and gentlemen, this system had been found, and the man to whom we owe it, and whose name will go down to posterity, is M. BertlHon." I undid the parcel which my "nep hew," at my request had brought up stairs. "This box," I continued, "contains the Instruments used In the anthro pometrical department for the identi fication of those who, having previ ously fallen into the hands of the po lice, expect to escape detection by changing their names, or altering, as they think, their appearance." ff If f IP Having explained to the company the practical working of the system, and how the little instruments are ap plied to the head and fingers, I said: "With your kind permission, I -will now conclude with a practical demon stration, which will leave to soma of you a little souvenir of my lecture. Aa I had already the honor to explain, the measurements of the incriminated person are put down on a card, to which his photograph is affixed, ad thus we possess the infallible means of dicovering, at a moment's notice, the Identity of the person arrested. It Is a net through whose meshes noth ing can slip. I have brought some of these cards with me, shall be happy to take the measurement of any lady or gentlemen, and present them with the card." I never saw such excitement. Dozens of charming women made a rush for me, and sweet voices cried, "Measure me, please, M. Goron. "One moment ladles," I called out, "the mistress of the house first" Madame S came promptly for ward, and, after I had attended to her and a number of ladies, my "nephew fining up the cards, I raised my h?nrt, "And now the gentlemen!" Sarcey was the first to present him self. Then came Daudet and other distinguished personages. All along I had kept my eye ca Charles Vernet. who had remained In background, and now slowly acred toward the door. -M. Vernet," I said, "don't go away, tiave your measurements taken, ft ct!Ut4 a tsetse lid with what t- forced smile: "No. thsak yea. I ttt . thing dene before." 3 "Well. I hare st rj and tries h!m to rs - Amid shouts of Iv,- v him and r-slVd hire tot J.7 This time be $0214 " "Is this meant for marked. " ' "Of course. It U part of tu Either my suspicion .." ed. or the man had tnvk tlon. He never mcvd a being measured. "" ,L: Others were cow preset f but on the pretest that I u 1. cards. 1 withdrew to tu room, whither Vernet had r- , lowed by my detective. Tu had given Vernet a prr;.- and had quickly slipped into - the one he had just filial c', upon I went Into a corner to cc. It with the oflcial doctto.. t to Simon, which I had torr&w M. Bertillon's oOce. A glance was sufficient Tit uree were identical. It a net, but Simon, th ecard cttT the murder, who stood ttfre, his cigar, making an ar;:t..J with a friend to meet bin u 1, day. The next dry! And la ? c utes the thunderbolt would en on his head. I went up to him. "Have you said good niKtt to u lady of the houte?" I asked. He turned sharply around. "Monsieur Goron " he Ura- "Hush! Don't make a so-:. $if good-by to the hostess, ard t'l b you will have to leavo Paris row on a long journey. You Q telling the truth. Go." Ho did not move. "For the second and last titr." J whispered, "I advise you not to rati a scene. It Is not to Charks h I am speaking, it is to Sinoa. iU i sassln of Aymard. My Ci? yonder is a detective, acd I htf three more 'nephews' down stairs 3 caso of emergency." He thougnt a moment And ties- "I will go with you; but you 11 making a mistake you -w. ill rirrt' It was the never-varying u-y the criminal at bay. Yet I could tt help admiring the man's rme. ht shook hands with Madame S ia a few more people in a ralrg!; 3 concerned manner, and walked dcv stairs. In the hall, where a serrart tirJ ed him his overcoat my attcsdii!, t! a signal from me, cleverly ti?tii Vernet's pockets, and witbdrt sose thing which he handed me. It u 1 small revolver. "You were right sir," he uii; 1 should not have thought of tix." At the Prefecture they er t tounded. My prisoner made a i'rjl stand, and fought desperately the overwhelming odds; but, izC-7, like all the other criminals I seen, he broke down before the less Bertllion system. Yes, he was Simon; but ai, awrJ ing to law, he had to be tried ta Cayenne for having escaped. &zi a suspicion of having murdered A? mard, he was at once conveyed to tt He de Re to be sent out to the pe-i settlement But, despite my warning, the ch elate at the He de Re prison did keep a careful watch on Slmos, the day before he was to hate t put on board the steamer, he to strangle himself. Caught at Latt To bring about the victory cf over evil has been assumed to be especial aim of saints and sarei: fc savages, it seems, may socsettoes I militant In the same cause. la tls re cent book, "The White Waterfall" James Francis Dwyer relates tie ttstf of a missionary who preached to tribe of blacks In northern land, and told them In simple l" of Adam and Eve and their trr- from the Garden of Eden. The episode of the serpent iscci in cited the converts, and when Us sionary arrived at the blacks' e7 on the following day. the attires - collected half a hundred or oi snakes, which they brought oct lot u good man's inspection. "But why do you want ne to x ine themr asked the parson. The chief of the tribe wicked iugly. .vjj "You tell 'em if old maxe mak 'em plenty trouble. Mr. said, grinning. "We think ea T find dat old feller with this Youth's Companion. Woman on the Firing L,n,tf In one of the recent flU around Horns, says a Tripoli &fV the Italian troops captured w Turkish lines a European woaw 1 was standing by her wounded She was armed with a . vT,rfrxl cartridges, " when captured refused to 1 r Identity- . woman is being kept a priso- war. Mahogany as FueU Rosegood and mahogany plentiful in Mexico that oe copper mines there are tia 0 rosewood, while mahogany " fuel for the engines. Can You Guess? Mrs. Bacon-Did they ha long speeches at the meeting. Mr. Bcca-VeU.JojBjr measuring you. Latfte - i couple of American - been among the Cm: to . upon. "pVst tifc -. .1. vt