EUGENE VIDOCQ

THE ORIGINAL MODEL OF OUR STORY-BOOK THIEVES AND

DETECTIVES

1775-1857

(INTRODUCTORY NOTE)

The entire modern flood of clever story-book thieves and detectives, with their thousand successful disguises and subtle plots, had their origin in the actual and historic career of Eugene Vidocq, head of the French detective force from 1812 to 1825. Vidocq's own "Memoirs" have been to a large extent forgotten by the reading public, who have turned to newer and more imaginary detective heroes; but Vidocq's narrative still remains the richest mine of adventures upon which modern novelists continue to draw.

These "Memoirs' were authorized and to some extent actually written by Vidocq himself. In the preface to the original French edition Vidocq protests with true Gallic vehemence against the "editor" who has so distorted his statements as to make him seem an unsympathetic and unattractive personage. With such an editor and such an original, the reader will probably scarce need the caution that the story should not be trusted too implicitly. The memoirs do, however, give correctly the general outline of Vidocq's remarkable career, and they are faithful to the spirit of their day. They show us with horrible truth the days of the French Revolution from the under side, the miseries of the people, their degeneration, and the utter disorder of all ordinary affairs of government and police.

Let us briefly summarize Vidocq's amazing career. He stole from his parents as a boy; became a wandering thief and roisterer, entered the army of the French Republic in its early days, and served there with some credit until his knavery plunged him into fresh disasters. He had become a notorious leader among thieves when, in 1796, he was condemned to the galleys for eight years. He repeatedly escaped and was recaptured. Finally in 1808 he offered his services to the Paris police to betray his former comrades. From this time onward he attached himself to the side of the law. So valuable were his services that he secured the confidence of his superiors and rose rapidly in the police

service to his rank of chief detective, and held the place for over a dozen years. His successes, his tricks and his disguises were the talk of Paris. He was a newspaper hero. By 1825, however, the suspicion grew strong that the clever reformed thief was still in league with some of his former comrades, that he was in fact playing the game from both ends. He was dismissed from the police force, and then published his "Memoirs" in 1828. Afterwards he opened a private detective agency; but this was soon closed by the police, and the enterprising Vidocq then consented to live quietly in his old age.

MEMOIRS OF VIDOCQ

I

I WAS born at Arras; my continual disguises, the flexibility of my features, and a singular power of grimacing, having cast some doubt concerning my age, it will not be deemed superfluous to declare here, that I was brought into the world on the 23d of July, 1775, in a house adjoining that in which Robespierre was born, sixteen years before. It was night; the rain fell, lightning flashed, the thunder rolled; and a relation, who was both midwife and fortune-teller, predicted that my career would be a stormy one.

However that may be, we will presume that the sky was not troubled on my special account; and although there is always something very attractive in the marvelous, I am far from thinking that the turbulence of the elements had much reference to my birth. I had a most robust constitution, and there was plenty of me, so that as soon as I was born, they took me for a child of two years of age; and I gave tokens of that athletic figure, that colossal form, which have since struck terror into the most hardened and powerful ruffians. My father's house being situated in the Place d'Armes, the constant resort of all the blackguards of the vicinity, I had my muscular powers early called into action, in regularly thrashing my comrades, whose parents were always complaining of me to my father and mother. At home, nothing was talked of but torn ears, black eyes, and rent garments; at eight years of age, I was the terror of all the dogs, cats, and children of the neighborhood; at thirteen, I handled a foil with no little skill and address. My father, perceiving that I associated chiefly with the military of the garrison, was alarmed for

me, and desired me to prepare myself for the first receiving of the communion: two devotees undertook to prepare me for this solemn duty. God knows what fruit I have gathered from their lessons. I began, at the same time, to learn the trade of a baker, which was my father's business, in which he intended that I should succeed him, although I had an elder brother.

My employment principally consisted in carrying bread through the city. During my rounds, I made frequent visits to the fencing-rooms, of which my parents were not long in ignorance; but the cooks all gave such testimony of my politeness and punctuality, that they winked at this trifling prank. This went on until they discovered a deficiency in the till, of which they never took away the key. My brother, who visited it in the same manner as myself, was detected in the very act, and sent off in a hurry to a baker at Lille. The day after this event, which had not been explained to me, I was about to explore, according to custom, the convenient drawer, when I perceived that it was carefully closed. The same day, my father desired me to use more alacrity in my rounds, and to return at a certain hour. It was then evident that from that day forward I should be equally deprived of liberty and money. I bewailed this twofold calamity, and hastened to impart it to a comrade named Poyant, older than myself. As a hole was cut in the counter to drop the money through, he first advised me to introduce a feather dipped in glue; but this ingenious expedient only produced me very small pieces of money, and it became necessary for me to employ a false key, which was made for me by a blacksmith's son. I then dipped again into the till, and we spent together the fruits of these pilferings at a public-house, where we had established our headquarters. There assembled, attracted by the master of the house, a great many well-known rogues, and some unfortunate young fellows, who, to get replenished pockets, used the same expedient as myself. I soon joined the society of the most abandoned vagabonds of the country, who initiated me into all their villainies. Such was the honorable society in the bosom of which I spent my leisure hours, until one day my father surprised me, as he had done my brother, took away my key, heartily thrashed me, and took such precau

tions as totally cut off all my hopes of ever again getting a dividend from the receipts therein deposited.

My only resource was now to take my tithes from the bakings. Occasionally I pilfered a loaf or two; but as in disposing of them I was compelled to sell them very cheaply, I scarcely by their sale obtained sufficient to regale myself with tarts and honey. Necessity makes us active. I had an eye for everything; all was agreeable to me-wine, sugar, coffee and liquors. My mother had never known her provisions to disappear so quickly, and perhaps would not have discovered so soon, but two chickens which I had resolved on disposing of to my own peculiar profit, raised their voices to accuse me. Hid in my breeches pocket, and concealed by my baker's apron, they thrust out their heads and crowed; and my mother, thus informed of their intended fate, came out to prevent it. She gave me several cuffs on the head, and sent me supperless to bed. I did not sleep a wink, and it was, I think, the evil spirit that kept me awake; all I know is, that I rose with the determination to lay hands on all the plate. One thing alone gave me uneasiness. On each piece the name of VIDOCQ was engraved in large letters. Poyant, to whom I broached the matter, overruled all difficulties; and the same day, at dinner time, I swept off ten forks and as many coffeespoons. Twenty minutes afterwards the whole was pawned, and the next day I had not a farthing left of the hundred and fifty francs which they lent me on them.

I did not return home for three days, and on the third evening I was arrested by two police-officers, who conveyed me to the Baudets, a place in which mad persons were confined, together with those committed for trial, and the rogues of the district. I was kept in a dungeon for ten days, without being told the cause of my arrest, and then the jailer told me that I had been imprisoned at the desire of my father. This information a little composed me. It was a paternal correction that was inflicted on me, and I accordingly judged that its continuance would not be rigorous. My mother came to see me the next day, and I was pardoned. Four days afterward I was set at liberty, and I returned to work with a determination and promise of henceforward conducting myself irreproachably. Vain resolve! I soon resumed my old habits,