Romance in Real Life.

Manawatu Herald, 19 June 1894, Page 3

Romance in Real Life.

The Marseilles Court- Martial has just had to deal with the case of a soldier whose career has contained above the common quantity oi romance. Early in March an Adjutant of the Foreign Legion, upon his breast were the Military Medal, the Tonkin Commemorative Medal, and the Cross of the Dragon of Annam, gave himself up at the military headquarters in Marseilles, declaring that his supposed name was not his real name, which was Camnzet, and that he was an unpunished criminal. He stated further that in 1884 when he was an artillery sergeant he was in his absence found guilty of fraud. He was sentenced to twenty years hard labour and to escape the penalty he went to Switzerland. After a time he joined the Foreign Legion, enlisting at one of the towns on the Swiss frontier under the name of Ruchon* net and was sent to Tonkin. There he proved himself a very brave soldier, As a corporal he was on one occasion tho first; to scale a strongly fortified earth-work held by 800 natives armed with %\i\kAi -fii-ing rifles, which had been attacked by his company. In this engagement he wt»s wounded iq the leg. but in

' recognition of his courage he was raised to the rank of sergeant. He rose by degrees to be adjutant, and received several decorations during his five years' stay in Tonkin. Theft he was sent to Algeria, where he continued to exhibit high-soldier-like qualities. One day, to the surprise of the Colonel of his regiment, he told the story of his early misdeed. He was advised to give himself up, aad did so, with the result that the Court-Martial decided, in view of his splendid services to his country, to pronounce his acquittal.