ADVENTUROUS CAREER.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4553, 23 October 1875, Page 2 (Supplement)

ADVENTUROUS CAREER.

The adventurous career of a man named Leveille, who has just been sentenced in Paris to fifteen years’ hard labor, would form a happy subject for romancists in distress. He began life as a sailor, but not liking the broad free sea, he entered the army, and fought in the Crimea. Before the conclusion of peace, however, he deserted, and got into Asia Minor, where he lived four years. He then returned to Constantinople, and made the acquaintance of the Bather of the Lazarists, who sent him to the College of Bebec, where he studied theolony, and was eventually admitted to holy orders. Our hero was now delegated to go to Smyrna to reorganise the missionary college, and having accomplished that task he again returned to Constantinople, and was introduced to the family of the French Ambassador. During this part of his career he had obtained several decorations, notably that of the Christ of Portugal, the Medjidie, and the Black Eagle of Prussia. But he was now seized with nostalgia, and came to France. At first he became professor in one of the colleges of the Society of Jesus, then he went to Quimper as assistant to Bishop Sergent; after this he repaired to Vannes, where he stole several thousand francs belonging to the Lazarist Fathers, and then emigrated to Brazil. Having spent his money in travelling in outlandish parts, he again ventured back to his native country, and succeeded in insinuating himself into the good graces of the postmaster of Pleyben Christ, near Morlaix, from whom he stole a packet of post-office orders. But this time he was unlucky, the police caught him before he could escape the country, and he is now in prison for fifteen years, a period long enough to enable him to write a full account of his adventures.