A PASSIONATE HERO

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 41, 28 May 1910, Page 10

A PASSIONATE HERO

Police and magistrates were puzzled for more than a week by a most respectable man who bad fallen into their hands (says the Paris correspondent of the Telegraph). He was a real hero, and excited their admiration during the inundations; but all the same they would have been glad if he had only made up his mind earlier to go home and be good. The absurd and the sublime were never more ridiculously mixed up. This well-to-do resident of the. suburbs, whose neighbor was endangered during the flood, helped to rescue him, his little daughter, and some fowls in a boat from an island that was being submerged, and on which the man was living. In passing through an octroi station on their return the little girl forgot to "declare" their fowls. The octroi inspector saw this, and ran after the girl to make her pay a sum of lfr 10c, and also to draw up a process verbal for a prospective fine. "Let these people alone," said the honorable resident, 'if there is anything to be done I shall come to-mor-row and settle it." He did go on the following morning, but arrived just ten minutes late at the octroi station. The papers had been sent away, and a criminal prosecution was to. be started. The good resident thereupon became so vexed at the official's hasty action that he called out for a gun to shoot him. But after reflection he thought it would be better for him to deliver himself up to the police than commit a murder, and so he did. "I shall murder that man. he said to the .police commissioner, "if you do not loctk me up." The police officer had no choice left. He did lock him up, and thought that by dinner or supper time his wrath would cool down. But it did not. The longer the man was in prison the hotter his resentment grew, and he asked to be sent to the Saute. Every day for a week an examining magistrate had him brought up, : ,v kl asked him if he would now- be a amo-l man and promise not to shoot the octvoij official. "I cannot do that," said the man day after day, and he ha- 1 to he sent back to the Sante Prison. His wife, his daughter, his neighbor, and alt in= friends had to entreat before, he would relent. After a week his wrath subsided, and he sent word to the magistrate that he felt sufficiently cooled down to enjoy his freedom. He was forthwith releaseu, much to the relief of magistrate and police.