A STRANGE STORY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 902, 10 January 1882, Page 3

A STRANGE STORY.

Facts are sometimes as strange, if not stranger than fiction, and sensat'onal situations are occasionally to be met with in real life which would figure well in the works of Ponson de Terrail, or writers of his class. The Civil Tribunal of Simbirsk, in Russia, was recently the scene of one of those dramatic incidents more often read of in novels than witnessed in a court of law. A case was being heard before the tribunal, the plaintiff being represented by a lawyer of considerable celebrity named Panine. The court was crowded, and counsel on either side was about to plead for their respective clients. Suddenly a person present rose to his feet, and pointing to Maitre Panine, denounced him as a dangerous criminal whoso traces the police had been seeking for four years past without having succeeded in finding his whereabouts. ‘'That advocate,” cried the individnalinquestion, “has no right t" the name he bears, his real name being Schilling. He is a German. I recognise him perfectly, for Vie were formerly at college together, and

I declare he is the notorious Valet de C«Biir.” The excitement and amazement such an unexpected revelation caused can be well imagined. The statement was at first believed to be utterly false, but on the denunciator.persisting in his assertion, the President of the Tribunal, desirous of bringing a painful scene to a close, requested the adv< cate to explain himself. Naturally', he stoutly denied that he and the famous Valet de Ceeur were one and the same person, his accuser as emphatically' maintaining the truth of his story, to corroborate which he asked that certain persons whom he named, amongst others a photographer, might be sent for. This was done. Upon Maitre Paniue being confronted with the latter he grew deadly white, and fell back fainting on his seat. When he recovered consciousness he confessed to being Valet de C**ur, who four years back had been the chief of a band of swindlers, robbers, and poisoners, and bandits of the worst kind , whose audacity and cruelty had made them the terror of Moscow and the environs. The rank and file of this association of ruffians had fallen into the hands of the police, hut the commander-in-chief, the famous Valet de Ccaur, and his associates, also a German called Spier, had never been caught. Chance has at last thrown him into the hands of justice, and the respected, distinguished, eloquent Maitre Panine is safely lodged in prison, where he will have leisure to reflect upon the vicissitudes of life.