"RUBBER-FACED" CROOK.

Auckland Star, Volume LI, Issue 3, 3 January 1920, Page 15

"RUBBER-FACED" CROOK.

FRENCHMAN WHO ALTERS %HIS . APPEARANCB AT WILL. Once again Louis Destart, one ot the j 2iost noted of American crlmluals, has been! laid by the heels by' an astute Culled j States detective. I The charge against him is that be has' seen concerned in a big gold robbery "out West," and if the allegations are substantiated this time, then It will probably be many years before Louis will trouble honest Yankees with his nefarious schemes again. Perhaps there Is no personality more romantic in the realms of American crime than Destart. A Frenchman by birth, he forty years ago, adopted tbe United States as his homeland, probably because France was getting too small to hold him after be had "been in business" for a couple of years. The remarkable feature about Destart is bis face. To him is attributed the power of being able to alter his facial appearance at will. This power has earned for him the cognomen of "Destart tbe Rubber-faced." Such an accomplishment, If really possessed, is obviously a tremendous asset to a criminal. On a previous occasion when Destart was "wanted" for a series of daring robberies, which were sufficient to "put him away" for several years, he all but eluded justice by making use of bis extraordinary facial contortions. A Federal service agent, who had been hot on his track, had discovered, after a lengthy investigation, the town wblcb Destart was favouring with bis none-too-welcome company. As the detective was walking along one of Its principal thoroughfares he noticed bis "man" go into a saloon. He quickly followed, but Destart, becoming aware that he was being followed, hurried into the cloakroom and changed his hat and coat for others which were hanging up. By means of this fact and his powers of changing his facial appearance he was able to emerge a few seconds later, and walk past the detective waiting outside. Unfortunately for his plans, however, he ran Into another Federal service agent, who happened to be familiar with this particular kind of disguise which Destari had adopted. An exciting chase followed, in whlct Destart jumped into a Bus proceeding ur the street, and for a while tbe agenl was put off the scent. The latter was reinforced, however, and the efforts of a dozen men, who patrolled the neighbour hood, were ultimately rewarded by th( capture of Destart. Before the Attorney Destart was askeC to give an exhibition ot bis powers o:

facial contortion, but he emphatically refused. The charges against him, which were of an extensive nature, resulted in a sentence of three yeare being passed upon him. Such a sentence, however, in no way disturbed the equanimity of the Frenchman, who merely shrugged his shoulders I and smiled when It was pronounced. ' On this occasion, it is understood, the i most serious of the charges gto foe pre- ' ' ferred against him is that he is alleged < to have robbed a bank official of a ( wallet of bullion while on a train bound . for New York. I