FORTY CRIMES

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 13, 16 July 1934, Page 4

FORTY CRIMES

A FRENCH "RAFFLES" '

' FashiouaßJy-dressed wonieu: struggled to^ gain entrance to ; the court .it Rouen,, France, when the "gentleman burglar" and "king of prisonbreakers," Serge do Lenz, came up for trial, charged .with .stealing objects worth 500,000 francs (£4OOO at par) from tho villa of- a wealthy American at Dieppe, says an English paper. The a collector, wan delighted by tho ultercst taken in his treasures by the young enthusiast with the aristocratic name and the faultless attire, who, nevertheless, had just been released from Melun gaol after completing his thirteenth year of imprisonment for his fortieth burglary. The American was so impressed by his new acquaintance that he- gave him tho run of his.villa. One day in tho absence of the owner Lenz took advantago of this trust to run off with the safe. . - - •

Lenz appeared in the dock as debonair and carefully groomed as ever, and looking much younger than his forty-two years. It was mentioned that though rejected for military service in 1913, he joined the Army in 1914, and was mentioned in dispatches. "That was fine," remarked the Judge, "but siaco your mention in dispatches'you have only been 'mentioned m burglaries and have been sentenced twenty-eight times."

Another side* of Lenz's career which did not figure in .the indictment was /indicated. by, a. y.ouug woman witness, whose reply to an inquirer in the lobbyof the court was: "Don't ask me questions, for I can only tell,you that he was charming, absolutely charming.' 3 Half of the next day's sitting of the Court was . occupied by a stubborn battle of the alienists as to accused's responsibility for his actions. Three out of four eminent dbetors adhered to the view that the proper place for him was an asylum and hot. a prison, but the jury, required only twenty minutes to side with ttie minority/ " Nevertheless,' tho evidence of exports showed clearly, enough. that he is no ordinary problem. "Lenz is an extraordinary man,'? sai'd one of them. "You will not find his like once in a century. A man with a Lett for a grandfather and a woman of Toulouse for a grandmother could not be otherwise than phenomenal. Lenz is, in fact, 'a high-powered motor-car without brakes.'" ' ■ :.-..-.-

Lenz was convicted and sentenced to ten years' imprisonment. :