A KING OF ROGUES.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1751, 27 September 1905, Page 50

A KING OF ROGUES.

The French police were put to a great deal of trouble some time ago in consequence of the exploits of George Goirand an exceptionally clever swindler and robber, Goirand was a veritable king of rogues, and his adventures make extraordinary reading. One of his methods was to inveigle women —over whom, in spite of his commonplace and unprepossessing appearance, he gained a remarkable influence —and use them for his own ends. A woman confederate who was caught by the police confessed that she had obtained a situation as a domestic servant at Goirand’s suggestion, and afterward rifled the house, handing the whole of the proceeds of her robbery over to Goirand. At one time, the latter lived in the suburbs of Paris, under an assumed name, in a splendid house and grounds, possessing horses and carriages, as well as motor cars, all of which were paid for out of the proceeds of a servant girl’s robberies, which amounted to some .£15,000 in eighteen months. Goirand made friends with all the gentry and landowners of the place, inviting them during the season to shoot over his preserves, while in the summer time he went to fashionable wateringplaces, and associated with persons in. high official positions. All this time the detectives were looking for him, but ha knew far more about them than they ever found out about him. Of course, they never suspected for one moment that such an apparently wealthy and respected man was the Goirand they were looking for. He had a wonderful stock of properties for disguise, including even different sets of teeth, which gave his physiognomy various expressions.