palani
8th January 2016, 09:30 AM
What man reading the following account would fail to recognize how such accurate information used to save his life would morph into the system that we currently live under. This account is from 1792 from A Treatise on the Police of the Metropolis: Explaining the Various Crimes …
https://books.google.com/books?id=nj9aAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA355&dq=police&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwic9oy-3pjKAhVGNSYKHXBkAp0Q6AEIPTAG#v=onepage&q=police&f=false
A merchant of high respectability in Bourdeaux had occasion to visit the metropolis upon commercial business, carrying with him bills and money to a very large amount.
On his arrival at the gates of Paris, a genteel looking man opened the door of his carriage, and addressed him to this effect: - Sir, I have been waiting upon you for some time; according to my notes you were to arrive at this hour; and your person, your carriage, and your portmanteau, exactly answering the description I hold in my hand, you will permit me to have the honour of conducting you to Monsieur De Sartine.
The gentleman astonished and alarmed at this interruption, and still more so at hearing the name of the Lieutenant of Police mentioned, demanded to know what Monsieur De Sartine wanted with him; adding at the same time, that he never had committed any offence against the laws, and that he could have no right to interrupt or detain him.
The messenger declared himself perfectly ignorant of the cause of the detention; stating at the same time, that when he had conducted him to Mons. De Sartine, he should have executed his orders, which were merely ministerial.
After some further explanations, the gentleman permitted the officer to conduct him to the hotel of the Lieutenant of Police.
Mons. De Sartine received him with great politeness; and after requresting him to be seated, to his great astonishment he described his portmanteau, and told him the exact sum in bills and specie which he had brought with him to Paris, and where he was to lodge, his usual time of going to bed , and a number of other circumstances, which the gentleman had conceived couild only be known to himself. Mons. De Sartine having thus excited attention, put this extraordinary question to him “Sir, are you a man of courage?” The gentleman still more astonished at the singularity of such an interrogatory, demanded the reason why he put such a strange question, adding at the same time that no man ever doubted his courage. Mons. De Sartine replied, “Sir, you are to be robbed and murdered this night! If you are a man of courage, you must go to your hotel, and retire to rest at the usual hour: but be careful that you do not fall asleep; neither will it be proper for you to look under the bed or into any of the closets which are in your bed-chamber (which he accurately described); you must place your portmanteau in its usual situation, near your bed, and discover no suspicion; leave what remains to me. If, however you do not feel your courage sufficient to bear you out, I will procure a person who shall personate you, and go to bed in your stead.” After some further explanation, which convinced the gentleman that Mons. De Sartine’s intelligence was accurate in every particular, he refused to be personated, and formed an immediate resolution literally to follow the directions he had received. He accordingly went to bed at his usual hour, which was eleven o’clock. At half past twelve (the time mentioned by Mons. De Sartine) the door of the bed-chamber burst open, and three men entered with a dark lantern, daggers and pistols. The gentleman, who of course was awake, perceived one of them to be his own servant. They rifled his portmanteau undisturbed, and settled the plan of putting him to death. The gentleman, hearing all this, and not knowing by what means he was to be rescued, it may naturally be supposed was under great perturbation of mind during such an awful interval of suspense, when, at the moment the villains were preparing to commit the horrid deed, four police officers, acting under Mons. De Sartine’s orders, who were concealed under the bed, and in the closet, rushed out and seized the offenders with the property in their possession, and in the act of preparing to commit the murder.
The consequence was, that the perpetration of the atrocious deed was prevented, and sufficient evidence obtained t convict the offenders. Mons. De Sartine’s intelligence enabled him to prevent this horrid offence of robbery and murder, which, but for the accuracy of the system, would probably have been carried into execution.
https://books.google.com/books?id=nj9aAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA355&dq=police&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwic9oy-3pjKAhVGNSYKHXBkAp0Q6AEIPTAG#v=onepage&q=police&f=false
A merchant of high respectability in Bourdeaux had occasion to visit the metropolis upon commercial business, carrying with him bills and money to a very large amount.
On his arrival at the gates of Paris, a genteel looking man opened the door of his carriage, and addressed him to this effect: - Sir, I have been waiting upon you for some time; according to my notes you were to arrive at this hour; and your person, your carriage, and your portmanteau, exactly answering the description I hold in my hand, you will permit me to have the honour of conducting you to Monsieur De Sartine.
The gentleman astonished and alarmed at this interruption, and still more so at hearing the name of the Lieutenant of Police mentioned, demanded to know what Monsieur De Sartine wanted with him; adding at the same time, that he never had committed any offence against the laws, and that he could have no right to interrupt or detain him.
The messenger declared himself perfectly ignorant of the cause of the detention; stating at the same time, that when he had conducted him to Mons. De Sartine, he should have executed his orders, which were merely ministerial.
After some further explanations, the gentleman permitted the officer to conduct him to the hotel of the Lieutenant of Police.
Mons. De Sartine received him with great politeness; and after requresting him to be seated, to his great astonishment he described his portmanteau, and told him the exact sum in bills and specie which he had brought with him to Paris, and where he was to lodge, his usual time of going to bed , and a number of other circumstances, which the gentleman had conceived couild only be known to himself. Mons. De Sartine having thus excited attention, put this extraordinary question to him “Sir, are you a man of courage?” The gentleman still more astonished at the singularity of such an interrogatory, demanded the reason why he put such a strange question, adding at the same time that no man ever doubted his courage. Mons. De Sartine replied, “Sir, you are to be robbed and murdered this night! If you are a man of courage, you must go to your hotel, and retire to rest at the usual hour: but be careful that you do not fall asleep; neither will it be proper for you to look under the bed or into any of the closets which are in your bed-chamber (which he accurately described); you must place your portmanteau in its usual situation, near your bed, and discover no suspicion; leave what remains to me. If, however you do not feel your courage sufficient to bear you out, I will procure a person who shall personate you, and go to bed in your stead.” After some further explanation, which convinced the gentleman that Mons. De Sartine’s intelligence was accurate in every particular, he refused to be personated, and formed an immediate resolution literally to follow the directions he had received. He accordingly went to bed at his usual hour, which was eleven o’clock. At half past twelve (the time mentioned by Mons. De Sartine) the door of the bed-chamber burst open, and three men entered with a dark lantern, daggers and pistols. The gentleman, who of course was awake, perceived one of them to be his own servant. They rifled his portmanteau undisturbed, and settled the plan of putting him to death. The gentleman, hearing all this, and not knowing by what means he was to be rescued, it may naturally be supposed was under great perturbation of mind during such an awful interval of suspense, when, at the moment the villains were preparing to commit the horrid deed, four police officers, acting under Mons. De Sartine’s orders, who were concealed under the bed, and in the closet, rushed out and seized the offenders with the property in their possession, and in the act of preparing to commit the murder.
The consequence was, that the perpetration of the atrocious deed was prevented, and sufficient evidence obtained t convict the offenders. Mons. De Sartine’s intelligence enabled him to prevent this horrid offence of robbery and murder, which, but for the accuracy of the system, would probably have been carried into execution.