Page:Edward Prime-Stevenson - The Intersexes.djvu/505

 of a blackmailer, no matter how clear; nor later need they recur, obbligato. They are often not part of the evidence. This simplifies and protects. But social disgrace of course may be resultant. In 1896, occurred in Paris the curious case of the pretended police-agent Sourdville, who played the comedy of accepting, as if against his duty, a bribe to let some unlucky stranger go—free of scandal. This rascal however went on to thievery by the aid of chloroform; and was trapped and sentenced.

A recent remarkable case of blackmail came into the Ninth Correctional Chamber, in Paris, in the first, week of February, 1908. A gymnastics-professor of Dijon, named G—, a highly respectable and esteemed man, met on the boulevards in Paris a young maleprostitute named Eugene-Georges Peyrin, twenty years old. G— made the acquaintance; Peyrin accompanied him to his hotel, though without entering—on that occasion. An appointment was made for next day. But even on this opportunity Peyrin asked for money, and received twenty francs. After the theater, next evening, about midnight, Peyrin designated an hotel where "male-guests" were particularly received—one of the many such bouges in Paris. Once in the room together, Peyrin allowed himself to be embraced and kissed and generally attouché, for a few moments—in smiling consent. Then he said "—Come, let us undress!" G— complied with haste, stripped, and sat on the bed. As soon as Peyrin s.aw G— quite naked (Peyrin having not taken off more than his coat and waistcoat) he turned on G— menacingly. He seized the unfortunate man by the. throat. "Now we'll change our tune!" he exclaimed, "—I want money, a lot of money! He demanded three thousand francs; or else "he would make a scandal." This would ruin the Dijon victim socially and professionally. So G— then and there gave up to Peyrin, his watch and all the money he had about him—a thousand francs—and signed a