From the early childhood we know such detectives as Sherlock Holms, Nat Pickerton, Erquele Puare, Cp Megre. But only limited amount of people know that all these literary characters have real historic prototypes who put the beginning of private detective investigation. The father of this new profession is considered to be Francois Eugene Vidok (1775 - 1857). He was the son of a baker. In his birthday it was pouring and the midwife who accouched remarked that his life would be turbulent. That was a prophecy.

First he worked on the behalf of his father, but then the thirst of adventure made him steel 2000 franks from his parents’ secret compartment and go to America. But on the way to the nearest harbor he was robbed and in order to make ends meet he had to work in the troop of nomadic artists. In 1791 he volunteered for military service in Paris. He rose to the rank of the grenadiers captain but on the score of his constant dueling he was forced to left the army and to return to his native town Arras. But soon he was drafted again but this time hardly had he served 2 months when he slapped one of his commanding officers in the face and had to escape. On the way to Paris he was arrested by the police on the ground that he didn’t have any identity document. In order not to be unmasked he went over the hill and camouflaging in order to look like an officer he arrived in Amsterdam.

In spring of 1796 he returned to Paris where he fell in love with some concubine who was of a frivolous demeanor and again he was put into a prison when he bit the paramour of his beloved who in fact turned out to be a big toad in a little puddle. He was sentenced to 3 month imprisonment but after being slandered by some of his inmates he was condemned to spending 8 years in a solitary cell. But with the help of his last concubine he broke the jail with putting on an officer dress and pretending to be a guard. But in some days the police got hold of him again. All in all he managed to bust out from different prisons and penal servitude for about 15 times and for this reason he got the nickname “the king of the risk”. Rumor had it that he didn’t burn in fire, didn’t sink in water, he was a werewolf and was able to walk through walls.

Among his being in prisons he was a buccaneer and robbed English ships, a monk in the monastery, a tradesman. During his last being in freedom he learnt about the secret society called “Olimpians” the members of which were responsible for atrocious manslaughters, looting, assassinations and forgering. He decided to inform the police about their plans anonymously beforehand, due to it the insiders were caught. But Vidok was also arrested. In prison he made up his mind to collaborate with investigators under the condition that his stretch would be diminished. As he was a real authority in the underworld he wasn’t under suspicion. In 21 months his patrons detectives organized his escape and soon the ex-felon became tub-thumper of the society.

His first case was connected with the famous counterfeiter Vatren. In investigating Eugene had his one mode, he was able to re-embody in a servant, drunkard or even a bourgeois. He wormed himself into the confidence of criminals as he spoke the same language with them, he knew the rules of the underworld and he easily changed his appearance. Only ex-criminals worked on his behalf. In spite of the fact that everyday he caught smb he still was a secret agent and couldn’t breathe to the full. Only his assignment as the head of Surte – French criminal police, made him to light up all his talents. During his servant he sent to prison 17 000 offenders. in 1827 after 18 year work he was retired. But in 1830 during the july rebellion he was again asked to take the place of the head of Surte. Due to his opportune actions, logic and ability to dissect bygone and to predict future events he gain the nickname of the savior of France. But soon because of treachery, betrayal, perfidy and intrigues of his enemies he was ousted.

In 1832 he founded his famous detective agency “the burro of investigation”. The archives numbered thousands of criminals’ privacies. On the false charge he was put into Consiergerie, but then the court awarded verdict of not guilty. But that last imprisonment undermined his health and believe in justice and faith. Vidok died at the age of 82. They sat that at his death hour he whispered in delirium that he would have become a new Murate and serve till marshal's baton if he hadn’t loved so much women and duels.