R. Scott Shanks, Jr., was introduced to M. Gentry while in the company of the French police, where a firm camaraderie was immediately established. Counter to the opinions of both the prosecutor and the sitting magistrate, he had nothing to do with M. Gentry's sudden departure from Parisian hospitality. It is true that Mr. Shanks had visited M. Gentry in prison, bringing a bushel-basket of broken clocks and bits of wire--as well as several pounds of rodent bait--but that was intended to augment his own person to improve a bad back and several more personal issues.