Eugène Mouton
![Eugène Mouton, circa 1880 (photograph by [[Nadar](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a1/Mouton_%28M%C3%A9rinos%29_Eug%C3%A8ne%2C_Nadar%2C_Gallica.jpg)
He wrote for various newspapers, and his first story was published in 1857 when ''L'Invalide à la tête de bois'' (''The Invalid with the Wooden Head'') appeared in ''Le Figaro'' under the pen name of Mérinos. His subsequent success caused him to resign from the magistracy in 1868 in order to devote himself to writing. His principal works are ''Les lois pénales en France'' (1868), ''Nouvelles et fantaisies humoristisques'' (1873 and 1876), ''Voyages et aventures du Marius Cougourdan'' (1879), and ''Histoire de l'invalide à la tête de bois'' (1887). Provided by Wikipedia