DELESSERT, JULES PAUL BENJAMIN French banker, was born at Lyons on Feb. 14, 1773, the son of Etienne Delessert (173 5-1816 ), the founder of the first fire in surance company and the first discount bank in France. Young Delessert was travelling in England when the Revolution broke out in France, but he hastened back to join the Paris National Guard in 1790, becoming an officer of artillery in 1793. His father bought him out of the army, however, in 1795 in order to entrust him with the management of his bank. He started many commer cial enterprises, founding the first cotton factory at Passy in 18o1, and a sugar factory in 1802, for which he was created a baron of the empire. He sat in the chamber of deputies for many years, and was a strong advocate for many humane measures, notably the suppression of the "Tours" or revolving box at the foundling hospital, the suppression of the death penalty, and the improvement of the penitentiary system. He was made regent of the Bank of France in 1802, and founded many learned and philan thropic societies. He founded the first savings bank in France.