MONTE CARLO WELLS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1382, 7 March 1912, Page 6

MONTE CARLO WELLS.

* THE MAN WHO BROKE THE BANK. .£40,000 FRAUD CHARGE. ' Charles de Ville Wells, alias Lucien Rivier, the man who in 1891 "broke the bank" at Monte Carlo twice in one day, and Jeannie Burns, nee Pairis, were placed in tho dock at Bow Street Police Court on Tuesday, January 23. They were charged on the extradition

warrant with obtaining money by false pretences within tho jurisdiction of the French Government. No details of tho caso were given during tho. brief proceedings, but it was stated that the sum involved amounted to about ,£40,000. Tho prisoners were arrested on January 20 on an extradition warrant—issued at the instance of the French' police—on board the steam yacht Harbinger, lying off Falmouth Harbour. As the train bringing them to London left Falmo.uth on Monday night, January 22, a small crowd sang the onco popular air "The Man Who Broke the Bank at Monte Carlo." As Wells stepped from the train at Paddington on Tuesday morning several photographers rushed forward, but he held his head down and rapidly waved an umbrella in front of his face. Wells stepped briskly into tho dock. He was described as seventy-one years of age and a company manager. His address was given as the yacht Harbinger. He hardly looks his age. Hβ is nearly bald, lias a rather long grey moustache, and wears a neatly trimmed grey beard. His height is about sft. 4in., and he is of spare build. Ho was dressed in a dark overcoat and earned a dark yachting cap of foreign make. While the detective was giving evidence he listened intently and once or twice he whispered to his companion. Jeannie Burns,. whoso address was also given as the yacht Harbinger," is forty-two years old. She is short in .stature and plump, with pleasing features. She wore a very high black velvet toque with lace trimmings, a black marabout stole, fur-trimmed black travelling coat, and a white blouse. Her very light veil did not hide her face. She smiled broadly as the officer read out the list of her jewellery which had been seized. Evidence as to the arrests was given by Detective-Sergeant Nicholls.. He also stated that he had taken possession of the yacht and a quantity of jewellery, found on the female prisoner. Tho accused were remanded. "Monte Carlo" Wells, or William Davenport; has had an astonishing career. Educated as an enginee. , in France, he came to England in 18S5 with .£BOOO. He exhausted his fortune in taking out patents, nearly a hundred in number, and ranging from a musical skipping-rope to torpedoes and- electric lights. Then he advertised for persons with capital to assist in the working of his scheme. Thus he raised nearly .£50,000. With this money he went t'o Moute Carlb to test a "system" he had for breaking the baiil;. Wells's own story was that the money ho used at Monte Carlo was provided by two Americans. In his own words he won 4:63,000 in h'vo months at the tables. Through tho same exploit lie was the hero of tho song "The Man Who Broke the Bank at Monte'C'arlo." He own share of his winnings, ho used to say, was .£20,000. Of the remainder .£31.000 went to "a wandering Jew" for assisting , in a commercial enterprise in Paris styled "Wells and Co." Wells is said to have had no fewer than Ihirtv-six aliases in his long career, among them' being: Charles Hill, Charles Wells, Beauparkette, Monte-Carles, Charles. Do ville, William 'Dnccnport, Ernest Cuvillier, Louis Servatcl, Coraly-Caroly, Maurice Levallois,, Snguener, Hipensier, Jat'toux, Schulmann, Jlejcnn, Burns. He sometimes posed as a teacher of the piano, sometimes as an engineer, sometimes ns a professor of languages. He speaks English, French, and Italian perfectly, and if he had been of a cautious temperament, might , have retired with a romforlablo income quite early in his career.