A "SWELL" ADVENTURER.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3039, 23 March 1881, Page 4

A "SWELL" ADVENTURER.

The newspapers of New York, Baltimore, a'ncl other leading cities of the United States, have for some time past contained accounts of the doings of an accomplished English Swindler, who, after passing off under several aristocratic English names, and succeeding thereby in introducing himself in the most fashionable society, where he became the " lion " of the day, has now been discovered in his true colours, and is being" "held " in the New York jail pending trial. Amongst other names the audacious adventurer assumed were those of " Lord Charles Pelham Clinton," "Lieut. Robert Raymond' Arun- ' del, 4th Dragoon Griiai"ls, " and " Sir Hugh Leslie Courtenay, K.N.," and by dint of unblushing assurance, coupled with great activity and perseverance, was enabled to enjoy an extended pleasurable and even luxurious tour of the United States. The following description is given of his career in Baltimore. He come armed with a letter of introduction from Mr Diggs,- juh., of Charleston, to that gentleman's sire, who was living at the St. Clair Hotel, registering his name at the office as "Sir Hugh Leslie" Courtenay, K.N." In a.i incredible short time he bloomed out into a " howling swell," with the entree to the best society of the city. " In spite of all their faults we love the House of Peers " seemed to be tho motto o£ the inhabitants. The new comer was a distinguished, nay a titled Englishman, and was welcomed with all Maryland's hospitality. He represented himself as the youngest son of the Earl of Devon, and as destined for the ministry, and ■went so far as to pay attentions to a young lady of beauty and fortune, in whose family he had esiablishcd himself as an almost i daily visitor. This led the father of the young lady to make some enquiries respecting his guest, about whom he possibly began to entertain doubts; but before a reply came to a letter he addressed to an English friend, " Sir Hugh" took the alarm and disappeared. Tho reply when it came confirmed the suspicions. Instead of being the youngest, son of an earl, he was the son of the earl's gate-keeper ; and instead of being in preparation for holy orders, he had already graduated as hostler in the earl's stable. It was then found from inquiries and information which came in that the adventurer's victims wore numerous. He received from ono well-known man about town a hundred and fifty dollars for a pair of valuable hunting dogs which he promised to send out from Europe. From a number of others he borrowed different sums on the plea that hi 3 vessel had left the Brooklyn Navy Yard without him, and his letters containing remittances had been forwarded to catch the vessel. The success of the bogus nobleman's impostures seems all the more astonishing, inasmuch as he is described by those who knew him as a "gawky fellow, rather illiterate." Probably it -was due to the "superabundant cheek" he is said to have possessed, as well as to being posted in regard to tho United States and tho mother country. After leaving Baltimore tho adventurous hostler was heard of in Chicago, Cincinnati, and other place?, and then turned up in Richmond as "Lieutenant Robfc. Raymond Arundel, of Fourth Dragoon Guards." He presented letters of introduction to resident English gentlemen, which readily gave him the entree to Richmond's best society, and his apparent intimacy with nearly every English fa7nily of distinction left no doubt in the minds of his victims as to his being the person he professed to be. He was invited to all tho parties,and became the "lion " of the hour. At the clubs he electrified the young men by the peculiar delicacy and flavor of the punch he mixed, which was declared to be unequalled. Ho was a splendid rider, and could handle a most spirited animal with ease. His career lasted two weeks in Richmond when the denouement came. A young lady visitor from Canada recognised Lieutenant Arundel as Courtney Dennison, and denounced him to her lady friends as a swindler, for whose apprehension there "was a large reward. On the same day Mr James D. Tracy, the manager of the Bell Telephone Exchange, dropped into the Richmond clubhouse and saw Arundel playing billiarrls. He at once identified him as Charles Claud Montague Bertie, who recently swindled Beveral parties in Texas. Tracy denounced Ins as a fraud, andthe adventurer upon learning this gracefully withdrew, and left the

town with ten dollars he had borrowed from an Englishman a few moment 3 prior to the" departure of the train which carried him northward. Encouraged by thesuccess which attended his effort!., " Lieut. Arundel " afterwards appeared in New York under the name and* title of Lord Pelham Clinton, but was then arrested on a charge of swindling, from which it would appear that he will have some difficulty in clearing himself.