FROM POVERTY TO WEALTH.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2316, 19 August 1880, Page 3

FROM POVERTY TO WEALTH.

About two years ago the Paris Police Tribunal passed a sentence of two years imprisonment for swindling on a Russian individual named Count de Tschernadief The man had, however, escaped from Paris’ and so far the sentence has never been executed. A short time hack a traveller of rather distinguished appearance alighted at the Grand Hotel and took up his residence there under the name of Count de Tschernadief. He obtained access to certain clubs where lie related that he had just inherited a fortune of 40,000,000 fr., and was about to give a grand fete to M. Gambetta, of whom he was himself a fervent admirer. The rumor of this event soon spread in Parisian circles, and the reporter of a journal called at the hotel to interview the stranger, who appeared pleased with the attention, and described at length his estate at Glarus, in Switzerland, where the fete was to he given. It contained, he said, an avenue three miles long’ which was to be illuminated throughout, after a banquet of 500 covers, and 5000 invitations were to he issued for the evening. For several days the same journal continued to laud flic wealth and hospitality of Count dc Tschernadief, and the news at last attracted the attention of M. Mace, head of the detective scrvics, who had not forgotten the adventurer of two years before, aud still held a warrant for liis arrest. On Juno 26 lie waited on the count at his hotel, and after a short conversation acquired the conviction that the two noble foreigners were the same, and had him at once arrested. An investigation has been opened to discover the identity of this person, as it is presumed that the title under which he passed is an assumed name. The most mysterious feature in the affair is that he really rents a line estate at Glarus, for which he pays 25,000 fr. a year ; that he has carriages, hunters, Ac., and is living at the rate of 200.000 fr. a year, while two years ago, when condemned, he was in complete penury. The police will, of course, endeavour to discover the source of his rapidlyacquired fortune.