THE STORY OF A GREAT FRAUD.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 2510, 11 August 1888, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE STORY OF A GREAT FRAUD.

• How Benson Swindled Patti's Manager. Benson's Inst exploit, so fur as is known, W.is in cheating Manager Henry K. Abbey and the gay inliubitiints of tho City of Mexico out of a cool .15000 by means of bogus tinkets for I'atti'a conceits, mill for wliiuh oiiine ho was a l>riaoner awaiting tbo pleasure of the Sccretary of State, when be killed himself. Tbo wny in which Benson accomplished this last act of roguery (says the NewYork Herald) was so well couoeived aud neatly exeoutod aa to dosorvo telling in In November 1880, under Mr Abbey's management, a number of operas, in whii'b, Patti, Kicolini, and ScaleM iippeared, were produced in this city, aud a tour was arrangi-d for December aud January, which iniJudo'l among other place* tho oity of Mexico. In autioipa#*tiou of his visit 10 M.-xim Mr Abbey en-Ka-'edlhe " Tuatro Naeioualo " for one mouth from Deecirber 15, 18SG, to Jnmary 15, IS.S7. Mr l'''bli> S. Bergas, one of the proprietor of the theutic, was paid the mm of £100 on account, and was advised at the Haino time that Marcus K. Mayer, Mr Abbey's general business manager and advance agent, would precede Mr Abbey to the oity of Mexico tir the purpose of attending to all the business incident to the giving of tho operas. These arrangements having been made, it is said that in tho month of November, 1886, and while Messrs Abbey and Mayer were still in the city of New York Benson, under the assumed name of Charles BoueUn, called upon Mr Bergec, and personated Mr Mayer. He was enabled to do this by having performed tho following ruse:— One day early in November, lbbli, a well-dressed man, having the carriage and address of a gentleman, called upon Mr Mayer at Mr Abbey's offica, No. Vioi, Broadway. Mr Mayer was at the time arranging a reception to be given to Mr Abbey and Mdme. Patti on their arrival 0 from Europe. The vi.-itor handed Mr Mayer a neatly lithographed card bearing the inscription, "Clmrlcs Bonston correspondent of tho Paris Figaro, Gil Bias, London Referee," and stated that he had arrived in this city from Europe a tew diiye previously on tho steamer La Champagne. He desired to interview Mr Mayer for the Figaro about Mdme. Patti'e journey through this country. Ho was very suave in his manner, aud Mr May.-r, believinc him to bo a Kuropean correspondent, gave him a prolonged account of the proposed movements of Mume. Patti in this country and Mexico, lie told him about having engaged the leatro National© and the dates Patti would sin" there, also tho prices of admission that would be charged. Mr Mayer was then naked by the interviewer to explain the modus operamli of advance sales as conducted in New York and Mexico and this Mr Mayer explained in detail. A few days after this meeting, Bonston, otherwise Benson, again called on Mayer at the same address, and asked for an invitation to the Patti reception and also an invitation to go down the bay to meet Mr Abbey and Mdme. Patti, as he desired to cable a full account to tho Figaro. Mr Mayer had by this time becomo suspicions of bis visitor and declined to givo the invitations sought. On the morning of November 14, 18S6, Mr Mayer, with a party of friends and reporters, boarded a steamer at tho foot of West Twenty-second-street for the purpose of proceeding down the bay to meet tho impresario and prima donna. Walking am; in arm with Mr Mayer was a Herald reporter, and they were present in deep conversation, when who should present himself but Benson, who, addressing xVlnyer, said, "I want to have a long talk with you some time, because I want, to send a full account of your doings over to my papers." " Very well, I will syo you to-morrow." was the answer. The steamer presently got along-ide_ of the big Cnnarder Umbria, and before trio Cußtom-IJou.se oftiuer, who had the right to go aboard first, had thought of t!ie fact, the nimble Benson was on its decile. Tho captain then, forsoite reason —which served Benson admirably—ordered the Mayer party to go around on the other side of his vessel, which took half an hoiir. They then .got aboard and at length met Miimc. Patti, Soiilclii, ami Nieolini, and in an animated conversation with Patti was tho inwstibkBenson, They conversed in l.'Ve.ncli, and Mr Mayer was fairly nonplussed when ho saw his interviewer of tlie day before gallantly conduct the great songstress on board the steamer lying in wait for its precious burden. Soon after the> pa''ty had got safely aboard, Benson went to Mayer and asked to be introduced to Mr Abbey, and was told that ho would be introduced by and by. Mr Mayor then introduced the several members of tlie press to Mdme. Patti, after which, on turning round, lie saw that the inimitable Benson lind captured Mr Abbey, and, to use Mayer's own words, "he was laying down the law to him, aud interviewing very strong." Mr Abbey was favourably impressed with Benson, and sent him tickets for the first night of the opera. Mr Mayer openly expressed his disfavour of the man, and did not wish Benson to have the tickets. O:i tho night of tho performance, intending to watch Benson's movements, Mayer was much sutprised at not seeing him it) ths seats allotted him. Presently h« went to the back oi the staife, and came near having a -fit when lie discovered behiud the scenes his bi-te ii'jin:,, Mr "Jingle" Benson, talking to the artists. He spoke to some in French, but to the husband of Sealchi, Count Lolli, he held forth in Italian,

Having thus made himself thoroughly familiar with Mr Abbey's plans, and with Mr Mayer's methods and duties, Benson left New York and arrived at Aguas Calientes, in the Republic of Mexico, on November 2G, ISB6. From this place, under the name of "Mayer," he telegraphed to Mr Bergas, advising him that he would be at his house the n«xt morning, On November 29, ho arrived in the City of Mexico, called on Mr Bergas, and represented himself to bo Marcus E. Mayer, the business agent of Henry E. Abbey, duly authorised by him to attend to the business incident to the entertainments to be given in Mexieu. In company with Mr Bergas, and haviny first inquired of him where it was customary to have the printing done, he visited the printing house of "Gran Libro " and ordered handbills, prospectuses, and tickets to be printed for the pro) osed operas. From the printers Bensou, accompanied by Mr Bergas, went to call on Mr Eduardo Orrin, who is Mr Bergas' partner. Mr Orria was personally acquainted with the real Mayer and showed signs of iurprise upon seeing Benson ; his suspicions, however, wero quickly allayed when Benson in an e.isy manner stated that he was Mayer's brother, and that Marcus R. Mayer -would airive shortly. The sale of tickets was opened on December 1, 1886, and during this and the following day Benson sold a large number of tickets to various persons residing in the City of Mexico, realising therefrom the handsome sum of 2-1,051 dolf. 50 o.

By this time the suspicions of the authorities became arou-od, and ™ oil the night of December 2, Benson was ordered to deposit the proceeds of the sale of tickets with the superintendent of the Hotel yturbide. But, although Bmson was closely watched, ho contrived by some cunning means to place in the bags given him for the purpose only the sum of 4331 dols. 50 cents, and having sealed these and deposited tliem as required, ho fled from the city of Moxico, carrying the balance with him. At noon on January 1-, ISSS, Manager Henry E. Abbey was summoned to police headquarters, and upon his arrival there ■was confronted with a stylishly dressed man of about forty-live years of age, of

dark com; lexion, medium height, and slight, build, and of a generally r ikisli appearance. " That's tho man ! ' exclaimed Mr Abbey the moment he Baw him. The man was Harry Benson.