, 1863-06-22

An Extraordinary Career Of JsnscaIIty

|
sketch Of the auaacious career Of this adycn-
turcr and swlndler, recently set to hard work
in the penltentlary.- Considering that among
| the German population bis real character
WIS known, 1t is strange that this person, at
times peddler, doctor, professor, count and
colonel, should lave been allowed to run 80
lorg career Of fraud. We arc informed that
other adyenturers, who disgrace the general
integrity and patriotism Of our forclgn-born
citizen, remain to be exposed:
1t seems that in 1843, when the Hungarian
revolution broke out, the officers of the hus-
sar regiments, on arriving at the city Of Pesth
found In the jews quarter man of the
name OF Strasser, who kept second hand
clothing store, and who seemed to be in con-
tidcntial relations with the horsekeep-
ers Of the Hungarian plains which SURROUND
that city, aud with whom he had an extensive
business connection. The person who gives
us this information was in one Of the regi-
ments, and was personally acquainted with
Strasser ut that time. When the Garlbaldi
Guard was being formed in New York, he
recognized in the elegant and influential Col.
Dgtatsy, strasser, the jewish clothes dealer
Of Pesth.
D'UtaEsy's first field In America was IN Can
ala. By dint Of audacity aud cunning, he is
said at one time to have been Private Secre-
tafy to the Governor Of Nova Scotia, and at
another Professor Of Modern Languages in
Dalhousie College.
lie came to New York some three or four
years ogo. bringing with him letters Of re-
ada, which, with his pleasing personal ad-
dress and perfect self control, enabled him to
gain the confidence Of our best citizens, He
entered himself MS student In the Office Of
Dr.. Watts, and for time attended medical
ectures at the University, ostensibly with
the object Of pursuing medicine as pro-
the assumed name Of D'Utassy, and living In
part by teaching modern languages, and in
part by his wits. At one time he would call
himself DR.. Dutassy, ut another Cheyalicr
D'utassy, and at another Count. Under the
lAtttr pseudolym, be is said to have paid his
addresses to u young lady Of most respect
able American family, at the same time that,
uEder one OF the others, be seduced German
lady Of fine education and previously ire
proachable character. Among his associates
of foreign birth lis pretcnslons to noble rank
were the subject Of Jest, and, In various saloons
him as the horse trader and clothes dealer of
IS, under the name Of Strasser, openly
denounced him MS an impostor. But, as too
often happens, the truth did not come to the
cars Of tho worthy parties upon whom he was
playing the part Of Jeremy Diddler, on
tice his deceptions until the outbreak Of the
present war.
On the very first pay day after reaching
camp, an assessment of about eight dollars
"u= made upon every non-commissionedo OIL
cerubd private In the regiment, ostensibly
COMMITTEE for the cost Of their uniforms,
and money which was subscribed By ladies'
nnd gentlemen, as a fund for the benefit of
the officers and men, the victims Of this ava
ricious and unprinclpled Colonel, were
Obliged to rePay to d bin; aE Rlles that the com.
taken away with the regiment, in boxes, but
disappeared soon after reaching camp.
not tamely, endure his tyranny,
forced, BY one pretext or another, to resign,
ed-up charges, their places being filled in
every case with Creatures of his own selec-
ton. to whom the commissions were sold at
the best prices he could extort. Two brothers
Of his, named respectively Anton and Carl
s1rasser, were called from Hungary to take
names, transformed into the noble rseudonym
Of ron utassy, we're borne on the -egimental
pay rolls for months before the men were even
in this country. The record Of hts pecula-
tions in camp would I'll q long chapter.
We have been told By one Of his officers
4u1t euut t1uE Iast h4ulueF, au Ill dressed,
slogen1y Jewish woman, turned up in camp,
fuqlirirg for Col. D'Utassy, saying that she
YVES his lawful wife, and had come from Hun
gary to see him, Us she had iieurd that 'her
mai" had become real Colonel In the United
States army, and had brought him his two
children two dirty Jewish boys whom she
carcskes. She was directed to the Co1onels
tent, passed the night with him, and the fol-
lowing day disappeared Is said with con-
siderable amount of his stolen property which
had been given into her hands for safe keep
Ing. -.
torger, seducer, this foreign confidence oper-
ator, and living lie, vas praised in the news
papers as q brave and competent officer. was
regarded by his dupes In New York as Hun
garian nobleman In his OWL right, sort of
second kosciusko, and appeared on the ave-
nue. and In the hotels at Washington in all
the glory Of gilt lace and embroidered coats,
with IN ontIlder In Mnmelulze costume fol-
lowing ut his heels. He was at Harper's
Ferry, and by hook and crook made it appear
rs II 1e, faithful found among the faithless,''
alone had the courage and disposition to fight,
to die like Leonidas, rather than surrender.
me large amount Of money which he real
1zea oy h1s several daring swind1es, not being |
sutncls Mt to support his extravagaut style Of |
living, and minister to his vices Of gambling |
and debauchcry. he resorted to the desperate
e1redient of defcauding the Government By |
n.eans Of forged hill Of over s, 900, which |
was presented by him at the War Department |
and paid by Captain Elwood, United States |
Paymaster, on the eth Of November, 1861. !
This bill was made out in the usual form for |
subsistence and lodging said to have been
III! nished by various contractors to the Carl |
bsldians in New York during the organization
OF the regiment; and the correctness of the |
general summary Of the whole claim was not |
only certified bJ. D'Utassy, but the bill was
also accompanied By his sworn affidavit before
This was the first fatal error the man seems
to have committed in hlsl long career Of crime,
for It ultimately led to an Investigation Of |
bis life, and his conviction and sentence to
Term Of Imprisonment at Sing Sing, upon
which he has just entered.