The Indianapolis daily herald., 1865-11-17
Bogus Prussiaa Couut--BBis ExPer-
renee In ftth Avcuuee.The Gash-
touabses tak Ken iu and Done fer--11e
fs Arrested Tor nee vtlou

ual alluded o. l. fransi- ~tabenow. young
l'rns.ian. Who INDUCED Ia a numerous proge-
ny q aliases. such ~ Adolf Graf Ia Donna.
Count donna. Adolf Danforth. Herr Arnold.
etc. Tic arrived In the city about Eve months
ago and pat up al the Everett House. where
he engaged magnificent suit Of apartments.
lie registeres his name n Adolf Danforth. but
gave ont that be- was no les parsonage than
Adolf fraf IN Dohna, premier lieutenant In
the Corp de Garie Cuirassiers the Prussian
hing, body guard !. and a member of one of
the most nri-tncrafic and distinguished
families In the Kingdom II Prussia. These
representations were further strengthened by
his distribution Of cards bearing the high
sounding title 81 the count. His reasons for
being In the country under an assumed name,
were very ingenious. lie stated that he was
bctrothcd 90 Young lady Of rank and wealth
In Berlin. AMI that one u his fellow officers
became his rival. and robbed him Of the alice
tons Of his afianccd. lie thercupOn challeng-
ed his rival: duel wa fought. and he had the
misfortune 81 killing his adversary, who was
also Prussian nobcman Of high rank. To
escape the wrath Of the king. he fled the coun-
try. and Wa ~ojouning i'm America. living ON
rcmitianccs from his father.
He insnuated himself into the good graccs
Of "minc hosts" Of the Everett House by his
fine dressing and elegant dejeuHers and petit
sOuperS he ordered. but did not pay for. lie
made but few acquaintanccs at the Everett.
but the Fifth Avenue Hotel was the field of
introduction from some Of the first families in
Boston, -. Louis and Chicago, he made the
acquaintance Of the wealthiest and most aristO-
cratic families at the hotel and on the avenue.
and was by them feted and dined 10 his hearts
content. lie was introduced into the bOsoms
OF their families. dined with them en- fdmuie.
filrted with the pretty heiresses, and played
billiards and ecdrte with their hopeful heirs.
The presence Of the young count graced all the
parties, hops, etc; his stirring adventures,
particularly the killing his adversary in a duel.
threw a halo OF romance about this pretended
scion Of Prussian aristOcracy, which outshOne
all competitors for the favors Of the fair danes
who had the audacity 20 approach his august
presence. lie received bHiets dOUI from the
ladies in scores all more or less charming in
their character, while the elder heads over
whelmed HIM with invites 20 dine ride, and To
the opera. Ii j. stated that he passed avery pleas
ant sojourn al Long Branch. in the bosom Of
the family of an aristOcrat of the first water
hailing from this city, whose spouse addressed
him a. her 'adOpted son. while the young
ladies greeted him as " dear brother Adolf"
Matters progressed swimmingly for some
time. until the remittances from his noble
father, which he stated he received through
Duncan, Sherman a CO., but the bankers dis
own him ia toto began 20 fall, and he felt him
self obliged TO call upon his new but wealthy
friends 10 assist him. which they did with a
readiness and prodigality which would have
been most pralseworthy were the object a
nOblcr one. They esteemed IL pleasure 10 be
able 10 assist the count until his remittances
should arrive, and quite number OF gentle
men were victimiZed in sums varying from
so TO $1,000. Still the count went on giving
his recherche banquets, and his lodgings At the
Everett House constituted the headquarters Of
the Young men of fashion. In the course Of
conN ersation he expressed a desire TO enter the
military service Of the United States, rs he was
afraid the King of Prussia might recall him TO
l.lI III he
of his rival. and he also desired TO have the
honor of having served i'm the Federal army
during the rebellion. OF course a lieutenants
commission would suit him, n he did not care
at all for the pay, and a preliminary step 10
obtaining the commission. he enlisted as a SER
geant in the Fourteenth United States Regular
Infantry. He obtained leave of absence 10 90
TO Annapolis before the Examining Committee
as an applicant for a commission. The COM
mittee declared him incompetent, and he was
ordered TO join his battalion, which was under
orders for California.
He kept out of the way until after the sail
ing of the troops. and then he again frequented
his haunts. representing that he was attached
TO the staff of Major General Hooker, COM
handing the Department of the Coast, and
that he had charge Of the recruiting depart
ment on Harris Island. He now conceived
somewhat novel and dangerous mode of raising
money, end IL will be seen by the mOdus Ope-
randi he adopted that his eXcLequer must have
been reduced to its lowest ebb. We have al
ready stated that he received numerous charm
ing notes from some Of the young heiresses Of
upper-tendum," together with their cdrteS
de risite, locks of hair, and other loving SOU
venirs. These letters he used as an expedient
for - raising the wind" He called upon a
number of these young ladies and represented
that he was in arrears 10 the Government TO
the amount Of 81 800; that he must have that
sum CT money Immediately, and that unless
they would induce their fathers, brothers, or
friends, as the ease might be, 10 advance the
money to him, he would expose their charming
eifusions. The ladies being well aware of his
extraordinary skill a ronnaan and al imi-
tator-for he could forge letters which would
compare so closely with their handwriting that
they themselves could not detect the fraud
became much alarmed. To one lady who had
not written him line in her life. he exhibited
a charming billet. which 30 corresponded with
her writing that she was thunderstruck. He
threatened that unless this lads would comply
with his demands he would take the letter 10
the gentleman TO whom she was afiianced and
expose her. The lady ordered the Count from
her house. and related the matter 10 her male
friends. Information was thereupoh lodged
with Chief John ;. Young, of the detective
force OF this city, and the result OF the matter
is the arrest of the would-be Count Donna.
II was ascertained by the detectives that sta
benow which Is supposed TO be the confidence
operators real name, came 10 this country in
june 1864. in the City of London, from Liver
pool, and Immediately went TO Boston, where
for some months he enacted similar role to
that in which he has shone so brilliantly here,
moving in The first circles in that city, as the
Count Donna, and svindling all he could. The
'.Hub' being at last too hot 10 hold him, he
next took up his abode in 81. Louis, where he
likewise distinguished himself. rs well as al
Chicago. From the latter city he came here,
and has been living rs above since his sojourn
among Us. He OF course is not count, and
hnl 81 of lN-h off Is a
fabrication. Finding that the "count' was
deserter from the United States army, the po-
lice applied TO Maj. Gen. Hooker, and an order
for his arrest was issued, On Saturday detec-
tives Bennett and Coyle arrested him at the
Fifth Avenue Hotel. He made a desperate at
tempt TO escape, but the officers were too quick
for him, and he was safely secured. He was
taken to the police headquarters, where Is now
locked up. On searching his person over two
hundred letters from ladies and gentlemen
most gushing character. SO highly did he prize
these documents that they did not for no
ment leave his person. AT balls, parties, fetes,
drives, etc, the letters were invariably con-
cealed about in his pockets made for the pur-
pose. Among other things found was the cop
per-piate card plate Of the genuine Count Doh
ma, which bears the inscription,
adolf Graf IN DOhna-SchlOdiere."
with the cOat-Of-arms Of the Donna family.
From this plate the prisoner had number Of
cards printed. which he used IN his intercourse
with families Of distinction. The finding Of
the plate may be the means Of revealing anoth-
er phase In this young mans history. Some
time before he left Europe, the hotel of the
genuine Count Donna az Berlin Wac broken
open by the three men, who robbed him of all
his effects, and also Of a large sum Of money.
Among the articles stolen were the card-plate
alluded 10 above. and the counts uniform
premier lieutenant of the Corps de Garde in
It. Louis, he is supposed to have been the third
robber. should these suppOsitions be verified.
the PrusSian government may demand his eX-
tradition. Al present he a. awaiting the dis
position Of the military authorities. S1abenow
says he j. but nineteen years Of age. He j. six
feet in night. ford complexion, light hair,
light m0ustache. low forehead well but deli
eately built. and Of good address. Hs has an ex-
cellent education. having received his tuition
at the military school at Berlin, Of which DR..
kubei Is principal. He speaks English fluently,
and l. most charming parsonage. He bears
his imprisonment with becoming nOnchalance.
He Is a most skillful and dangerous fOrger and
an insinuating Jeremy Diddler," The prOpri-
etor of the Everett House victimized 10 the
tune Of $500, while his effects would not realize