New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-08-17
DEAD BEAT AMONG gs.
The Adventures of French Gentiema
81 of Elegant Leisure.

from the Cleveland tOhio) LEADER
a few weeks ago, a party of gentlemen,
coming from New Orleans to New York, en-
countered upon the steamer young man OF
elegant aspect, who seemed to be stranger
to all on board. He was tall in stature,
blonde in complexion, were his handsome
black Goa closely buttoned across his man
ly bosom, sported daintily waxed mus
tache on his lip and four inch weed on his
hat. With that generous hospitality SO
characteristic of SOutherners, the New Or
leans party made his acquaintance, and en-
deavored to make his voyage pleasant
one. The stranger related, IN a very or
thodox French accent, that his name was j.
C. Frederickson, and that he was the son of
, a noble Swede, who, for many years had
held the position of Swedish Consul at Paris.
All went smoothly until the ship arrived
at New York, when the dainty Swede Dor
rowed tifty-six dollars of one of his new
found friends to pay his fare from New Or
leans, and little matter of six dollars that
he owed to the bar-keeper Of the vessel. he
then esta blished himself in suite OF first
floor rooms at the ST. Nicholas Hotel, where
in the course of week he managed by dint
of private dinners and breakfasts in his
rooms, to run up bill to the amount of
$500. Meanwhile he had ordered OF Hatfield
L. Sons, the eminent Broadway clothiers,
an outfit, for which he agreed to pay $3.50.
At the end of the week he had business in
Boston, and, emitting the little formality
of paying his hotel and tailor's bills, our
foreign friend wendell his way to the mod
ern Athens. Here he bestowed his patron
age upon the st. James Hotel. He registered
his name as the Count De Berg, and the
wine and broiled quail were devoured
as generously as before. But in the
midst of his happiness a member of
the New Orleans party put a
flea into the ear of mine host of the st.
James, and the nebby French gentleman
was brought before a magistrate to explain.
He was unable to make things quite as
clear as was wished, and was bound over
for trial. Some one in Boston, it seems,
thought it pity that SO much manly grace
and innocence should be lost to the world
by incarceration in loathsome prison, and
generously consented TO become bail for the
distinguished but unfortunate Swede, who
at once awaited himselfof his liberty to take
an early train for the great West. So it
Jared that on Tuesday last the blonde face
with the waxed moustache was seen bend
ing over the register Of the kennard, where
the taper white fingers inscribed the striking
signature of Akel Lagergren.
at the generous board of the Kennard
the young man was thriving bounteously
until Wednesday morning. when he again
encountered the haunting face OF MEM
Der of the party from New Orleans. He
attempted to renew the acquaintance, but
was met with freezing disdain. Still serene
and unrufiied, the foreign gentleman saun-
tered across Bank street to Luken's tailor
ing establishment, where he was again
measured for q stylish outfit of clothing.
The Louisianian lost no time IN acquainting
the proprietor of the Kennard with the fact
that there was skeleton in his house, and
an Immediate examination of the visitors
room disclosed trunk containing a few old
clothes and q generous ballast of old
newspapers packed in to give dignity TO the
baggage.
The presentation of his board bill con-
frmed the true character Of the man. He
had not cent, and his only stock in trade
was the usual series of lame subterfuges 30
long used by the professional dead beat"
The trunk was retained, and the Count,
after promising to be on hand yesterday
morning with the money, wandered over
and spent the night at the Weddell. Here,
too, his character is now known, and the
question is. what the Count de Berg, alias
Erederickson, alias Lagergren, proposes to
do next At late hour last evening mine
host Gillette, of the Weddell, was observed
standing in the shadow of balcony pillar,
meditating over the frailty OF mankind, and
dead beats in particular.
Moral to hotel keepers, tailors and livery
men: Keep your weather eye open for
a French gentleman in black, with a
waxed moustache and mournful weed on
6sc hot