The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1872-07-17
An Accomplished Swindler.


ing:
), In the summer of 1887 Louisa Null
: bach, the German novelist, wrote t
American agent that Minister Bancroft
p the Einbassador of the United State
to the Court of Berlin was dead in low
, with Mile Ida Meyerbeer, the younges
< daughter of the illustrious composer o
:; Robert leDiable," that they were t,
be married.Nand that their weddins
was to be solemnized at an early day
IThls was certainly interesting news
and Madame Muhlbacli's agent lost nc
: time in communicating it to his news
paper. The item soon made the rounds
of the American press. A fortnight
afterward it reached Germany. and was
extensively copied by the newspapers
OF the Fatherland. The German illus
trated periodicals even went so far as
to publish Mile. Meyerbeer's portrait,
and mention in the biographical sketch
accompanying the engraving that she
was engaged to be married TO the Hon.
George Bancroft, the American Minis
ter to the Court of Berlin. Upfortu-
nateiy there was no foundation whate-
yer in the story. Mile. Ida Meyer
beer had been betrothed a year before
to young Austrian officer, Baron Won
Teller. The lady had never net Mr..
Bancroft, and he had never seen her.
He was at a loss to know what to do
under the circumstances, but one day
Baron Teller called upon him, and
then the two wronged gentlemen re-
solved to sift the stort to the bottom.
They called upon thesed;tor of one of
the Berlin journals that lad published
it. The editor said be had taken the
item from New York newspaper.
Mr.. Bancroft theraupon ascertained
through his friends in New York that
the item had originated in q Western
daily newspaper, aud the editor there
of'after consulting his correspondents
gave the name of Nine. Muhlbach as
the author of the mischief. When Mr..
Bancroft and Baron Teller had the in
formation they sent5a note to Nine.
Muliibach, who lived at IL Behren
strasse,, Berlin inquiring when it would
suit her convenience to receive them.
When they called and questioned her.
she granted THAI she had written all |
about the engag1ment of Bancroft to
Mile Meyerbe8 to her agent in the
United States. 3She then said in June.
1867, she had heen at the fashionable
watering place of Pyremont, and one
day stranger had sent MP a card
bearing the inscription: "Hon. George
Bancroft, American Minister to Prus-
sia," and had solicited an interviews
with her.. His request had been
granted at once, and there had been
'shered into her room an elderly gen
'ieman with distinguished men. gray
lair and gray side whiskers, who said
hat the admiration which his coun-
rymen entertained for Madame Null
,acll's worth had made him DESTROYS of
orming her acquaintance. In the
curse OF the conversation lie men. {
Toned that he had seen Madame Null {
,ach during one of his rides in the t
'hiersartion with his finance, Mile +!
Ola Meyerber. Madame Muhlbach and
er true friends who had no doubt
that their visitor was the
irritable Minister of the United States,
nd no lfnposter, congratulated him
ARMY upon his impending union
'lth tie accomplished daughter ofthe v
IMMORTAL composer. That stranger
ext inquired where the elder daughter L
Madame Mnhlbach, Theodore, the !,
,tress, was. He said he had seen and If
lmlred her at the Victoria Theatre in n
erin. and upon being informed that a
le was playing at the Royal Theatre. :. =
Cassell, he said he was on his way
that city; and when Madame MuhI-
'ch asked him to call upon her daueh, G
y he replied he would gladly do so if tt
adame Muhlbach would give him
tier of introduction to her daughter j,
After receiving this letter, he took
ave of Madame Muklbech and her
% friends. Last month, Eve years r,
Ter the interview with the myster;-
$ stranger at Pyremont, it was dis
vered who he was. AT one of the /
ding hotels at Ems, the fashionable te.
stering place in Western Germany sci
ssre had stopped for some time an Al a.,
lerly gentleman who had registered m'
me as Lord Chichester, and who res
borrowed a considerable sum oil {
ney from his landlord on a check on i'm
Westminster Bank of London W.
Q check came back protested; the
GERS OF the London Bank REPORTING
> knew of no such person as Lord
'chester. AS matter of course the
erly gentleman was arrested. s
IN examination of his trunks showed If Of
once cOncluSiye1y that bo NO. II