The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-08-11
A ROMANCE OF SEX.
MysTERTOT7s PERsoNAGE

LION.
The Chicago Times of the Sd inst. gives
the following version of a strange life of de-
ception in that city Last fall. there came
to this city, to all appearance, a young
man of progressing address claim
claiming to be Dane. He was armed with
a letter of recommendation to a very re-
spectacle bank clerk of his own nationality
from a common acquaintance with whom
the subject of this sketch had made the pas
sage from Europe. For some time he sought
employ nlent, bat owing to his deficiency in
the English language was not successful in
obtaining a situation. He at last called
man engaged on the Swedish newspaper,
the Nya yerlden through whose influ-
ence as journalist situation
was procured for the young man
at the Sherman House. He gave mis- name
at this time as Christian Lund. Either the
employment or the association did not suit
him. as he did not tarry there but a few
days. when he applied to the same party for
help, who had the kindness to obtain him
another situation for him at the Gault
House. 1t was here that his true character
b5gsn to develop itself; and certain indis-
cretions in which he INDUCED caused him to
leave that situation in a short time. He
represented himself to the gentleman that
had befriended LIN, as the illegitimate son
of Baron Lovensk jOld, gentleman of high
position in the Danish court. At the same
time he represented himself to another gen.
tleman as the illegitimate son OF Count
Knuth of Knuthensburg, but as the two
gentlemen whose parentage he claimed were
only some eight or ten years older than him.
self the lie was readily detected. 1t was
about this time that his intrigues with sew
eral ladies commenced, and he so far sue
ceeded in worming himself into their conf
denee that they supplied him most bohnti-
fully with money, a considerable portion of
which served the purpose of adjoining his
personwith clothing and fissbv jewelry. He
had
FAIR SCATTERING OF FRENCH,
which he turned to advantage at this time by
giving lessons in that language, an occupa-
ton that gave him greater facilities for IN
trigues and swindling than he had heretofore
enjoyed. His schemes proving in measure
successful, he had no further necessity to
cali on his former friends for aid, and hence
was lost sight of for some months by the
gentleman who had previously procured him
situations. During the exposition last fall
be was often seen escorting ladies through
the building, and more especially wealthy
widow, who took a special fancy to him, and
it is IN derstood that he so far succeeded in
Interesting her feelings in him that large
sums of money were advanced to him. But
spODgiDg on other people could not be sue
cessfully practiced for any length of time:
hence he set himself about the work of secu:-
ing another situation, and in doing so made
application to the Relief and Aid Society,
where his prepossessing appearance and
recommendations so captivatod the directors
of that institution that he was readily in
stalled in the position of interpreter; and, to
give the devil his due, as the saying is, he
filled the position with considerable ability
and credit 70 himself during the greater por-
ton OF last winter, having smattering
knowledge of French. German, and his
mother language, Danish. Here he claimed
to be the son OF Russian nobleman, and
claimed Russia as his native country. AT
his first call on the gentlemanly manager of
the relief society, quite a number of di-
rectors and clerks were present. he stepped
up, and in very peculiar tone of voice,
said: 81 called TO see if / could not procure
a situation here" There was something so
strange in his voice and gestures that every
head in the room was Immediately turned in
his direction, and every eye instantly riv-
eted on him. He stood
THE FIRE OF CURIOSITY,
however, without wincing particle. When
the employees of the institution became
more intimately acquainted with him they
dubbed him 'Maria," as his effeminate APP
pearance indicated that he belonged to the
opposite sex. He would, however 20 down
with the boys to take his MONDAY lunch,
where he would indulge as freely as the rest
in cracking jokes and relating smutty
stories. and as far his actions went was
not long in convincing bis associates that he
was very tough Maria to say the least.
Here he claimed to be count (nOthing else
would do HIM, and he never tired of boast
ing of his noble ancestors and high-born
connections. His name WAS now changed
to Alexander Lunti, and although less
euphonious than Christian Lund, it
suited his purpose better. He exhibited
really no bad habits while in the employ
of the relief bureau except his inor-
dinate penchant for lying, which vice he in
dulged in to the fullest extent on every oc-
casion possible. When his services were
not further needed by the relief society he
went to Mr.. Herman Raster, who exhibited
great deal of interest in the young man.
and through whose advice he sought en-
ployment in the Chicago public library, by
making written application TO Mr.. Poole,
the librarian, as follows:
CHICAGO, March 81. 1874.
Mr.. Pool, Esq.-Sir: have the nonor
TO herewith make an application
in the Chicago public library. /
c IN speak eight different languages. and
have been occupied III literary matters
yeral years. Hoping for a favorable con-
sheraton, am, sir, very respectfully, your
obedlent servant,
JEovANINI DOMINIQUE DE L'UNT.
Now he is
A SPANISH DON,
and swears ;hlt he is born Spaniard, and
at the next directors meeting Mr.. Raster
was so favorahly impressed with this Span
ish otfshoot OF nobility that he not only
recommended his acceptance as an employee,
bnt in an editorial published in the Stats
Zeitung, of April 20, 1874, highly eulogized
him, and went on tell how advantageous
1t would be for the library to have in its en-
| ploy young man 50 well qualified, one
that could speak not o lly his own Castilisn
mother tongue, but was fluent in English,
German; French, Italian, Danish, Swedish.
Norwegian, and Russian. The great
and accomplished scholar of the Stats
Zeitung is evidently unaware that the
Danish and Norwegian languages are