The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-05-08
AN EGYPTIAN BEEF BUYER.


Under the above caption the New Or
leans Picdy,tite publishes the following
notice Of u distinguished stranger now
boarding at the ST. Charles Hotel:
Among the guests Of the "San Gar
los" Is s. Selim r. Bey, OF Cairo. Egypt,
and son of Rlshtuk Pasha. He has
lust arrived from New York, and from
what he states it is inferred that he Is
here in the interest Of the Egyptian
Government, and authorized to make
large purchases of cattle in Texas. 1t
Is said that he has already bargained
for about 5000 head of cattle, which it
is presumed will be exported to Egypt
after icing slaughtered and prepared
for transportation.
Mr.. Bey is apparently 2G years OF age,
has fair complexion, dark hair and
side whiskers. He dresses with care and
taste, but without strain after effect.
He has travelled in almost every part Of
the world, and speaks eight or nine
languages.
BY curious and maybe lucky eoinei-
dence we find the appended sketch of
what appears to be the same individual
In the columns of the New York Herald
of the Sd instant, and we reproduce it
for the benefit of whom 1t may concern
The stranger from the East.
A PSEUDO EGYPTIAN PRINCE WHO sv1NDLED
THE PEOPLE OF FOUR CONTINENTS AND
WAS MADE A LION OF NEW YORK SOCIETY.
A welcome guest in some of the
wealthiest Of New York families, boon
companion OF the sons and a favored
ehaperone Of the daughters, has been
for the last couple of months one Selim
H. Bey. magnificent Oriental, with
ways most winning, manners most dis
tinguished, and facility for pleasing
which falls to the lot Of but few men.
Whence he came and what he was doing
no one took any pains to learn, but
from his conversation 1t was apparent
that his antecedents were respectable
and noble. With rulers of the East.
whose magnificence almost surpassed
description, he had been reared in
childhood and associated In youth.
and he was on terms of intimacy
with dukes and lords of high degree
in every nation in Christendom. He
had quite fund Of anecdotes, pleasant
and spicy. and invariabl illustrative of
the consideration In viii h he was held
by these exalted personages. Besides
this he carried with him souvenirs of
many distinguished people-little trink-
cts they were, generally Of not much
value. but unique in their way-and
these had the virtue Of frequently sug-
costing to him incidents in his expert
ence with their original owners. The
fashionable society in which he moved
was awed by his grandeur and daz7led
by the greatness Of his connections, and
at once Selim Bey secured the friend
ship of the scions of good houses and
the admiration of the most select cote
ries.
HIS APPEARANCE.
No one was better able to improve
upon acquaintance and no one had a
better facility for making the most of
favorable impressions. In appearance
he was exceedingly prepossessing. The
olive tint of the East seemed only TO
lend special attraction to his face and
to harmoniSe with his black hair and
eyes, and, moreover, this Oriental
Adonis had rare control Of his facial
muscles, and could be interestingly pen
sive at one moment. and the next be
beaming with merriment. He WAS q
scholar, too. Of no mean attachments,
spoke English. French and German flu
entity. besides no end Of Eastern Ian
guages, and could converse intelligently
about science, art, or, in fact, any topic
that in the possibilities of society gos-
sip could arise.
OF course Selim Bey became o lion in
fashionable circles. He was dined and
wined at the best tables. his society was
courted by gay young men and he was
most signally favored by the fair. Dur
ing all this time he was residing at the
Windsor and Fifth Avenue hotels. and
would no doubt have continued his ca
reer had not Mr.. Waite, the lessee of the
former establishment, determined upon
exposing his experience with the grand
Oriental and giving society an inkling
as to his methods of operating.
It was in the Windsor Hotel that the
stranger from the East first registered
on his arrival in New York the name of
Selim r. Bey. His baggage was not
bulky, but his apparel and conversation
were calculated to mark him as man
Of means. He represented himself to
be the son Of wealthy Egyptian poten-
tate and said that he was travelling for
pleasure and instruction. While stop
ping at the hotel he lived in prinoely
style, had most elegant suit of rooms.
and ran up colossal bills for wines,
cigars and carriage hire. Time passed,
and the Egyptian prince, who was feted
and paraded about by a number of
wealthy people, gave invitations to
his friends TO dine with him, and
always had the most delicious vtands
and the choicest wines to please
their palates. Mr.. Waite, after while,
thought fit to send up a bill to his Orien-
tai Highness, who received it compla-
Gently and said nothing more about it.
Mr.. Waite then made him q personal
visit, and suggested that he would be
compelled to have some guarantee OF
Selim's intention to pay him. The lat
ter waxed wroth at this, and was for
some moments in perfect frenzy of in
dignation. but finding that his host was
determined he produced q curiously
wrought casket. and motioning to it in
a way that seemed to indicate that the
wealth Of Ormus and Of Ind was far less
valuable than its contents, he said " If
you doubt me, sir, let that be my
pledge"
A CASKET OF TR1NKETS.
Mr. Waite subsequently found that
the strange casket contained an i'm