Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-01-31
HUNGARIAN "CHEEK.~
legged Exploits of a Syvfndler AT
the Centennial Exhibition.
LONDON TELEGRAPH, Jan. Al

tLondon Telegraph, Jan. l4.1
SomOskeoy, the renowned Hungarian swim
dler whose extraordinary career in America has
recently been interfered with in a manner
which will sec,ude him from society for som,
lar pluck and self-possession il half the stories
OF his exploits be founded on fact Accord, g
to cur Magyar contemporary, Pestt mutt
the ! Philadelphia exhibition was the scene
Of more than one bold justification on
his part few minutes before the time
appointed for the opening ceremony. Sc
nloskeoy, -arrayed in Hungarian national COS
tune, and wearing the star OF an Austrian
order on his left breast. drove up to the Palace
OF Industry in splendid equipage Passing
with digntfed mien through the lines OF
attendants, he entered the reception hall, where
the Exhibition Commissioners, headed by their
chairman, were drawn up TO receive the Illus
triOuS pers0nages invited to take part in the
festive celebrations OF the day. He then ad-
vanced toward the chairman and accosted him
with the words: Sir, am Count Veyczey, the
Royal Hungarian Commissioner" The chairman
bowed ana held out his hand in welcome, but
cast perplexed glance toward the real repre-
sentative of hungary, who had already arrived,
and was standing hard by. The latter stepped
forward, and speaking in the Magyar fdiom, OBJ
garian Commissioner" SOmoSkeoy stared at
him contemptuouSly and replied in English:
"Within three days you will receive your recall
Meanwhile. be good enough to :, member where
you are, and speak Engiish!' just at that mo-
ment the President Of the Republic entered the
building. and his arrival diverted the attention
representatives OF Magyar-land.
With unheai d of audacity, Somoskeoy kept his
place in the group OF dignitaries gathered round
the commission; and, as soon as the President
had been duly greeted the opening ceremony
commenced with the delivery OF several long
speeches. Finding the official OratOry somewhat
tireSome, SomOskeoy soon slipped out Of the Cir
Gle. and contrived to make his way to the grand
entrance, at which the Foreign Secretary was
stationed, to receive certain expected guests OF
imperial and royal rank. To this portal the En-
press OF Brazil presently drove up; whereupon
SomoSkeOy, pushing aside the Secretary of State
gracefully assisted her imperial Majesty to alighu
from her carriage, and offering her his arm with
a profound obelSance, led her into the build
ing. Il is positively asserted in the account
of this amusing adventure, published in
the PeSti Hi1ldp, that the American officers
not wishing to run the risk of alarming the En-
press, and DESTROYS to avoid public scandal
upon so important an occasion, forbore from all
interference with this prince of impostors, and
that he acted as her majesty's cicerone during
her whole stay in the Exhibition Palace, which
lasted for several hours. Upon the imbroglo
being subsequently explained to the Empress,
she is reported to have said that, Judging by
the manners and conversation of the person
who had accompanied her through the EXhibi-
ton, she had imagined him to be some European
parsonage of exalted rank" 1t would appear
indeed, from evidence given by foreign diplo-
matiSts and American statesmen at his late
trial, that Somoskeoy, as far as his outward
bearing and demeanOr are concerned, is a re-
fined and polished gentleman,