The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1880-10-28
4 Baron Turned 7Bnrglar..--A Singu.
r. eff 70 d5,ulars Story ,iI., zisslr

"a Baron Turned 7Bhrglar..--Al Singu.
b. eft 20 djlular Story.I liIa sia.oa
i Seldom is. there found, ieyensin ro-
nance, as strange history as that of a
man who died two weeks age. on a peni-
tentiary b pallet. 3slFor years living
among the worst characters who in
tested the metropolis, and stepped in
crime as deeply as, any of them. it. was
only when the grave was closed upon
him that his true identity came to light,
and in q Blaekweh's Island convict was
found to have sinned and suffered a
Belgian noblemaii..i The burglar, Hairy
Howard. whose death. was recently an
nounced, had by that name been known
to his criminal Associates, but it was
after he, had been buried. that the
woman who had shared part of his
'ehangeful fortune in life revealed his
secret, and her story being put into the
hands OF the police to be sifted,, the
following strange history came to light /;
u Fifteen years ago, at the age n of
thirty-three, the Baron Herman de
sReiffenbcrg left home in Brussels, Bel
GUM, and with q wel-filled pocket
book and good bank account behind
him landed in this city He had an
agreeable face, the manners of a, gen.
tleman, plenty OF money, and a resi-
I dence iniBrusselsi that was spoken of 'as
q marvel, His relatives. were, noble,
and comprised The best families of his
native town. Ina cityl this one can
readily guess with what, a reception
such q man would meet. He was feted
/ and paraded IinSt jbestI society, and
squandered bis money and enjoyed his
slightest fancies to their fullest extent.
! In this he wasjoined by ascircleo of
friends who from the first formed a, lit
tie court for hifn. He had concealed
his title of Baron and assumed the name
OF Louis de Laurie, the name of, for
Smer companion of his now dead. 1t
was byJthis name be was known, and he
6! continued tG}nist to hold it until the time Of
gaAt intervals 3remittances were re-
ceived from his property and quickly
disposed of by the Baron Three years
after his arrival he made the acquaint-
ance of Miss Annie Sweeny, and after
a speedy acodrtship they became man
and wife . With his bride. the young
Baron travelled all over the country,
and, returning toN New York City again,
the couple took apartments, in ~ hotel
up town. A year after their marriage
a boy was the fruit Of their iunioii.. Sud-
denly there was q stop in the, receipts of
funds. Letters and kilograms were dis
patched, but there was no reply nor any
funds received and De laurie began to
learn that he had reached the bottom
OF his resources. .osssf@ L. Gu Isfs5T III u 1
,rfHsre was asdilemma.i bis friends,and
family refused to contribute any more
to- his eXtfavaSa and he was efinaEy
left without q GENT ,and, in debt for his
board BILL. He then. left the hotel and
took MP Iquieter quarters, disposfns of
syalpables to sustain his family for q the
time being. The Baron was. splendidly
educated, speaking Several i'htiSuages,
and he next endeaEored to, turn his
talents to some account. An advertiser
'ment was placed in one of the nnornihd
papers that secured him a good position
but he had no sooner obtained this than
he began habits of dissolutenessi which
speedily led to his, discharge. From
this time he steadily went downward
The fewCyears made a Elterribh change
in his, s,appearance. One would notknow
in that wrinkled face and disordered apI
pearanee Gthb former gay andigdashing
chevalier- HisuaiHife,s too, had lost the!
beauty that characterized her early girl
hood and had fallen into the same habits
as her husband. I'm avery short while
their, home was the scene of the great
est beggary; but even in their degreda-l
tion they cared for the little child
Louis. In this way. they continued TO
struggle, until at last during a pro-
tractedi spree Of bot. the father ana
mother. they were all turned into the |
street for non payment of rent Their
condition now could not be any lower.
They sank to the condition of beggars
and became drunkards Of Che lowest
type. saj ,f190838 SAB 3tuos! 3G ,fgfes
1t was while in this strait that, the
Baron appealed to Mr.. A. De Bracke-
leer. president of the Belgian Relief AS
sociation. at No. So Warren street, The
latter was acquainted with his early
history and had known :hinsoand Ihis
family in the old eountry, His sympa-
thy was aroused and he ininediateiv
supplied from hissownrpockeret nec-
essary wants, of bis countryman. He
also endeavored to persuade him to Re-
turn home.l where his, relatives would
take care of him; but to. all his. entrea-
ties the man only replied that he would
starve firstagB But the applications for
relief became 50 frequent that Mr..
Brackeleer was at fast compelled to re-
fuse any further assistance The
wretched couple was then living. at 3S
Mulberry street, IN The very center Of
the Italian quarter. nsDed Laurie be-
came known to his Italian, ,peighbors as
a man of education and 4 'linguist and
they kept him busy when not drunk,
writing letters for. thema5 He was al
ways kind and courteous. even in, his
most adri1nk Ken ArnninAnts and was uaarrxr