The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1880-02-13
The Bogus Centennial Commits
London Telegraph

SlOu6I.
London Telegraph
Somoskeoy, the renowned Hungarian swim
dler, whose extraordinary career in America
has recently been interfered with in a manner
which will seclude him from society for some
years to come, must be man gifted with sim
gular pluck and self-possesson if half the sto-
ries of his exploits be founded on fact. Ac-
cording to our Magyar contemporary, Pesti
Hirlap, the Philadelphia exhibition was the
scene of more than one bold mystifcation on
his part A few minutes before the time ap-
pointed for the opening ceremony, Somoskeoy.
arrayed in Hungarian national costume and
wearing the star OF an Austrian order on his
left breast, drove up to the palace of industry
in splendid equipage. Passing with digni-
fed mien through the lines of attendants he
entered the reception hall, where the exhibi-
ton commissioners, headed by their chairman,
were drawn up to receive the illustrious per-
sonages invited to take part in the festive cele-
brations of the day. He then advanced to-
ward the chairman and accosted him with
the words: "Sir, | am Count Veyczey, the
royal Hungarian commissioner" The chair
man bowed and held out his hand in welcome,
but cast a perplexed. glance toward the real
representative OF Hungary, who had already
arrived and was standing hard by. The latter
stepped forward, and, speaking in the Magyar
idiom, observed, II beg your pardon, but am
the Hungarian commissioner" Somoskeoy
stared at him contemputuously, and replied in
English, within three days you will receive
your recall. Meanwhile, be good enough to
remember where you are and speak Englishi"
Just at that moment the President of the re-
public entered the building, and his arrival
diverted the attention of the puzzled commits
sioners from the rival representatives of Mag
yarland
With unheardof 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 officisl
oratory somewhat tiresome, Somoskeoy soon
slipped out OF the circle 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 empress of Brazil
presently drove up, whereupon Somoskeoy,
pushing aside the Secretary of State, graceful
ly assisted her imperial majesty to alight from
her carriage, and offering her his arm with
profound Obseisance, led her into the building.
1t is positively asserted in the account of this
amazing adventure published by the Pesti
Hrlap, that the American officials not
wishing to run the risk of alarming the en-
press, and desiring to avoid a public scandal
upon So important an occasion, forebore from
all interference with this prince of impostors,
and that he acted as her majesty's cicerons
during her whole stay in the exhibition pal
ace, which lasted for several hours. Upon
the imbroglio being subsequently explained
to the empress, she is reported to have said
that, Judging by the manners I'd converse
ton of the person who had accompanied her
through the exhibition, she had imagined
him to be some European parsonage of xalled
rank" 1t would appear, indeed, from evil
dence given by foreign diplomatists and
American statesmen at his late trial that
f,r
demeanor are concerned, is a refined and pol
ished gentleman.