The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1880-02-05
The Prince of Impostors.

The London Telegraph says: Somos-
keoy, the renowned Hungarian swim
dler whose extraordinary career in
America has recently been interfered
with in q manner which will seclude
him from society for some years to
come, must be man gifted with singu-
lar pluck and self-possession. if half the
stories of his exploits be founded on fact.
According to our Magyar contemporary,
Pesti Hirldp, the Philadelphia exhibition
was the scene of more than one bold
mystifcation on his part. A few min
utes before the time appointed for the
opening ceremony, Somoskeoy, arrayedi
in Hungarian national costume, and
wearing the star of an Austrian order
on his left breast, drove up to the Palace
of Industry in a splendid equlpagee.
Passing with dignified mien through
the line of attendants, he entered the re-
ception hall, where the exhibition COM
missioners, headed by their chairman,
were drawn UP to receive the illustrious
personages invited to take part in the
festive celebrations of the day. He then
advanced toward the chairman, and ac-
costed him with the words: "Sir, am
Count Veycrey, the royal Hungarian
commissioner" The chairman 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 l am the
Hungarian commissioner" omoskeoy
stared at him contemptuously, and re-
piled in English: "Within three days
you will receive your recall. Mean"
while, be good enough to remember
where you are, and speak English ~
Just at that moment the President OF
the republic entered the building, and
his arrival diverted the attention of the
puzzled commissioners from rival repre-
sentatives of Madyar-land.
With unheard-of audacity. Somos-
keoy kept his place in the group OF dig
nitaries 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 ora
tory somewhat tiresome, Somoskeoy
soon slipped out of the circle, and con-
trived to make his way to the grand
entrance, at which the foreign secretary
was stationed, to receive certain ex-
pected guests of imperial and royal rank.
To this portal the Empress of Brazil
presently drove up; whereupon Somos-
keoy, pushing aside the secretary .oi
state, gracefully assisted her imperial
majesty to alight from her carriage, and
offering her his arm with n profound
obeisance, led her into the building. II
is positively asserted in the account OF
this amazing adventure, published in
the PeSti Hirlap, that the American
officers, not wishing to run the risk Of
alarming the empress, and desirous tc
avoid a public scandal upon so important
an occasion, torbore from all interfer
cnce with this prince of impostors, anC
that he acted as her majesty's ciceron'
during her whole stay in the Exhibition
palace, which lasted for several hours
Upon the imbroglio being subsequently
explained to the empress, she is re
reported to have said that Judging b,
the manners and conversation of tn,
person who had accompanied hel
through the exhibition, she had i'm
agined him to be some European per
sonage of exalted rank" 1t would ap
pear, indeed, from evidence given b,
foreign diplomatists and American
statesmen at his late trial, that Somos
keoy, as far us his outward bearing ant
demeanor are concerned, is refined
and polished gentleman.