Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1880-01-31
INTERESTING, IF UNTRUE.
The Bogus Hungarian Commits
siOner at the Centennial
Exposition.

The London Daily Telegraph in a
recent issue says. Somoskeoy, the
renowned Hungarian swipdler, 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 a man gifted with singular pluck
aud self possession if half the stories
of his exploits be founded on fact.
According to our Magyar contem-
porary, Pesti Hirlap, the Philadelphia
exhibition was the scene Of more
than one bold mystihcatiOn on his
part. A few minutes before the time
appointed for the opening ceremony,
SemeOskeoy, arrayed in Hungarian
national costume, and wearing the
star of an Austrian order on his left
breast, drove up to the Palace of In
dustry in a splendid equipage. Pass
ing with a digni6ed mien through
the lines of attendants, he en-
tered the reception hall, where the ex-
hibition commissioner headed bytheir
chairman, were drawn up to receive
the iIlustrious personages invited to
take part in the festive celebrations Of
the day. He then advanced towards
the chairman and accosted him with
the words: "Sir, | am Count Veyczey,
the royal Hungarian commissioner
The chairman bowed and held out his
hand in welcome, but east a perplexed
glance towards 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 Hun
gariaB commissioner, Somoskeoy
stared at him contemptpously, and
replied 10 English, Within tn ee
days you will receive your recall.
Meanwhile, be good enough to re-
member where you are, and speak
English" Just at that moment the
president Of the republic entered the
bulldi4g. and his arrival diverted the
attention Of the puzzled commissions
ers from the rival representatives OF
Magyarland.
With the unheard-of audacity So
moskeoy kspt his place in the group Of
dignitaries gathered round the COM
mission; and, as soon as the president
had been duly greeted, the opening
ceremony commenced with the deliv-
cry of several long speeches. Finding
the official oratOry somewhat tiresome,
Somoskeoy 500 slipped out Of the cir
Gle and cOntrived TO make his way to
the grand entrance, at which the for
| eign secretary was stationed to receive
certain expected guests Of imperial
and roys; rank. To this portal the
Empress of Brazil presently drove up,
w%hereupon Somoskeoy, pushing aside
| the secretary of state, gracefully as
| sisted her imperial majesty to alight
from her carriage, and, offering her his
arm with a proiUnd obeisance, led her
to the building. 1t is positively as
serted in the account Of this adven.
ture, published by the Pesti Hirlap.
that . the American officials, not
wishingt to run the risk Of alarming
the Empress and DESTROYS to avoid a
public scandal upon SO important an
occasion, forebore from all interior
ence with this prince Of impostors,
and that he acted as her %cicerone du.
ring her whole stay in the exhibi-
ton palace, which lasted for several
hours, Upon the ~imbroglio being sub.
sequendy explained to the Empress,
she is reported to have said that
Judging by the manners and converse
ton Of the person who had accompa-
MED her through the exhibition, She
had imagined him to be some Europ-
can parsonage of exalted rank" II
would appear, indeed, from evidence
given by foreign diplomatists and
aud American gentlemen at his late
trial that S~omoskeoy, as far as hi;
outward bearing and demeanor are
concerned, is a refined and polished
anptlos.an y