The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1882-07-06

some Interesting Points In the His
tory OF Remarkable Adventures.
Iron The f.onacn Standard. !


yicfion az Vienna OF Karl Hoffman,. a no.
torious swindler. The following il an ac-
count OF the prisoner: The son Of a glass
dealer OF Carlsbad, he commenced his ca
reer Of fraud by representing himself a.
the nephew ~ Baron Hoffmana, for
merry an Austrian Minister, from whom
he had. be said, inherited the Volts
berg estate. Ia Carlnthia. Pretending
that he was about 10 build branch
railway from his estate. he succeeded
in obtaining from some firms Of contract
ors the sum OF ELS. 900, OF which 5000
was paid by a Manchester railway plant
company, now in liquidation. Another OF
Uoffmann's successful swindles was carried
OFT AZ Glasgow. where he ordered 4 yacht,
worth 81, 600. for the Crown Prince Ru-
dolph, and another, worth Sit, 600, for
Prince NOW King Charles OF Rounania.
Hoffman, succeeded in obtaining 81 800
from the ship-buiiders rs commission
OF these orders. Among other feats
in his subsequent career, Hoffman,
succeeded in gettins appointed Amer
can Consul in Warsaw. While he
was STAYING there IS a British subject
with British passport he entered INTO \
large contract with the Russian Govern
rnent for the erection 81 extensive works.
y announcer Alttff. NA4W At~tAll- III ~.
lanes Ledge. Chapel place. London, he
came oft a. the promoter Of the Bohemian
Galleries Company, with a capital ~ Gt00,-
OON-A company which. needless to say,
never owned on inch OF soil in Bohemia.
shortly afterward Hoffman, turned up in
Vienua again. where, besides several minor
svin1lcs. he almost succeeded in deiraud-
ing . lady eut 81 her town mansion,
worth E20. 900. AZ the court HOti-
mann. in pleading Not guilty" pretend
cd that ne had 4 number Of letters from
the Prince II WolcS. coming down 20 the
lstc,t dates. and written in the language Of
intimate friendship. The prisoner j. de-
scribed - fortv-two years 81 age. and sepl-
rated from hi~ wife. lie Is OF tall figure,
with brouzed face. and 81 " elegant man
mr.. and appearance" The past fourteen
months he has spent in prison while IN
ouiries were 'ciGg made, and because the
|,i5eDce aeaiust him had 10 he 60 'lected
from London. Berlin, II. Petersburg, and
other Tur0uean capitals. There were over
forts witnc>>e, 10 heexlmiucd against him,
including gentlemen from Rothschild ana
other eminent baukinE-houses.
After the long Indictment had been got
through. The prisoner read out document
ju,tfvirr himself. He said the first hank
er, in the world had dealt with him. The
firm n Pcreirr had credited him with &c.
OuO.0rO roubles. lie had contracted loan,
for the Russian Government, Is well aS
for Portugal and for Turkey. He had re-
c,iyed tie gold medal for art and science
from tine King 4 PruS>ia's own hand.
lie had been commissioned ny the Rus
sian Government ~ build barracks ana
Notifications for them 10 the value Of
fsrHf no nd ROT q
p 10 30 out Of Patriotism - an Austrian
subject. re attributed the whole Of the
c9se That bad been gotten up against bin
~ the Berlin police, who relieve him 20 be-
..fLe head II q Catholic revolutionary
uartv." who wanted 10 seize the German
Emperor and carry him of into captivity.
At the conclusion OF the prisoner state
meni, which contained many more things
Of the same kind. be was eros S-eXamned.
lie had only once. he said, called himself
Baron Hoffman,. but people afterwards per-
sisted I'm giving him that title. Since 1850,
L. continued. be had heeA naturallZed IN
scotland. and. therefore, had an English
Passport. All the orders he had
'y0ra had really been presented TO
him. EXCEPT the cross Of the Legion
of Honor. which had somehow come INTO
Ia, possession tv mistake. lie had claimed
10000 marks compensation through the
English Ambassador Cor hi- arrest in Der
lin. lat his losses, owing 10 that arrest, had
been greater. Several police notes and
documents were then read. Including the
A1sericau Ambas .ad0r', letter 10 Hou-
mann announcing Ms nomination IL Aneri-
can Consul III Warsaw. This nomination
Wa. afterward cancelled by the senate. put
hi, name hv mistake continued 70 appear
jn the Official American consular list. y
mote of Prince Bi.marck's private secrc'
tlrv followed. declaring that the Prince
never saw Hoffman,, Vhereupoh us
accused said be spoke several times
with the German Chancellor at Re
e-ieruncsrath Woeener'~ house. The police
notes slate Hoffman, ill-treatcd his hr~i
N,ii.. ana without being divorced from
her had commenced negotiations Tor q
marriage with . rich American lady. \
London police noe states that Holman Oh
famed nm English passport under the pre-
fence of being ar English physician SON
re he'd .eft debt, behind him IN London
and swindlcd III Eng.i,hmau out OF G3oo
lie lad represented himself as proprietor
of Bohemian coal mines. started JONI
stock COMPANY. and had had business con-
noctiou> with Mr.. Albert Grant. Both the
Berlin and London police notes de>lsnat'
Hoffman, a., " dangerous c1tpd'teT 0t''
d,,sfy7s.~ He was sentenced 10 seven years
t..s..,. mont With Iar1 lqhOr.