The Portland daily press., 1883-02-03

Many of the readers of the PRESS will re-
member the two young men who visited Port
| land in the summer of 1875, represented them
selves as members Of the English nobility
took rooms at the Falmouth HOTEL and were
feted and entertained by fashionable society
| At the time they were looked on with suspic-
ion by several acquaintance, especially one of
the two who gave the name OF Dsnison He
was tall, uncouth in appearance and his man.
ners were anything but those of ordinary polite
society, leaving out Of the question those of
the educated British nobleman. After re-
naming in Portland some weeks, leaving a
large board bill unpaid, the two men-one of
them Denison-sported at times the uniform
OF British army officer. left for parts un-
known. They also deposited with some of
their friends here their 1. o. u IS for small,
amounts, and passed on others checks or drafts
on Canadian banks for larger or smaller
amounts. Denison said he was the son of
Lord Londesborough, and he carried letters
and photographs which deceived gentlemen
who would not have been taken in by any or
binary tricks.
From Portland Denison went to Buffalo,
where he claimed to be the son of the Earl of
Devon, engaged himself to young lady of one
OF the most prominent in that city, and swim
died Mr.. Horton TO large amount. Then
he went to Newport and New York and passed
through a similar experience, Joining the
fashionable clubs, and beating the men about
town out of their money. Then he made run
over to Eng land, swindlH various firms and
persons there, and On the Continent, took a
turn in India and Australia, and from there
"struck" the States again at San Francisco,
mulcted the 'Friscans had a high old time at
Winnipeg, ran away to Baltimore, was made
much Of by the staid aristocratic old Maryland
Club, but had to take leg-bail as usual and
finally brought up in Denver, Colorado. Dur
ing all these escapades he was several times
arrested, but, siDgularly enough, although his
rascalities we're frequently proven he always
managed 70 escape punishment. 1t seemed as
if some powerful influence was exerted to
evade the usual penalties of outraged Justice,
and it is well known he always insisted he was
what he pretended to be. His real story is now
divulged with his death, and it appears he
told the truth. His career was indeed roman
TIC and checkered He was son of Lord Lon
desborough His father was member of the
Cunningham family, but changed his name to
Denison on receiving legacy When Lord
Londesborough died, young Denison's mother
married Lord Fitzgerald, between whom and
his step-chlldren nuct i'll feeling existed. At
IL years of age the Young man was required
by his step-fathec to enter the army, but this
he refused to do, and ran away 10 Belgium.
Here he was reduced to such straits that he
was compelled TO dispose of all his personal
property, and SO, as last resort, he shipped on
vessel to Philadelphia as cabin boy. He
landed in this country penniless. and accepted
employment at picking strawberries, making
from 10 to % cents day. This means OF live
lihood could not last long of course, and he was
compelled TO write to mis- step-father for asss-
tance, and was granted an annui y of al00 I'm
til he became of age. Then followed the
methods for existence we have described. In
1881 he returned to England and obtained some
of the private fortune that belonged to him.
While on this visit he received document
from a Welsh lady recommending him to all
patriotic Welshmen, which sfterward proved
of great value to him. Shortly after his return
to this country his means again became ex-
hausted and in "roughing it, in the West he
contracted a pulmonary disease that eventual
ly tick him off. Arriving at Denver he Sc
cured situation as an express driver. but af-
terward worked on sheep ranch. About a
year ago, being taken suddenly i'll, he went to
cared for him until his DEATH