The Brookhaven leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1883-1891, 1884-02-14
Bogus Nobility.

The words, "She is baroness" head
ing a re ent newspaper sensation, served
As the modern subs itute of the Old-time
fairy wand to make noble lady o. a
poor girl who manufactured artificial
flowers Emma Friederike PAUL., the
daughter OF humble parents, lived in
harlottenburg, a suburb of this city,
where she made a frugal living by twist.
ING into shape beauties for the adorn-
ment OF those more fortunate than her
self During her brief leisure from her
duties of evenings, Emma frequently
visited the city, making her way to the
Cafe National, where gay creatures of
little reputation but much fine dress
were always to be found. The eye for
color, form and contrast which enabled
her to prepare the flowers from muslins
and silks also noted the elegant toilets
of many of the women, less scrupulous
than herself, and generally far come
lier; for Roman constituted the German
type of Thackeray's Becky Sharpe a
shrewd woman, with few personal at
fractions, and possessing more intellect
than virtue. She reasoned that it was
just as possible for her to have fine
clothes as any of the other women who
Haunted past her; but, then, Emma de-
sired also to be considered lady. How
to complish both these results was
what oacu pied her thoughts daily over
her work. And finally she had an in
spiration, executing thereupon some
clever forgcries. A few days later the
newspapers related her romantic histo-
ry-just made known to herself that
her mother was a baroness and her faith
er French Admiral, by whose will she
(Emma) was entitled to $1,000 thalers.
She produced papers to this effect,
scaled and signed by responsible per-
sons, which contained also the in 'orma-
ton that 200 marks would be paid her
monthly as interest through certain
banking house.
No one doubted the genuineness of
the documents, and she at once became
known by the name to which it APP
paared, as baroness, she was entitled
Melaine Won Hilgenheim. The posses
sion Of blue blood, and the change for
the better in condition and attire, coup
led with the romantic str alton, made
her Immediately an object of attention
by numerous fortune hunting bachelors.
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every one was deceived. Some of the
enamored gentlemen advanced her loans
on the wealth in prospect, and her rent
was allowed to go unpaid for months on
the strength of her alleged credit. She
was indeed line lady, observed by all,
courted to her hearts content, enabled
to dress richly, and the envy of her fe-
male associates. II was the very case
with which she had duped the people
that at length made her careless. And
then came exposure.
The trial attracted great interest here.
The papers were quickly proven to be
forgeries, and an old Lothario who had
constituted himself the baroness
banker had rude shock, as he was
compelled to spend several months in
prison on suspicion of having been a
party to the forgeries. Emma was sent
up for eighteen months, ami the name
of the Baroness Melaine Won Hilgen-
helm was erased from the list of the no
bility.
Another swindler who recently be-
came famous through exposure had also
prospered at the expense of title-wor-
shippers. 1t seems that he was private,
not many years since. in an Austrian
regiment. An officer in high rank was
pleased with the young fellows address,
who was both fine-looking and intelli-
gent, so he made the soldier his valet.
In short time the fellow was caught