Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-11-24
A Rare BIRD Abroad.
AN Ex-CARDINAL IN NEW YORK, Oh NJ
pORrEp.S

PoRTER's YARN.
New York Correspondence st. Louis Republican.
was crossing 9th avenue at 23d street with
q friend last Saturday night and Just under tine
station Of the elevated railroad we encounteseo
a welldressed man, to whom my friend bowed.
saying az h, did so, good evening. count
The stranger replied in German. We paused
moment and regarded him attentivaly. HIS
erect figure, jaunt,' air and generally y0unS
get-up gave him the appearance Of man OF
tired look in his eyes, which showed him 10 pc
at least dozen years older. His clothes were
except for o SANDY S" m,,ssache. He wore .
! shiny silk hat and carried light cane.
"Did you notice that man spoke to? m d
CURED my friend, as soon we were out OF
II did. What of him.
what would you take him to be9 Does ne
look IKE professional man or o merchant
or what? =,
WELL 1 replied carelessly, 'T beard you call
him count and address him in German; SO IL 8
just possible that hes q barber. He might be q
head waiter II it were not for his mustache he
looks TO me like man about town. with pro-
nonnced sporting procliviues.
Ihats about what he is now said my
friend. 81 should call him, in the slang of the
day. rounder. but he has not spent all his life
In otn avenue by any means. He has hao q
varied career. remember him when lie was q
cardinal in Rome
ex-cardinai is much Tarer bird than an ex-
king, and there have been very few Of the latter
In New York since Manhattan island was first
sett!ed AT my friends suggestion called on
an Austrian OF his acquaintance and learned
from him the following facts in regard to the
man who is, SO far as know, the only ex-cardi-
nal VINO mas ever Sought refuge in this country:
THE Ex-CARDINAL.
Count B., as he Is called by his few 1nti-
mates, is a member of an influential Austrian
family. His grand uncle, whose name he bears,
was famous soldier in his day and one OF the
generals IN command of the Austrian FORCES az
the battle of Lodi. Twenty-Five years ago the
then young count was captain In the Austrian
army, pursuing career of reckless profi1gacy
which eventually led to his dismissal from the
service. He had, however, a warm friend in
the person of the emperor, Francis Joseph,
who remembered the services rendered to the
house OF Hapsburgh by the brave old general
I'm tile dark days of the Napoconic invasion.
Through his influence the count was
made member of the College OF Cardl-
the insignia OF his Office. For some time he
held the high position of prince OF the church
until a scandal. IN which he figured and which
was The European sensation of it's day, brought
about his expulsion. Alter this disgrace he dis
appeared from public view. and was not heard
OF LOT some time. Then he hOrrified his family
and friends by turning up in Switzerland as the
hero--if the word may be used in such connec-
tion--of another scandal fully as discreditable
as the first. He inveigled q young French girl
his servant offaciated as priest. The unfortu-
nate young woman lost her reason when she
discovered the deceit which had been prac-
ticed on her, and is to-day an inmate Of an
insane asylum.
His family, who keenly felt the disgrace
brought upon them, settled an annuity. of
$4,000 on the count, upon the condition that
he should leave Europe. He came to New York
a few years ago, and has been living here
quietly ever since among. people who knew
nothing OF his former history.
Verify. New York offers to the student of
human nature many strange phases of life, but
Know nothing stranger than that which L
stumbled against last Saturday-an ex-cardi-
outstanding on the corner of 9Th avenue and
2}d street; the head, which had worn the
hirretta. now covered by q shiny silk hat; the
purple mantle replaced by getaway coat.
do not, of course. stand sponsor for the story,
but merely relate it as it was given to me.