New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-08-11
ROOM FOR THE RASCAL!
THE PRINCE OF ROGUES COMING HITLER
STORY OF PRINCESS GHYKA.


nolce TO warn Americans against one Of the most
dangerous and successful swndlers ever set loose
on an unsuspecting community. II is but year
ago that he issued forth from the penitentiary
here on the completion of his term of six years i'm
nrisOnment, with hard labor, 10 which he had
been sentenced in $780, and already every capital
Of Europe is again ringing with accounts of his
extraordinary exploits, his victims including even
roval and imperial pcrsonagcs. At the present
moment he is believed TO be in the United States or
OH his way thither. his object being to exercise his
nrofession in n new and rich field and to escape
the pressing attentions OF the European police
His real name is Charles Hoffman,, which he oc-
casonalIy transforms into Baron Won lionmann,
CbeyaIer Won Hoffman,, or Baron Henry de Cour-
tier. the latter being lis favorite alias lie de-
scribes himself as either English or an Austrian
colonel. n statement which is borne out by his
military carriage and appearance. lie dresses
with oniet elegance. is tall and powerfully built,
with black hair and thick gray mustache. Ills
age is about forty-seven, and he is married 10
charming Russian princess whom he mas deserted
after squanderDg to the last cent her once con-
siderable fortune. The CHIEF OF police mere "uus
that the pspudo Colonel de Courtier' speaks
English, French, German, Italian ana huSS'an
without the slightest trace of any foreign accent
1s4s at Prague as the son of respectable glass
dealer named GTofmann. he made his way TO Eng
land in $50, after his fathers death, and in
very brief space of time spent every penny OF his
portion of the inheritance. In 1865 he made his
appearance at Carlsbad where he figured as mem
Der of Queen Victoria's bodyguard of gentlemen
alarms. every one OF whom bears the rank OIL
colonel His fascinating manners the fortune
which he appeared to possess, and the rank whlch
he claimed in the British Army, proved sufficient
10 capture the heart and the hand OF princess "a
wealthy and beautiful young Russian WIDOW
Shortly after his marriage he took mp his residence
on his wife's estates in Russian Poland, and lived
there with great splendor for several years cards
and every other kind of extravaganza soon MADE
enormous inroads into his wfe's fortune and IN
1872. after selling every portion of her property
for which he could lind a purchaser and mortgag-
ing the remainder he deserted the Princess anu
moved TO Berlin While there he acquired several
hundred thousand dollars as negotiator of more
or less fraudulent foreign railroad contracts, but
spent the money as fast as he made II. lie IN
situated that heswas in constant and confidential
intercourse with Prince Bismarck, and that he was
frequently employed by him for confidential politi-
cal missions Although this was believed TO be
the case at the time by les victims, and proved to
n
ding operations, yet it has since been discovered
that the Chancellor did not even know him Dy
sight Berlin at length became too hot TO hold
him any longer, and in s7j he took up his resi-
dence in London where he described himself as
the nephew of Baron Won Hoffman,, who at that
time held the post of Minister of Finance of the
Austro- Hungarian Empire. 1t was due TO
belief in the existence of this relationship TINT
ne was made an honorary member OF several OF
the very best London clubs, where the insoucance,
Iberality and sangfroid with which he lost large
sums at cards soon won for him host OF friends
of the highest rank, including even the Heir
Anparent. a number Of whose letters were found
among his papers at the time OF his arrest IN 1852
IT, is probable that his losses at cards were lnteh
tiono1 and that he was shrewd enough to per-
ceiye that money spent in that mall
ner would enable him considerably TO
extend the field of his swindling opera
tions en- grand" That the investment was
of n profitable nature is shown by the enormous
extent of the frauds which he perpetrateu III
London, and by the fact that his acquaintance
If the card table not only invited him to their
houses and country seats. but also presented MN
70 their bankers. and even went so far as to
furnish him with letters OF recommendation 10 tue
British representatives at foreign courts
met az the tables of the English Ambassadors and
Ministers in Continental capitals. whose leading
citizens can scarcely be blamed for having accorded
their confidence and consideration to Il man whom
thew knew to be treated with such marked cor.
dialitv bv Her Britannia Majesty ENJOYS. 30
favorable was the impression which he created
both at Rome and at Lisbon that King llumbert
conferred upon him the cross OF CaVaher OF the
Order of the Crown-the same which Mr.. George
NJ Pullman possesses.-whle the Portuguese sover'
elm made him Knight of the Order of Christ
During one of his visits to Brussels lie became &C
ouainted with the late Crown Prince Rudolf OF
Austro-IIungary who conceived u great liking for
him. Foreseeing the advantages of an intimacy
of this nature, Hoffman, announced his intention
of presenting TO the Archduke magnlhcent
Yacht as a wedding gift. The plans of the latter
were duly submitted to Prince Rudolf and ap-
proved by him; and Crown Princess SteDhanie's
chamberlain. Admiral Count Bombelles. was act
ually in correspondence with Hoffman, respecting
the date on which Her Imperial IIighness was to
christen the yacht, when suddenly the prospective
giver of the latter was arrested in this city on
charges of forgery and fraud of the most eX-
tensive kind A few weeks later. on June 26.
1872. Karl Hoffman,. the friend of the British and
Austrian Heirs Apparent, the honOred guest OF
English Ambassadors and ENJOYS. the husband of
a princess and Knight of several Royal orders.
was sentenced TO a term of penal serytude for
a series of frauds unparalleled since the days of
Robert Macaire.
This is the illustrious stranger. then. who under
some alias Is now about TO honor the United States
with his presence. with view to business.
A Princess and the widow of celebrated Prime
Minister has just expired at Graft MS an inmate
of the city almshouSe Twenty years ago the
fame of Princess Marie Ghyka's beauty extended
from the shores OF the Danube to the banks OF the
Seine Napoleon III was of her most fervent
admirers and there are doubtless many of those
who took part in the festivities at the Tuileries
Cln.l. lnrinr tLn nln..r ~ Ito