Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1889-02-21
NOBILITY IN A CELL.
A Russian Prince Locked Up in
New York for Swindling.
A VERY UNSAV0RY RECORD.
An Heiress Hunter and Jumper of Ho-
tel BnIs-He Was at One T.~s spoken
of as the Possible Occupant of
the Bulgarian Throne.

New YORK, Feb. 2l-Prince George Eris-
tofT de Gourie, lately a liol in New York So
ciety and New York cluhlom, is now the pris-
oner of the New York police
Not so many months ago he was talked OF
as the ro.s bic successor OF Alexander on the
Bulgarian throne. Now he is within the
range Of widely different possibilities. The
prince was arrested while he was enjoying
Hotel h msnics dinner There is nothing
romantic aboat the crime OF which the Eris-
<ff is accused. lie is simply charged with
swindling Augustus r Rockwell, fashionable
furrier, at s5l Broadway, out of the $500 seal
skin coat, incased in which the princely form
has attracted much attention on metropolitan
streets since one bleak day in January last
When he got ihe coat the prince frankly
admitted his shortness of funds He pre-
sented his card and got credit until remit
tances from Russia should arrive But the
tradesman was careful as well as accomno-
dating He took contract, with the dis
tinguished ErktoG's autograph attached, by
which The coat or the $500 was to be forth
coming on Feb l5 Neither came forth, and
investigation led TO the issuing of warrant
and the arrest Of Prince George.
The princes present predicament is alto
gether i'll keeping with a past record that is,
to say the least, uisavory. He has so man
aged to hide himself beneath his title, how
ever, that even in the midst of his inglorious
career he has been received by society, here
and abroad, with open arms
Mrs Frank Leslie was caused much annoy
ance in 1887, when, melted by jealousy at
EristofTs devotion to her, the Marquis de
Neuyille thrashed the prince with his riding
whip while the a-venturer was riding in
carriage with the lady in Hyde park, London
The princes corsets and padding, giving
him ridiculously small waist and enor-
mously broad shoulders, have subjected him
to much ridicule among men. He has been
suspected of heiress hunting in America, but
his quest has been fruitless. Ru1nor had it
that he proposed to and was rejected by Mrs.
Leslie.
The Prince came to America in September,
1888, and not many weeks leter. in response
TO query sent byan interested gentleman
with good memory, the Scotland Yard
police bureau sent the following interesting
record, accompanied by an excellent likeness
of the titled Russian
HE is the son Of Prince David Eristoff, of
Poti Caucasus, and was born at Kutais,
Russia, on the 10th of October. 1854. The
earliest record we have of his swindling
career is in 1881, when ON Aug. II of that
year he was arrested in Berlin for obtaining
iewelry to the value of about IA, GOO marks by
fraud. For this offense he was on JAN II,
1882, sentenced to two years Imprisonment,
but ON the 18th of the following month he
was liberated by imperial dispelSation on
condition that he left Prussia at once and
should he ever return he would have to serve
the remainder of his sentence.
'On Sept. Is, 1883, he was sentenced to
three months Imprisonment for fraud at Ver-
sailles, France, and after. serving this was, on
Nov. so. 1883, expelled from France
"0n June %, 1884, a sentence of five years
imprisonment was passed on him for fraud in
Paris in his absence
TN September, 1884, he is first heard of in
England, when he took up his abode at the
Star and Garter hotel, Richmond. He re-
manned at the hotel until elected in June,
1885, at which time he owed the hotel com
pany $500. This money he never paid Dur
ing his residence at Richmond he ran up
numerous debts with trades people, who
have never been able to get their
money. He also was on the point of
getting married to a lady named Hill. of
4NoiIOlk AOupO, IatCtltHOuO. DuI his ullIece-
dents becoming known, the engagement was
broken off, After being expelled from the
Star and Garter hotel he visited Brussels
and there formed the acquaintance of a
wealthy Dutch lady named Belveren, whom
he followed to Amsterdam ard paid his adj
dressed to her, hut her friends, hearing of
his rast career, broke off the acquaintance.
Towards the end Of 1885 he reappeared in
England, and numerous complaints were
made Of his having obtained. or at
tempted TO obtain, goods from trades
people by more or less fraudulent pre-
lenses, but in 10. case did a prose-
cutiun ealsue, as in the most fragrant
cases he, when action was threatened came
to terms with the persons he liadv swindled.
About this time he stole from the chambers
of the so called Marquis de Leuville, whom ne
visited as friend, valuable gold cigar case
and sold it for $40 TO "a pawnbroker named Mas
tiers, at s. Brompton road. When accused of
this theft he adhi43ed1t and told the MARQUIS
.where he. had disposed of the cigar case
Thereupon the marquis folgave him.
In MARCH, 1850, the French government
made avieniaild upon the British government
for Eristofrs extradition, on the charge Of
fraud, for. which he had. been sentenced to
five years imprisonment in his absence. as
before detaited, andrcllstle 9thsof that Ifipnth
heSSwas arrested by INSPECTOR Jarviskand on
the 6th of April was haaaed over to the
French authorities at Calais He was tried,
and through tie. ineervenfiod of the Russian
gsvarnnaent a sdne only was inflicted; and
this was paid by his mother with the result
that he was set at liberty on May 81, 1856
ssSince above date be has frequently been
in London. and has been BEARD frcm in Paris