The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1891-10-27
HAD A GLIB TONGUE
A Russian Count Who is
Wanted in Brooklyn.
HE HANDLED REALTY ON NERVE
And Took in an Agent to the Tune Of
$4,000.

The Count Claimed TO BE Heir to vast
Estates In Russia-He Had Papers and
Medals to Show He Was an Army
onicer, and lie Was a Smooth Talker-
Numerous Victims Has DisAp-
pearsd.
BROOKLYN, Oct 27.-Count Roderick
Won Graf, princely looking young Rus
sian with tongue that had the faculty
Of talking its way right into the pockets
of those favored with his acquain tance,
is wanted in Brooklyn for handling
500, 600 worth of Brooklyn real estate
on nerve and paper only and Of leaving
many worthless checks and forged notes
| behind. A, S. Lamphere, a real estate
agent of Flatbush avenue, is particular
| ly concerned, 1t is stated, about the
whereabouts Of the alleged Count Mr..
| Lamphere is the man who introduced
the affabe Count to Brooklyn society
and afterward became victim of his
scheming brain and tactics.
1t is said that Mr.. Lamphere was
talked ont of $40, 900 during his aquaint-
ance with the Count, who borrowed the
money at intervals in sums ranging from
| $500 to 81, O00 The amount was generally
loaned on mortgage bond, and in order
to meet the interest on the property
bogusly bought by the Count on Carroll
street, which is one of the choicest To-
calities in Brooklyn.
by curious chain of circumstances
and good luck the Counts victims,
| however, were never caught to any
! great extent. So far as can be learned
! in the course of his short career in
| Brooklyn circles, which dates back but
a year, he had held a mortgage on about
| fifty houses and about half that number
| Of lots. When the Count was first in
/ troluced to the real estate owners he
! said that some of his relatives in Russia
| owned an estate valued at /, 900, 600
| roubles, and when conyersing with any
one he always mentioned the fact that
he would eventually inherit much of the
money.
As he was we'll recommended by high
| Russian army officials by letter, and
! had papers and medals to show that he
had served in the Russian army with
the rank of Captain, and had been ban
! ished for certain political reasons, no
one thought for moment to look into
his past history.
III was during one or MS earlier VlSlJS
that the Count became acq quainted with
Mr.. A. S. Dennellen, a wealthy real es-
tate owner of Carroll street, who then
owned the old Tabernacle. The Count
presented himself with such flattering
recommendations that when the subject
of selling the old Tabernacle property for
! $50, 900 was broached, il was at once set
tied with Mr.. Lamphere as the broker
| of the Count.
The bargain was transacted on mort
gage bonds at per cent, the whole
sum to be paid at the end of six months
The latter part of the bargain was never
lived up to and the mortgage was fore
closed. Mr.. Lamphere lost by the trans
actions the brokers' fee Of $1,000, and
was put to no end of annoyance by the
tactics of his false friend This was
only one Of many similar transactions
and in most cases Lamphere, it is said
did not escape so easily Where thu
Count lived during his stay in Brooklyn
is not known, and whittier he has gon
is still deeper mystery.