Evening journal., 1891-07-29
HARl KARI.
Colonel Leybourne's Tragic Act
at Rome.
HIS BIG CATHOLIC BANK SCHEME

HIS BIG CATHOLIC BANK SCHEME
Monetary Losses Are Said to Have Caused
The Act--He Now Lies in rrecarious
state and Cannot Possibly Recover from
His injuries.
ROME, July o. Colonel Ieybourne, well
known in New York in connection with
the Catholic banking scheme, attempted
suicide here in the Japanese style hari
kari, by disemboweling himself with
razor. He now lies in a very precarious
state, with little hopes Of recovery. Money
losses are said to have been the cause Of
the attempt.
Colonel Leybourne's Career.
Colonel George William Cameron Ley
bouEpe sstonished the world nearly two
yearssago by exploiting a scheme as daring
and as prodigious as any in the annals Of
finaneiering.
1t was nothing less than the organiza-
fion Of an international Catholic bank
with headquarters at Rome and subordi-
nate houses at New York, City Of Mexico,
Caracas Iquique, Buenos Ayres Rio Jn-
metro, Valparaiso, Madrid, Vienna Paris,
London. Bombay and Melbourne. Hisidea
was to unite the strength OF Catholic capi-
talists the world over, and to make the
capital stock Of this great company a cool
<l00. 0.00O0 900.
1t Attracted Much Attention.
The story OF this project was first pub
1ished in the papIrs OF New York. Ley
bourne explaine/ all its details and got
great deal Of sDace. The list Of names OF
men who wer/ alleged to be behind the
plan was as startling as the plan itself
First Of all, Il was TO have the direct and
public sanftion Of the vatican This was
said to hgve been already secured Great
Catholic bankers in London and ia Paris
were to throw all their energies and all
fhefr resources into It. Patricio Kelly, the
biggest fnancier OF the City Of Mexico,
was with the colonel; Archbishop Corri-
gan. OF New York, and his brothcr-in-law,
Eugene Kelly; Archbishop ireland, Of st.
Paul, Archbishop Finn, OF Chicago, and
other prelates were mentioned
It was announced that ex-Mayor VIII
liam r. Grace, Henry Hoguet, Joseph J.
Donohue and other well known Catholic
bankers in New York were said TO be deep
ly interested.
A Pretty Story.
It was a pretty story and good reading
But no sooner had 1t been published than
denials came IN thick and fast Archbishop
Corrigan didn't know Leybourne Arch
bishop Ireland never had heard Of him.
CaSdinal Secchari cabled from Rome that
as secretary Of the Index at the vatican
he had seen no reason to put any conf.
dence ip LeyboHrpe Everybody men
tioned denied the story IN toto.
Little Is known OF Colonel reybourne
personally In New York, He lived in an ex-
ceedingly economical way In boarding
house at 1888 East Twenty-sixth street.
He had as agents George A. Rowe, an
engraver, who lived on the top floor Of 10
East Twenty-hrst street, aud Rufus w.
Leavitt, who lived In Flushing, and had
deskroom in the Boree building.
Badly wounded.
Ieybourne is a Scotchman of herculean |
proportions and is sixty-two years old He |
stands 6 feet 9A inches high and weighs |
$40 pounds He Is said TO have fought
through the Crimean and Franco prussian
wars He belonged to the Royal engineers,
and has the Crimean medal with the words
aAima, Balaklava and Sebastopol" en-
graved on the clasps
He was badly wounded at Balaklava.
He also had the Baltic medal of tS54-lS55,
and another, the Napoleon, for services at
Montabello, Palestro Turbigo, Margenta,
Marigan and Solferino. After leaving the
army he spent most Of his time in Turkey,
Persia and Egyyt building railroads and
following his profession Of civil engineer.