New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-10-27
BOGUS COUNT AND FORGER.
HE FLEEs LEAVING MANY VICTIMS.
NOBODY LOSES MUCH BY THE RASCAL. BUT THAT
Is NOT HIS FAULT.

NOBODf LOSES MUCH BY THE RASCAL bOI 4hAA
IS NOT HIS FAULT.
An erect military carriage, curling. blond
mustache, intellectual forehead, FRANK steel
blue eye, Chesterhedian manners. and an aSSulheu
title of Count have again enabled a clever foreigner
TO swndle creaulous people OF this city and Brooklyn
little more than year ago Count todercR
Won Graf arrived in New-loTf bearing letters IL aP
pears representing that he came from inc western
German provinces OF Russia and nan been d. one
time adjutant OF the Emperor OF that country Ills
language showed him to be man of educauon' ana
with his various accomplishments he succeeded Ill
making friends rapidly. For time h practised as
architect and afterwad became dealFr III rc"'
estate In some of his schemes he was successful
but he attempted to forge too large check and was
discovered. In consequence OF his folly he Is al
present n fugitive. on his TO New-Alexico.
Among the victims who mourn his departure Is
c. W. KIebisch a weiknOwn man in SUFFOLK county,
n. j.. who also has law Office in the PulltLer buui-
ing OF this city. have not seen many more hlVer-
esting men, said Mr. Klebisch yesterday in speak
! ing OF his experiences b a Tribune reporter ho
was unusually handsome, with a refined ana SYM
pathetic face, and manner that was prePossee''o
in the extreme. lie introduced to me by one
! of nv clients lie told line that he had been Obliged
to leave Russia account OF political matters Or Jake
his chances of spending his days in siberia lie hald
also that his relatives In Russia owned large estates
| valued at 100000 roubleS, and that he would
| eventually fall heir to large sums OF money At
that time he had small Office in Broadway where nc
| did some designing.
He had not been successful however, and was
rather short OF funds AT the time, had some archl
ecural work to be done at my farm, near folOpoh' III
Suffolk County. l sent him there to work. lie de
! signed handsome cemetery vault for me. Nhlie
STAYING at my place he conducted himself a perfect
| gentleman and inspired me with confidence lent
| him small sums Of money at various tines ana hau
little doubt that I should get ii back in the course
| OF time ] did some legal work for him short tme
| ago, also, so that all told he owed me about Sooo'
He still owes me that amount, and | have gwen up
hopes of recovering 1t. About one weed ago. he having
been in the real estate business in Brooklyn IN the
meantime learned OF his forging notes to the amount
of $4,000 using the names OF several OF my chehs'
They object to the publication OF their Names TIC
firm, however, Is wealthy and well known. Won
Crafts notes for various sums but amounted az
| l have said, to $4,000.
After forging them, he prepared an afidavlt anu
went to an East side notary who is not "a wise as ne
! might be- and TO whom CRAFTS fee seemed large
This was week ago last Thursday In signing
| the affidavit he again forged the firms name. Inc
document was to the effect that the notes he had
forged were genuine. The notes, with the afhdavit'
were taken to broker in Wall-st for negotiation.
The brokers' suspicion aroused by the large sum
Of money involved. lie communicated with the oahH
| in which one member OF the firm kept an Individual
account and learned that firm account was keps
| ~
was discovered that the notes were forgeres. Word
WAS sent to the forger meet at the brokers' oco
| on Saturday one week ago, in order to receive his
| money He learned iii some way OF the discovery
| and fled from the city. Detectives are now on MS
| trail and IL is believed that he has gone to New
Mexico"
"since his departure added Mr.. Klebsch, u" have
| LEARNED Of several other forgeries by the clever
swinder am now convinced that he Is an adventurer
Of the worst kind and congratulate myself that got
off as easily as l did"
Won Graf lived for six months at No. 1914 seventh
ave. Brooklyn. The notes were drawn on the oprague
National Bank About year ago he got hold Oh some
property In secOndst., Seventhave, BrooKlyh'
and started 10 complete some unfinished buildings with
| money obtained from the Builders Loan Association
! About this time he became interested in variety
actress named Clara O'Brien. lie also had lots In
| F1rst-st near Slxth-ave. on which he managed 10
realize without investing much money.
| He purchased from c. E. Donnelon, of the d. d NJ.
| Chauncey Real Estate Company, the old brooklyn
Tabernacle property in Schermerlorn-st, but as ne
maid no money and made improvements the COM
many took proceedings and recovered the property 1t
+ said thai none of his dealings have resulted IN any
g!eat loss 10 any one although he has handed large
| smount of property without financial backing: sew
eral BROOKLYN firms have cashed small checks Tor nm
that were found to be worthless Among them a are
| said to be RufranO d Son, J. ID. Morrison Morgan
Brothers Johnson d Lamb and the d. & NJ Chauncey
Company ,, Inc. o,onir, that bie com
| pany had lost nothing through Won Graf, ana ne
thought tho only person who had lost much was "A: >
| Lamphere the real estate man OF No 2SI Flatoush
ave lie thought that the bogus Count had swindled
famphere out OF $4,000 Lamphere had acted as
for every transfer Of property, and thoroughly be
neving in the honesty of Won Graf had advanced ,e
TO get remittances from Russia Mr.. Donnellon knew
nothing Of Miss O'Brien, the actress; and the state
ment that she had q house at No 4o1 SecOnd-st was
dsproved By the fact that there IS house there The
vacant lot once belonged TO Won Graft.