The morning call., 1893-03-15
NOBlLITY'S FALL.
Smuggler LydIe Poses as
a Count.
He Belonged to the Opium Chinese
Ring at Victoria and Has Skipped
to Mexico.
Alvin c. Lvdla il gone

Alvin c. Lydle is gone.
An heir apparent to landed estates has
vanished into the thin air and sewer-gas in
the vicinity Of Fourth and Mission streets.
Last week Mr. Lydle whispered conf
dentially into the ear of Bert Duffy, who
resides at 136 Fourth street, that in a few
DAYS he would, metaphorically speaking,
throw off the cloak which disguised his
identity, and that when the nobility of
England learned that Alvin Clay Lydle, a
youth to fortune and to fame unknown,
was no other than the Scion of royal
house, said nobility would tremble In its
boots and Immediately negotiate with a
searcher of records 10 inquire into the sta
bility OF that Inheritance.
Almost instantly after imparting this
astounding piece Of Information Mr.. Lydle,
or the Count" as he was familiarly
dubbed by his associates, was observed to
perform actions which speak louder than
words, and which are generally known 10
be forerunners of an intention to borrow a
small sum i'm silver.
Count" LydIe lived sumptuously for
awhile, evidently being the recipient of
sums OF money in 20 small quantities. His
acquaintances began tO nut some faith in
his story aud believed that in reality they
were harbOring nObleman.
Then suddenly the Counts income
ceased. de grew nervous and finally be-
came desperate. He declared that he had
an uncle in the Northwest who would send
him money in few days and would some
one kindly loan him q few dollars until the
arrival of the lucre. Then always followed
a reiteration of his story concerning his
relationship to kings and queens.
Mr.. Duffy. who for a few days kindly
rendered his noble friend an equal share of
his bed and board, becoming suspicious in
stigated en- investigation on his own re-
sponsiblllty. He found out enough to sat
iSfy him that the Count was none other
than an accomplice of FarweIl and Reed.
who for number Of months kept the Gus
tom-house officials in the Northwest busy
guessing.
He confronted the Count with his dscov-
cry. The latter smiled bIankly and an
swered: well, what of it? Reeds in
Mexico. FarwelPs III Central America and l
have got to live"
Presumably he still lives, but he exists
elsewhere than in this city. 1t is believed
that he has gone TO join Smuggler Reed in
the land Of the AZtecs.
Alvin c. Lyde, alias Steve Grant, was at
one time an active member of the Port
Townsend opium Chinese ring, which the
revenue officers have for number Of years
labored to disband.
Lydle's financial condition during the
latter DAYS OF his stay in San Francisco
snbstanttates the Tumor that the Reed gang
OF smugglers no longer hold carnival in the
North. Ihis notorious CLIQUE has recently
met with many reYerseS aud has lost much
money, Reed, IT is alleged, being out of
pocket personally to The extent of S25, 600.
The ring had numerous agents in all the
Pacific Coast cities. Lydle was employed
originally by Kenneit Far ell to steer Chi
nese over the Canadian border Farwell
was the last to leave Victoria, and it is
thought that Lydle received his consign-
ments of coin from Farwell up to the time
OF the latter's departure for Panama.
Special Agent of the Treasury Evans ad-
mitted that Reed had been In San Francisco
recently and believed him at present to be
in Mexico.