The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-06-20
A SKILLFUL ADVENTURE.
Sketch OF the Versatile and Unctuous Dr.
Cornelius Herr

/ lSpec1&1 OOrrcSpOnuence.i
CHICAGO, June IA recent cable
message from Paris announced that a
new organization of the Panama canal
scheme was imminent, the financial nu-
c1eus of the plan being a sum Of money
amounting in all to upward Of s, 00O.-
| 600 francs, disgorged or to. be disgorged
| by some OF the vultures who profited SO
richly by wholesale robbery of the COM
pany treasury at the expense of thou
sands of honest stockholders throughout
| France Almost ON the heels of this
news has come another statement that
| the French government means TO force
| the extraditiop of the great lobbyist and
| plunderer, DIR. Cornelius Herr, who has
| skulked SO long in England as man at
| the point of death. 1t is not probable,
however, that this resourcefuI genius,
who has shown himself such past
master in the fine art of chicane that
even Wall street and the board of trade
could not furnish his match, will per-
NIT himself to be easily trapped Chi
cago people are interested in the versa
tile and unctuous On. Herr, for in his
younger years, before he had attained
his malodorous fame, he was familiar
figure in bohemian circles in this city.
Many of the older journalists and ply
sicians will recall him without diff
Guilty. He was a unique personality
even in those callow days
He came to Chicago from New York
in 1872 (his old father still resides in
the latter city, or did very recently, in
extreme poverty. supported by the aims
of his Hebrew friends) and was then
known as DR.. Hart. He had recently
graduated from New ork medical col
1ege and had considerable talent for his
profession, which, however, was made
worthless by inveterate Incidence and
passion for pleasure. AS he had but
little practice, his only honest means of
livelihood were q small stipend he was
said to receive from his New York rela-
lions and a trifing salary as inspector
of the board of health. But this meager
support the gifted doctor eked out by
his brilliant gifts financier, notable
even at that period. His success as a
borrower was phenomenal. His suavity,
which would never recognize an insult;
his audacity, which was sword and
shield; his seductive cunning and plans
Utility, were simply immense. He would
beguile heart of flint. To do him
justice, however, he was as free in
spending money as he was ingenious in
obtaining it. He was lavish to the last
s'bawbee'' in his pocket in relieving the
wants of those worse off than himself.
first met DIR. Herr (then Hart) at
monthly dinner of the International
club, an association representing so
called advanced thinkers and largely
made up of socialists. Here the widest
theories We're discussed with enthusi-
asm, and in the turmoil of dispute the
DOCTOR voice was always the 1oudest in
QuixOtic assertion of the rights of man,
the last to propose the valedictory song
of LIE Bonnet Cation, which always
ended these intellectual and vinous rev.
els in the ''wee, sma' hours. " His
qualities of good companionship were
fascinating, and he could tell story or
sing ditty with gusto that made him
very popular. So it need scarcely be
said that he was much liked by the jolly
bohemian crowd in spite of certain
financial methods which his friends ex-
oused as piccadillos. I remember one
thing in my own acquaintance with him
which throws some light on the man.
He was passionately fond of pleasure
and most devoted admirer of stage di-
whites. There were at the time two
quite famous danseuses performing in
the ''Black Crook" One of these, who
has since become a noted actress, was
the temporary enslaver of DR.. Herr or
Hart. and as she was ON the eve of de-
parture for San Francisco he was quite
heartbroken.
He rushed into my room one Sunday
morning with wild eyes and disheveied
hair. ''Lend me $3.50, old man, for
heavens sakei'' was the first shot fired
in a tone of despair. ct must accompany
Emily at least as far as Salt Lake City.
She has proposition of marriage under
consideration from rival. My an
swer to Cupid's victim was dryly I'M
satisfactory, and saw no more of him
for two months. He then turned up as
abruptly as he had departed and told
me he had started ON the train with his
goddess with only $40 in his pocket. He
had managed to beguile free passage
even on the Pullman car out of soft
hearted conductors. He had been dead
headed at the best caravansary in Frisco,
and, to cap the climax, had succeeded
in borrowing $500 ON the sole security
of honeyed tongue from one of the
leading bonifaces of the Pacific capital.
He rehearsed this comedy with an inno-
cent and beaming self complacency
which was delicious.
Chicago splendid field as it has al
ways been for a daring adventurer, was
too small for this genius. He left in
1873 for New York and was there APP
pointed on the staff of a great Jewish
hospital Obliged to leave for some es-
capade he betook himself abroad, and
it was not till his name cropped up in
connection with the infamous Panama
by the committee appointed by the
chamber of deputies occurred, that his
American acquaintance recalled the
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