The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-06-23
A skILLFUL ADvgNTuRER.
6kctch OF the Versatile and Unctuous DIR.
Cornelius Herr.

/
6kctch OF tho Versatile and Unctuous Dr.
Cornelius Herr.
Especial Correspondence
CHICAGO, juno IA recent cable
, message from Paris announced that q
, new organization of the Panama canal
scheme was imminent, tho financial nu-
cleus OF the plan being q sum of money
amounting in all to upward of 5000
600 francs, disgorgcd or to be disgorged
by some of the vultures who protited SO
richly by wholesale robbery of the COM
pany treasury. at tho 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 extradition of tho great lobbyist and
plunderer, DR.. Cornelius Herr, who has
skulked so long i'll England as q man at
the point of death. 1t is not probable,
however, that this resourceful genius,
who has shown himself such past
master in the fine art Of chicano 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 DR.. Herr, for in his
younger years, before he had attained
his malodorous fame, he was familiar
figure i'll bohemian circles in this city
Many of the older journalists and ply
sicians will recall him without diff
Guilty. He was unique personality
even i'll 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 tho aims
| of his Hebrew friends) and was then
known as DR.. Hart. He had recently
graduated from q New York medical col
lege and had considerable talent for his
profession, which, however, was made
worthless by inyetcrate Incidence and
passion for pleasure. AS he had but
little practice, his only honest means of
livelihood were small stipend he was
said to receive from his New York rcla-
lions and trifling salary as Inspector
of the board of health. But this mcager
support the gifted doctor eked out by
his brilliant gifts as financier, notable
even at that period His success as q
borrower was phenomenal. His suavity
which would never recognize al insult;
his audacity, which was sword and
shield; his seductive cunning and plaus-
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
"bawbec' i'll his pocket in relieving the
wants of those worse off than himself
l first met DR.. Herr (then HarN at a
monthly dinner of tho International
club, an association representing so
called advanced thinkers and largely
made up of socialists. Here the widest
theories We're discussed with cnthusi-
assn, and i'll the turmoil of dispute the
doctors voice was always the loudest in
QuiXotic assertion of the rights of man,
the last to propose the valcdictory song
of lie Bonnet Cation" which always
ended these intellectual and vinous rev
els i'll the ''wcc, sma' hours His
qualities Of good cOmpanionship were
fascinating and he could tell story or
sing dirty with gusto that made him
very popular So it need scarcely be
said that he was much liked by the jolly
bohemian crowd i'll spite of certain
financial methods which his friends eX-
cuscd rs piccadilloS l remember one
thing III my own acquaintance with him
which throws some light OH tho man.
He was pnssionately fond of pleasure
and most devoted admirer of stage di-
whites. There were at the timo two
quite famous danseuses performing III
the BLACK Crook. One of these, who
has since become noted actress, was
the temporary cnslaver of Dr. Herr or
Hart, and as she was on the eve Of de-
parturc for San Francisco he was quite
heartbrol1cn.
He rushed into my room one Sunday
morning with wild eyes and tlisheveled
hair. Lend me $3.50, old man, for
heavens sake" was the first shot fired
i'll tone of despair. Unjust accompany
Emily at least as far as Salt Lake City
She has proposition of marriage under
consideration from rival" My an
swcr to Cupid's victim was dryly un-
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
Hau inanaBcu TO DcBulle Tree passage
even on the Pullman car out of soft
hearted conductors. He had been dead
headed at the best caravansary i'll Frisco,
and, to cap the climax, had succeeded
i'll borrowing $500 on the sole security
Of a honcyed tongue from one of tiaY
leading bonifaccs of the Pacific capital.
He rehcarsed this comedy with an inno-
cent and bcamng self complacency
which was delicious.
Chicago, splendid q fold as it has al.