The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-03-26

FRiNh HOBkfRE ms NAME, AND
ONCE HAD MONEY.
lie - Accused of Many Thcfis-Came to
America TO Make VI ney Enough to
Marry a Tgench Uciress.
The New YORK Herald of yesterday

Sergeant D9ran. The count was IN
dlctcd on the charge OK stealing a watch
from Leopold Roese, feilow-passengcr
from Antwerp Oh the steamer Fricsiand
last December. lie was committed 10
the Tombs hy Judge Newhurgcr, In Part
/. Court OF General Sessions.
DE Ligne. as the Herald has related,
was suspected Of completely in the Bur
den robbery. He was at the Hotel Bruins
wick. and his room overlooked the back
yard % Mir Burdens residence. A night
shirt bearing his initials was afterward
found IN lhe yard Tie LETT town the
day after The robbery, but the police
were unable 10 obtain further evidence
against him.
Count dc Lines history is romantic.
Ills right name IS Frank Hobkirk. ana
he comes from good French family
Ills father and mother are hoth oead,
and he spent The money LETT him 10y
Them leading "a gay lie IN Paris. iiis
uncle i5 one oi ihe richest bankers in
Nantes, being a silent partner IN the
largest firm there. ills uncle often he'p-
Ell young HoDnrk out of his dihiculties,
bat finally gave uD in despair. "o
years ago hc gave him $1,000, ald told the
be would give him 30 more.
Hobkirk took the money ana went 50
Nice. Society people there knew bis uncie'
and DE had DID difficulty in posing as
rich man. lie met charming young
woman IRON Paris. and at once rem ih
love with her. She returned his anec-
ton and they became engaged, her i"lnei
an the time thinking HoDkiik was
man Of wealth. InyesieItioh showed ms
truo character however, anu the halch
Was broken or.
II love rou auu FRANK. said his nancee.
"and 80 you show tuat you are man
enough To- make your way in The Woiiu,
III marry you
STARTS FOR AMERICA.
HobkirA said he would come 20 Ameri-
ca, where hc thought fortunes were easily
acquired, and left for Havre filed viii
goul Intentions. When he reached tnat
port. however. he fell in with some
friends he lad known In Paris. Several
nights were spent iu playing paceai III.
Hobkiris started with about $500, but
when the games ended Doe could not pay
his passage on lle French Inc. NoliiAs
launtod, however. he went 10 Mafseiiies
ami engaged passage ON sailing Nfsstl
bound for A-plnWau, which he tnoush1
was only a lt. miles from New otk-
la AapluWali lis money add disappeared,
hut tho captain of the Alliance, the
steamer which was fired upon hy "a span-
ish warsAip. agreed 20 take MN I'D NeW
York, where Ae said hc could easily ODD
tain the money TO pay for h.a -aa age.
When Dee arrived here Dr. introduced
himself % Mr. Forget, the agent oil me
French line. and tArous im obtained
passage back 90 France.
He met his hancee on the street the
ff
her that De was the French agent or
one Of the leading American Insurance
companies. DO kept up this role Tor
months. living meanwhile by his wis.
His love grew stronger and stronger ana
last December he started for America TO
see n he could not obtain am honorable
position.
After leaving New YORK he went 10
Philadelphia, and from there DE started
South. In Jacksonville he posed as the
Count de OHiramout. and SAID ne was
"a nenhoyy of tIr Forget, and had been
sent south by the French Line steamship
Company to purchase land. Tie was
Won entertained lv the rcal-esiaie men
until they heard from Mr.. FORGET tlal
the count" was a fraud. 10 ia slld
however that ne obtained 500 from
man I'm Jacksonville ou % promise 40
get him "a position in the Office OF the
French line.
From jacksonville lioDkirk went 10
Savannah and charleston, selling, II is
claimed. the same position I'm each place.
Al Richmond Doc was arrested. at the In
stance of the New York police. ln hich-
r,ond he tried 20 get worthless check
for $3.50 cashod. and was very indignant
al the men who refused 10. give MN the
money for &c. lie is also accused OF
stealing a pair of trousers. In SaNan-
nan and other places in the South, DE is
accused OF committing several petty
swiniles
CHEERFUL ~ ADVERSELY.
When saw him in the Tombs yes
ferdav he seemed TO he In cheerful
mood. and laughed heartily when Taking
about himself. lie was well dressed, ih
a suit OF checked clothes. ana apolosiled
for the looks of his hat by saying that
in had blown OF his head while be was
i'm "a street car. lie speaks very h1tle
English.
~ do not care 10 talk much" said he,
through an Interpreter until J see Mr..
Friend. who Will act as my lawyer. Mf.
Royce. however. did not have watch,
and + had two. The police Know tn"t.
They are both in town. / am accused
of stealing a watch from the Countess
d'Iviv who was a fellow-passenser on
hoard the Frosland. 1 have that watch
I'm my trunk at Philadelphia, but uid
not steal il. How ! obtained II, DO not
care to say. As for the Burden ron
berry the police know 1 had nothing
to do with that %,
"Whv did YOU go South-for pleasure
"When l have money l travel for pleas
urc: when ] have none l uaNei ioI Du3'
ness. l have money enough now 10 get
me out Of this trouble, and then nave
friends. too" o,
"Vbv did YOU come to this country.
"When / boarded the Friesiand, :,
a grand affair in project. am "li"lu
IL Is all over now
Hobkirk Is evidently a man OF educauoh
and refinement. lie has rather S"aIp
face and flashing gray eyes. lie wears
ueht-colored mustache and imperial
ms OPERATIONS IN JACKSONVILLE.
The Jacksonville Gla) Times-union Of
last Tuesday has the following:
Count I.ucien di Armand Rivere Is the
genuine tltle Ed. Calmont assumed 10
bunco Me. Arcnd out Of SEQ. but IL Ne
hal assumed tho name Of plain Peter
Brown he could not have succeeded any
better, Tor Me. is an ola Difu, ana HOT
to be caught with chat
Count Lucien DIT Armande kiVere has
lust been arrested in Richmond, az the
request Of Captain O'Brien, or the New
York Detective Bureau, for the 1. Town
send-Burdcn diamond rOhbery-a robbery
where some sparkling gems worth nigh
up in the thousands were stolen. THIS
was on December 9th last.
The bogus count then came South. Not
long since he came into MICS place, with
a ST. Augustine chef whom Nc knew.