The morning news., 1897-01-17

many fall by the wayside, and it is thus
that one hears of a great-grandson of the
famous German Field Marshal Blucher
succumbing to the effects of privation AMI
want in the paupers ward of a New York
hospital, of nephew of Prince Bismarck
seeking refuge among the forces of the
Salvation Army, and Of the brother of the
Right Hon. Sir Henry Drummond Wolff,
G. c. B., British ambassador to the court
of Spain, dying while serving as a porter
in wholesale grocery store at Jackson
vile. Mr.. Wolff was graduated with hon
ors at Oxford, but subsequently, came to
grief financially, and thereupon emigrated
to this country where he was in turn dry
goods clerk, bill collector and bartender
before becoming a grocery porter. It was
as a night porter, too in the mailing de-
partment of a New York newspaper office,
thac Lord Drummond died in extreme pow
erty after having quarreled with his
grandfather. the old Earl of Perth. who
is now nearly one hundred years old and
without male issue.
Since l have been in this country 1 have
helped back to England a bona fide baro-
net Of ancient lineage, who, now that he
is married to a Scotch lady possessed of
some property, is no longer obliged to toll
so hard for his living as when he was en-
ployed in that saw-miu at Acton, Fla,
and subsequently here in New York as a
longshoreman. I have been waited upon
in a German restaurant on the east side
by no less parsonage than Prince Benja-
min Rohan, the younger brother of the
present chief of the great Austrian and
French family of that name Such were
his debts and follies at Vienna that he was
disowned by his uncle the head of the
house, who bore the title of Duke of Bouil
Ion and of MontbaZon. Prince Benjamin,
who, although nearer 80 than 40. and very
bald and stout, still maintains his old nick
name of Baby Rohan, can hardly be
said to have shone in the profession which
he adopted as a last resource in this ccun-
try after leaving Vienna, and, falling i'll,
was compelled to subsist for a time on the
earnings of fellow knight Of the napkin,
who had been born a peasant on the Old
Rohan estate of Sinchrow in Bohemia
and therefore, considered 1t a great priv
ilege to be permitted to act as a henchman
to d member of the family. Prince Benja-
min has now returned to Europe, and,
thanks TO his brother who has meanwhile
succeeded to the estates, and also to the
liberaity of Don Carlos, who has married
his sister Bertha, is once more on his
financial legs. although ne finds il pre-
ferable in view Of his Austrian creditors,
to live in France.
Prince Rohan is by no means the only
bearer of grand title who has figured as
a restaurant waiter in this country. For
of the lady-in-waiting of the Empress Of
Germany who ofliciated in that capacity
In this city for a time. While at Chicago
| was served at table at the Grand Pacific
hotel by young waiter in whom l recog-
nzed a Count Won Groeben, at one time
an officer of the regiment of hussars
which the emperor commanded in person
before his accession to the throne. The
count had come over to this country for
the purpose of running cattle ranch,
and, having lost all his money in the bus
mess, had been forced to seek other
means of livelihood. l have since heard,
however, that soon after my departure
from Chicago wealthy merchant who
happened to be staying at the hotel took a
fancy to him and offered him a place as
clerk in his counting house.
Very bitter, too, were the experiences
of Count William Berns,orff. His father
was the statesman who Immediately pro-
ceded Prince Bismarck as Prussian min
lister Of foreign affairs and spent so many
years in London as German ambassador
to the court of st. James. Count willie"
was forced by some trouble in connection
with a duel TO resign his equerryship to
Prince Henry of Prussia, as well as his
commission in the Ziethen Hussars, and
emigrated with his wife to this country.
Like many other foreigners, he invested
his capital in the purchase of an appar-
Florida. Neither the count nor the coun-
tess, the latter a sister of the present Ger
man envoy in Japan. possessed the slight
est knowledge of the necessities and ways
of life in the south, and ii was not long be-
fore the plantation enterprise resolved it.
self into a most deplorable fiasco Much
disgusted, the countess returned home to
her relatives leaving her husband to fight
the battle of life as best he could. This
he attempted to do in many strange and
peculiar ways. For a year he acted rs
agent and drummer for a well-known
champagne house. He likewise spent
some months as teacher in the employ of
one Of the riding academies uptown, where
so many former cavalry officers of Eu-
rope. including Prince Schwarzenberg,
Count MensdorIf. of the prineely house of
that name; Count Coronini-Cronberg, and
many others of equal rank have found a
means Of livelihood on reaching this coun-
try.
Count Bernstorff quarreled with his en-
ployers, however. and for time drifted
about in New York without food and In
dire distress. Indeed, the poor fellow,
who had been reared to every luxury, and
held at the christening font by a venera-
BILE queen, was actually starving, when
he happened to meet a relative who was
able TO secure him employment in connec-
ton with two of the New York daily pa
pers until means could be provided for Sc
curing his return to Germany.
Few people have any idea of the amount
Of Old World romance that is hidden away
In the east side Of New York and also in
the poorer districts Of Brooklyn. II would
require the pen OF Dickens TO do It justice.
and even he would need the assistance of
some keen New York reporter, well ac-
quainted with men and matters In Europe,
TO serve as his sleuth in running stories
TO the ground. For it Is precisely those
exiles whose career and antecedents are
of the most intensely dramatic and some
times tragical character, whose rank IS
Of the loftlest. and whose antecedents
have been the most brilliant, who are
most at pains to conceal their identity
and the romance Of their life from the
prying gaze OF the curious.
Ex-Attache.