The times., 1901-05-15
FAMOUS AS A PROMOTER.
Death of Count De Mitkiewicz, Well
knONNn In This Citr

| hhoWn IN This City.
| AsBURY PARK, N. j., May 14-Count
Eugene stanislaus de Mitkfewicz died here
| last night from heart disease. The count
] occupied summer cottage in this city
and had been a sufferer from heart dis
ease for three years. The end came sud
denly Gen. Charles e. Dodge will take
charge of the body. The count was fifty
eight years of age.
| -
J No man was better known in Washing
{ ton than Count de eMitkfewicz. For a
| number of years he was a familiar figure
| on the streets and at the clubs. He first
| made his appearance here about 1884,
| wheE he interested several well-known
| business men in the Blackston Island
Later he became interested in Colonial
| Beach and Cedar Point, but he never
| made any money out of the enterprises,
! nor did the men he induced to go in with
! him, for they invariably lost everything.
! He was in many respects a rerna rkable
man. and his schemes for making money
were so plausible that he frequently
/ caught the same man twice.
He had a charming personality that
won him friends in all ranks of life. His
| acquaintance with public men, Govern
ment officials and diplomats was some
/ thing wonderful. He entertained lavishIy
! and frequently gave dinners that were the
| talk of the town. AT one time he had par
( lOrs at an uptown hotel where he had on
/
| which he claimed the patent. In Balti-
more he met rich man whom he in
| duced to put up capital to push the tele-
| phone. 1t was while promoting the tele-
| phone scheme that he met the Secretary
of the Chinese Minister, who gave him a
letter to Ii Hung Chang. from whom he
obtained the widely advertised Chinese
concession which for many months was
the talk of two continents. The count,
accompanied by a Philadelphia banker,
/ went to China, saw Earl Ii, and obtained
I . gT~-..~s
graph and telephone lines. Speaking CT
his visit to Earl Ii, the count said to a
friend after his return from the Orient:
4 had to run the gantlet of five hun
dred officials before | was ushered into
the presence of Ii. After he read my
letter of introduction he said, Well.
count, | suppose you have come over
here to do us some good?
" No. / replied; I've come over here
for you to do me some good. l want to
make some money out of you Cinnamon.
Ii threw up his hands and said, I am de-
lighted to at last meet one honest for
eigner, and from that time on he was
my friend"
Count Mitkiewicz worked the Chinese
conce essions most successfully and quite
a number of prominent men put up large
sums of money to be taken in on the
ground floor. But the count was not sat
isfied with his luck and getting into a
little trouble the matter was brought TO
the attention of the Chinese Government
and the concessions We're rescinded. The
count inquired IN the newspapers on sever
al occasions but somehow or other he
always managed to escape the meshes Of
the law. But. Notwithstanding this, he
could always, by his persuasive talk, in
fluence some one with money to put up
the capital to promote a scheme.
AT one time he was engaged in the
coal business in this city. The firm fail
ed and his partner, who was the son of
most distinguished citizen, had to pay
the Indebtedness of the firm.
Prior to Count Mitkiewiczs appearance
in America he had a remarkable ca
reer abroad of which little is known. He
was acquainted with the state secrets of
several European countries, where he had
resided at some time. He had lived at
Paris, St Petersburg, London, and vi
emma, and made the acquaintance of the
most prominent people In social and dip
lomatic circles.
In appearance Count Mitl<iewicz was
tall. slender and distinguished looking.
He was about feet II inches in height
weighed probably not more than l45
pounds. had a Russian cast of counte-
nance, with sandy beard. flowing from each
cheek, with clean shayen chin. His ap-
parel was neat. elegant, but never snowy.
His taste was unimpeachable in matters
of dress. AS a linguist, he was conver-
SAINT with a number OF languages, which
he spoke fluently. He WAS an inyeterate
cigarette smoker.