The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-07-27
TRAMP N0BLEMAN KNOWN
AS MODERN MUNCHAUSEN

10 mUDEhN mUNChAUSEh.
Special Correspondence Of The Sunday Republic.
New York. July 26-Here Is a story Of a
tramp nObleman. He is said to be the
most accomplished embeIllsher OF the
truth. g~old-plated with fiction. since Baron
Munchausen- His name is Count Rocco
DianoVich- lie halls from Austria, the
country that always has its finger in the
european pie. made trouble for Napoleon
anu tried TO keep Macmillan on the Mex
lean throne.
the other day from Mexico. He was held
up by the immigration authorities at Ellis
island but when he began TO tell his
ARABIAN Nights stories OF prison lnvesti-
sauoh ne was allowed 10 pursue his way.
he visited the prisons OF Mexico where six
times a year a man dies In the awful drn-
senhS- lie visited Porto Rico and IS now
ho'hS 10 canada To sec IL a man can sur
we canadian imprisonment long enough
10 write his experiences
hIoon VIII tell. even I'm a tramp. as is
proved by the life and adventures ~ this
Austrian nobIcman. No man car co,,r",o
win MN in the Baron A~Iunchausen busi-
Ness. JUST
re sayS he swan several miles al Porto
IH'n ana saved the life Of A beautiful wom-
- ~ ne onered TO marry. Her travel
M name was Hazel Marion Thornton Sho
accepted his heart and hand but tnnadJ
49, "tter the wedding she was abducted
- TWO American army officers madIr Il,
"Hh her. The Austrian Count hunted
~ 'ltm on sea and land. but in vain.
mere are various kinds OF fiction lie.
mat outshine truth and truth that ou,shina
mcuoh- Western literary chaps. with 4
White House pull" explain how Western
cyclones can blow two coats Of paint and
a m'TtSage on a Kansas church without
disturbing the morning service They sav
wafer rams III hill I'm 81 49, ~
tainS and prove automatically that an ir-
risdiing ditch a yard wide holds more
water than the Mississippi River.
CLAIMED TO BE
WRITING 4 BOOK.
This tramp Munchausen. the Austrian
Count. beats them all In story telling.
When arrested he explains 10 the Judge
that he Is a literary gentleman engaged in
writing up the prisons Of the world for a
book that is tO take a place in the archives
OF the Imperial Museum in Austria. To
properly study the prisons Of the world he
often does things to cause arrest. and so
finds himself in Jail. where he can study
up prison life at leisure and secure graphic
details for his book.
When other means fail he breaks through
the massive walls by brute force. pulls a
few tars OUT OF the dungeons. yanks the ar
mor-piatcd door Or its hinges. gets into the
dungeon and takes his place as II he we're
- lAAFaAANA A"A nv III AAAAA AAAA
Der OF horrors he is enabled to make a care :
full estimate OF how long a man can live
there without breaking out or going mad.
Then he adjusts himself to the situation
and thinks Of the great fame awaiting him
when his book appears. with a preface BY
the Emperor Of Austria.
He says: !
When l say tina / have seen the inside J
Of more prisons and jails than any other
living. l speak the truth. l prefer TO
enter as 4 prisoner. That gives ne oppo--
tunity to inspect the meritorious features
of each institution. Having made a pro-
found study OF prisons for nearly forty |
years. I can tell at a glance the weak
points in any prison
HAS SERVED TINE II
PRINCIPAL ALMsHOUSEs.
The Counts friend says that. being a
highly educated gentleman. IL is a great sac
rifice TO risk his health IN the cause OF
science. He never drinks or plays tramp
except TO get into jail. Not being a topper
by practice. a very little whisky Affects him
wonderfully. Half a glass OF old rye makes
him raElnE drunk. and a little abuse Of the
police lands him in jail.
Once in a cell he finds many influential
citizens incarcerated along the tiers. Being
under the influence OF liquor. they talk free
OF their domestic ard personal affairs,
discuss business secrets and betray them
selves generally. This enables the Austrian
Count 10 secure valuable material on Amer
Ican affairs that would require years OF in
timacy with these gentlemen to secure In
the ordinary way.
The Count says he Is at home anywhere.
served time in all the PRINCIPAL
penitentisrics and penal insti-
utiOns. ne has become reconciled to every
phase OF imprisonment. oppression and in
suit. He seldom discusses his affairs CT
personality. but OF his jail experience he
speaks freely. One has but TO hint OF pris-
,ns. and open flies the Munchausen stop
10 his organ OF speech. and his fairy tales
to pour forth by the hour.
No matter how astounding his state
nents. he has the documents TO prove
hem. The more incredible they seem. the
more documents he shows. His first jail
experience was in Liverpool-six days for
drunkenness. Even after thirty-hve years
he recoils at the recollection. His next
prison home was a few miles from Liver
pool. where they put him at work on a
readmiil. He became satisfied that the
lverage country Jail among primroses.
and ancient castles is the most
place for torturing humanity on
he face Of the globe.
iwEPT ANCIENT STREETS
y HISTORIC CITIES.
In Peru he managed to secure convict
He found himself in a chain
49, --aa-T-- 81