Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-08-06
0||EER BARON BORN
IN A POORHOUSE.
n,eided TO Become a Tramp Be-
,,use knowledge of Title Made
Him a Target,
aFItN ARRESTED FOR BEGGING.
1, He Comes from an odd and Rich
Family aud is Noble He Thinks
The World Owes Him a Living
s,.clol correspondence.

srecal Correspondence
ePrIN. July 25.--Baron Bennigsen
II has lust been released from prison
n after serving a term Of six weeks
- Imprisonment for using false
..,ro The Bennlgsen family is one OF
Il. Oldest IN the nobility of Germany
and this baron is the present head OF
the family
In the eighteenth century they were
q, the zenith OF their wealth and pros
nerty and kept house In royal style.
fhe nresent baron's grandfather was a
snendthrlft and the reckless way IN
mich he sduandered his princely I'M
come involved the family in serious
dl0icultles Baron Bennigsen, The
srandfather, in course Of time got
through all his money and had 10 sell
the family property to cover his debts.
M misfortune broke his spirit and
ruined his health and he died In desti-
tuition. leaving his children without a
peuny. His son adopted various hum
ble occupations and ended up by sink
Ing into absolute pauperlsm.
lJnaccnstomed TO hardship and priva-
zion. disease overlook him at an early
ace and he and his wife, whom he had
married before misfortune overlook the
family. were compelled to seek refuge
IN the poorhouse. The baron died there
al the age Of 30, and his son, the pres
emit baron, was born In the poorhouse
shortly after his fathers death. The
baroness died within week and Baron
Bennlgsen was thus left an orphan. He
was brought up In the poorhouse in
company with other juvenile paupers.
Questioned after his release from prls-
on few dSys ago. Baron Bennigsen,
who is now IS, gave the following ac-
count Of his life
A PAUPER'S BOYHOOD.
my first recollection is that was
the smallest inmate of the poorhouse
IN which | was born. The old pauper
women In the institution looked after
me, and had not bad time. Every
one In the place knew | was a baron,
for my birth certificate and my family
papers We're In the custody of the of
Meals there, and no doubt whatever
existed regarding my claim to rank
ana title, AZ an early age l can re-
member being sent TO the little pauper
SViiool atulcned 10 the institution, where
~ company with other born desti-
we received me beginning OF an
tuesatlon' Later had to so to the
pubic state schools in the village, and
little suit Pu Of nu pesan ad 10 w year
Was a pauper, ard / still have n bitter
recollection Of the scorn with which the
elder children looked down on me. They
bestowed on me such names as 'pauper
prat pauper foundllng, charity boy,
ana 50 on. | remember how keenly |
lett the humiliation and how | resented
he hard fate which had made me in
lerlor to the children OF agricultural
PEASANTS and laborers. | can recall
100 how the finger OF scorn was polnted
at my little pauper uniform. which
proclaimed so plainly that | was moi as
olher children. | had no share I'm the
games and alnusements of NV com
iades IN the school. The moment school
hours were over was compelled 10 re-
urn to the poorhouse, and / used Ia
near with envy how the others talked
Of excursions into the woods and fields
ana all sorts OF boylsh amusenents ON
WED IN common. When the teachers
arranged outings for the whole school
] was the only one rho Sid 80 sonoo'
lou nave no idea how these humilia-
IONS In childhood emhittered INV snirit
ana made me hate tho whole world al
most before had begun lifa
sHoE,t ,tyrn,..
"a. '"An hlfS APPRENTICE,
Aam me age of II the official i'm
, ahse OF The poorhouse summoned me
,hat ' a, ~ DISCUSS my future. He told me
rsi,b ai'nough was a baron | had
ns ,oer money nor property, nor the
hospeot OF ever getting either. and
hsu.a N these circumstances / should
asIaa 70 work TO earn my living. He
iIon Ia ne II | had taste for any par
oyery Ina, tnat had a distinct dislike of
sonS,. hlld, However, / had 10 learn
yoa r ing IN the way OF a trade and n
hsa aler | was apprenticed 10 Inc VII.
um from 9'i INK who received a premi-
dertakIna we local authorities for un-
though NY technical education. AL
10 teach me- itegeiVed the same amount
ltceived ' s ms trade as he would have
desplsod LOT any other apprentice, he
feel ina, NE as pauper and made me
10 clay ne regarded me as belonging
ferior No. OF society immeasurablv in
q ssi utnlseH.
early mor,,t nis little workshop from
merinR naUas M late at night ham
Of far n INTO shoes and dreaming
ne family wealth w VINE ! would regain
tnt '.Sle betittinp n hora,, ~. -. ."