The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-04-26

llltff 'HNhP ANIiul NAAlHUA u EIulN Allb a
profession, y in the prison Of the West Side
court awaiting nrraignment on q number
81 complaints which James Forbe6 OF the
Charity Organization Society hopes to lodge
against him within. a few days. The
greatest mendicant that evor lived. and a
genius in his line" Mr.. FORBES calls him
according to his own story. and according
10 the evidence which Is piling up against
him, be has cleaned up tons Of thousands
~ dollars IN the past four or five years
and the full List Of his victims would read
like a social register Of New York. He has
lived at expensive hotels and has blow n
in hundred and thousands in a night on
Fast Side stuss games and Western faro
hanks. Under arrest with him IS his
secretary. "Sheeny Ike" Whites. TO whom
he paid S25 a week TO attend to the clerical
work Of his mendicancy business
His real pame l. Herman W. Troebner.
He is also that same -Adolph, Baron Won
Manteuhel." who was sentenced for six
months in New York in 1902 for obtaining
money under false pretences from wealthy
families Of New York. At one time in his
life he was also Prof. Max Mcller.- There
Is a real Baron Won Manteuhel as we'll as
a real Max Muller.
Troebner began his opera tons as profess
sor Of Ssnskrit from Heidelberg o IHipsio.
University men, and espe cially professors,
wore his prcy.
He would get 20 them with a forged
letter Of introduction-in at loast one case
from President Eliot of Harvar I'd ar d
& i've a touching yet cignihed spiel about
remittances which had failed TO come.
When the victim was wise and asked ques-
tons he usually showed his ignorance OF
Sanskrit and Heidelberg But, somehow,
few asked any questions. He had a hyp-
motto way with him. The victim simply
reached for a check book, drew for the
amount. received the professors thanks
and promises 70 pay--and was kicking him
self ten minutes later. He cleaned up the
University OF Pennsylvania. He worked
ports about the college town that be even
approached Grover Cleveland-with what
results the e1-President always refused 10
say.
Mrs. Caroline B. Alexander Of Castle Point
Hoboken, for SIS representing himself as
prof. Won Humboldt, Pm. D., of Heidel
berg" Mrs. Alexander Is interested in
the Charity Organization Society, and has
heard about all these games, but she gave
up at once.
The authorities had their eyes on Troeb-
ner by this time, 20 he went TO England
and worked Oxford. IL was there that he
impersonated Max Muller. 1t was there,
also, that he got posse ssion Of some cards
Of Lord and Lady Algemon Gordon-Len-
no1, which he used in his next New York
For when he came hack, he was Baron
Adolph Won Manteuffel Of Planau. SaXony
He had genuine passports to prove it, and
photograph Of the Ba on's distinguished
hnsman, Field Marshal Won Manteufiel.
He went straight for big game. just how
much he cleaned up, and from whom, is
locked In the secret social history OF New
York. When the officers had him on the
carpet yesterday, he Dragged that he lived |
at Tuxedo three weeks, in this stage OF his |
campaign, as the guest Of Pierre Lorillard. |
II is known that DR.. Culver, Senator Clark's |
son-in-law; one Of the California Crookers !
and Clarence MaokRy were touched.
Senator Clark was approached, but he
Finally, Troebner tackled the late ex-
Mayor Edward Cooper. The Baron" had
been relying on the fact that people prom
inent in society don't like TO make oom-
plants In the police courts. Cooper fooled
him. He recognized the type and reported
10 the Charity Organization Society at once.
The Baron" did six months In the work
house.
A few weeks ago Troebner committed
the indiscretion Of opening on New York
again. He has been here on and on for the
last three years, but mainly 10 play stuss.
The game had fascination for him, but he
was an unlucky gambler. The money won
by genius went over the green table.
There was complaint almost at once.
]. Park Claiming Of the Tennessee Copper
Company was visited by one "DT. Hahn
noefer, who presented a note Of intro
1uction on the card Of a Mr.. Adams super
Of one Of the company's Western
mines. The Herr Doctor was on his way
West for a German firm TO examine some
MIC TIF,OFoFftaa He In hurry RtTt !
MA remittanoes had failed to come. II was
4 delicate thing TO ask-but he wanted a
oan.
Avoiding the hypnotic eye, Mr.. Claiming
lew swift, technical questions at his visitor.
In three minutes he proved to his own
satisfaction that the doctor was no mining | ,
nan. He notified the Charity Organization |
Society. Unfortunately, before they could
ay their hands on TroebneT, Mr.. Claiming
vas called West. Mr.. Forbes waited for
his return. By that time Troebner had left
own The officers watched Mrs. TToebner
It Hoboken and caught her forwarding
baggage TO New Haven. Mr.. Forbes and /
Officers Missick and Flynn ran up to New I
Haven and arrested Troebner. Simultane-
ously liyuts nAnt OF his nam Lauar was
aaDbed IN New York and Willis IN Newark.
IroebneT chatted about his career al
he way down 20 New York. He had no ,
in telling whom he'd done and
Its all right. The lawyers will get me
,ut guess, he said.
You've blown in all your money on /
he stuss table, haven't your asked MIR.
Forbes.
An but HOo said the king Of the
Schnorrers,
Then. what use was the money 10 your
We'll, III tell you. II wasn't 80 much |
he money was after as the satisfaction Of
ioing those big people. It's something TO
iay that you've bled the biggest men in the
ountry on blum.
i like 10 do a hard job. ] guess the best |
me | ever did was on old Peter Marie.
'ouldnt get any line on him except that
he went pretty often into a jewelers. store I
IN Fifth avenue. One day ! walked in on !
him and braced him. We came out OF the
tore IN ten minutes with his arm over my
shoulder He took me 20 his club and wrote ! ,
check for $50 That amt enough to do |
ne any good said, and tore II up. 30
he made out another for $50. took that
md won't back a few minutes later and
usked him to raise II n $500, just TO see what
could do with him. He wouldn't fall for
Z though
How on earth did you work it?- asked
Mr.. Forbes.
'Oh lust oonned en-
The mendicancy officers have infonna-
lion that Troebners -earnings' In New York
he r.rrrHrlfuU ]