The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-01-21
YOUNG NOBLEMAN
BECAME A TRAMP
Trained in Luxury Was Unified
for Work
WAS SHIPPED OVER HERE
Discouraged, He Turns "Hobo"-For-
tune Awaits Him If He Can Be
Found-A Unique Hard
Luck Story.
WAS SHIPPED OVER HERE
Special to the New York World.

Special to the New York World.
Middletown, Conn.-The visit of Judge
Costa Hueslius of Stockholm, Sweden. to
find a trace of Albert Robert Cronhjelm
of that city, reveals a story of i'll sue
cess of one born a nobleman and later
falling heir to fortune.
Alfred Cronhjelm was born at ,Stock-
holm August 90 1910. His father was
Count Axel Cronhjelm member of one
of the oldest families in Sweden His
mother was not of noble family, and 1t
was not until seven years after they be-
gan their association that she persuaded
Count Axel to make her his wife, and so
legitimatize their son. No other children
were born to them.
As Alfred grew up he was trained as
the son of a nobleman should be, and
was educated at Upsala university. He
had no vices and was not distinguished
in any sense during his student days.
After leaving the university he was put
in the army, but lack of energy and
money served to keep him down, and he
did not rise above the rank of ensign.
Leaving the Swedish army he entered
war between that country and Prussia in
1864 He was captured by the Prussians
and sent back to Sweden. Life had dark
background for him as the training be-
fitting nobleman was not one to enable
him to earn his own living, and relatives
begrudged him assistance.
Relatives Turn Against Him.
Ill. -.
father died, and there seeming to be no
prospect that Count Alfred would ever
inherit the estate, relatives forced him
to leave Sweden and furnished the money
to pay his passage to this country in
hopes that his services would be worth
enough here to release them from fur
Their care Of him.
He landed in New York in 1873 Unac-
customed to manual labor and not find
ing a position In the metropolis, he went
as far west as Montana, working his way
back to Boston, but was unable to find an
occupation by which he might earn a
living. He then through pride dropped
the family name and thereafter was
known as Alfred Axelson. For several
years "Axelson' worked at farming, but
he was a poor hand at it, and after many
failures to secure steady employment he
took to tramping in the early SOS.
He was tall and slim of figure, restless
and nervous in action, spoke English
f1uently and sought the companionship
of his own people mostly. His manner
was polite and he seemed unwilling to
work longer than was necessary to Sc
cure food He rarely ever referred to his
family affairs and then in only the most
remote way
Toward the last of his wandering in
this part of the country he was misera-
bly, clad As tramp Cronhjelm or Az
elson. covered a route leading from west
ern Pennsylvania to Boston.
Big Fortune Awaits Him.
Judge Huselius, who came to this coun-
try in September, Is employed by trus-
tees appointed by the Swedish govern
ment. Cronhjelm is heir to an annual in
come of $4,000 from an entaildd estate
This income formerly went to Carl Cronh-
1elm, a resident of Buffalo, N Y, until
his death in 1904. and as he left no heirs,
Alfred was the next in line. This income
will keep accommodating until the trustees
of the fund become satisfied of the death
of Alfred Cronhjelm.
Judge Huseius has found that Alfred
was known in many small towns In Penn
sylvania New York. Connecticut, Rhode
Island and Massachusetts.
The last positive trace found was at
Portville, a small village near Clean. In
New York, in August 1903 1T is reported
that he was seen in Chicago in 1904 As
Cronhje1m is sixty-six years old, If liv-
ing. Judge Huslium thinks 1t possible that
Cronhjelm may be an inmate of some
almshouse or hospital for the insane. and
is making a thorough search of these in
situations.
The probabilities are that Cronhielm
has either died from exposure or been
killed in some railroad accident.
If Cronhielm Is still alive he will be
welcomed back to Stockholm. and can live
in a style becoming nobleman.