Fort Mill times. [volume] (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current, 1907-05-23
OLD SWINDLER DEAD.
Body at Ashevllle is That ot
Lord Beresford."
He Left . Trail of Wives-Cleyer
Australian, Lascelles, Hoodwinked
American Ambassador.

The body Of Henry Asquith, of
Norfolk. which has been lying at the
undertaking establishment of holland,
Brown & Co.. Of Asheville, N. c.,
waiting for It to be claimed by rela-
tives. has been identified as the no.
torious bogus Lord Beresford,"
alias Asquith. Hobson. Williams,
Norris. etc. This Identification was
made by w. T. Cheney and Linton
Dean, lawyers. OF Rome, Ca, who
arrived in Asheville a few days ago.
Asquith's real name was Sidney Las
celles. He came to Asheville with
physicians and nurses, whom he led
to believe would be paid handsome
ly. Mr.. CLANCY says:
| Sidney Lascelles was born in Aus
tralia OF parents comparatively we'll
to do. He was given an excellent
education, and when he reached his
majority was sent to England. There
he made a hit. learned the ins and
outs of society. He lived fast life
and his funds soon ran out. While
| thus financially embarrassed, he con-
ceived a plan similar to that follow
ed by the notorious bogus Lord
Douglass for recuperating his for
tune.
"Lascelles secured an introduction
to the American ambassador at Lon
don under the name Of Beresford.
posing as cousin OF the English
lord Of that name. He cultivated the
| acquaintance OF the American ambas-
sador and soon gained his confidence.
Beresford then represented to the
ambassador that he was about to take
a trip to America and around the
world. The ambassador Immediately
offered him letters Of introduction to
many we'll known society people of
America, including members of New
York's 400 Lascelles secured mon
ey and credit enough as a member
of the Beresford family to buy Lon
don wardrobe which was the wonder
OF New York. His clothes were cop
led and he became lionized by Goth
am society. He was able. with COM
parative little expense. to hold his
own, he was SO constantly entertain
ed in the American metropolis.
| After he had obtained entry into
New York society and had obtained
credit of hundreds Of thousands he
armed with letters from well-known
society people and business men. He
went to Rome, Ca. where he repre-
sented himself as Lord Beresford,
come to America as a representative
OF an English syndicate in search of
investment. The Arm of Hamilton
e. CO., then the wealthiest in Rome,
was at the time selling agent for
10000 acres of land. They tried to
interest the bogus lord In trade.
Lord Beresford became very
much interested. in the meantime
doing the society stunt and paying
much attention to a young society
belle of that place. Beresford had
the genuine Bsresford coat-of-arms
on everything II could he placed
This coat-of-arms was on his private
check book on the Bank of England.
One day he was explaining to Hamil-
ton & Co., the difference between
American and English systems of
banking. He showed his imposing
check book and told how the checks
were numbered in England. Then
in careless sort of way. he said to
Hamilton:
by the way. have been in
America for some time. and have run
short of ready cash. / would like to
have a change. don't you know.
Could you led me have few hun
dreds or so?'
Hamilton & Co.. mindful of the
| CnEi1Sn syndicate anu prospective
trade, together with Beresford's let
ters. opened the company safe. Civ
ing him the money In large denomi-
nations With careless thanks
Beresford thrust the money into the
pocket of his trowers. and wrote out
a check on the Bank of England for
$2.250.
The society stunt was kept up for
about week afterward, when the
Lord Beresford disappeared. havinr
neglected to pay his hotel and othe'
. bills. 1t was then learned that Beres
ford had forgotten to return dia
mond rings and other tokens loane'
him by society damsels.
"Beresford went from place e
place. carving out his nefariou:
, schemes. with sleuths close behin'
him He married whenever a wife
would he OF any use to hif in carry
ing out his schemes. 1t is known
that he had at least SIX or eight wives
and probably many more times that
number"