Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-11-27
ROBT. De BR|SSAC
IS NOW MISSING.
snecuIation as to Whether or Not
He Is a Real French
Count.
ne WAS a LAVISH sPENDER.
le Also Borrowed Money FIRE.
quently But Apparently
Paid His Debts.
.Cailns to I,cprescnt Asphalt Company
Writes Letter From Ogden Hotel,
But Is Not Guest There.

But Is NOT u GucSt Incfc.
is Count Robert DeBrissac u
"fake?" Certain indications in his con-
duct during his several weeks stay
in Salt Lake would indicate that he
was somewhat .ofr color" while other
things he did While in the city would
indicate that he was what he pro-
fessed to be, namely the accredited
representative of French asphalt
company, and here for the purpose
OF looking over the Utah field with a
view of establishing large asphalt
works in this state. II he was a graf
Ter he was certainly a very poor one,
with methods ancient and crude.
DeBrissac came to Salt Lake six
weeks ago. He Immediately took up
lodgings at 1.-THE Homestead" u pri-
vate clearinghouse conducted by
Mr.. and Mrs. E. G.. McIlroy, at 326-
% south Third East street. He, told
the landlord that he had been i'll. and
wished rest and quiet for time. He
looked III, and his appetite was poor.
But before leaving the place last Hun-
day morning. he had regained his
health, evidently and his appetite had
returned with It's native fervor.
He told his landlord that he re-
presented a large French corpora
ton, and that he was here for the
purpose of establishing a branch in
Utah for his house He seemed to
more than generous in the way he
threw money around. For instance,
two young ladies who arrived at the
same boarding house some time after
short Of 81 change when spl'T their
trunk arrived from the depot, and
here was not only bill for storage
IN the trunk, but there was the ex-
piessman's charge besides. De Brissac
vas present at the house when the
trunks arrived He heard the landlady
say that the girls did not have money
TO take out the trunks, and he filled
the breach and paid both the express
mans charge and the storage bill, Civ
Ing the eXpressman a So gold piece and
n 30 cent silver piece and asked for no
change. His French sense OF gaIlantry
Is said to have accounted for this, as
ne did not know the young ladies', and
they We're not informed of his action
until same days afterward.
DOES MOI LIKE TITLE. EIf
1t became noised about that the man.
was entitled to prefix the title count
to his name. This De Brissac depre-
Gated. He said that while he was
really a count, and that his father was
high in the service Of the French gov
eminent, and his uncle was the we'll
known Duke De Brissac who was con-
nected with De Lesseps in the great
suez canal undertaking, yet he preferr-
ed to be known as plain MI" in
America, as being a better business
and less pretentious.
DeBrissac had expressed himself as
being lonesome" and hearing that the
Y. NJ, G. "A. had foreign classes even
ings, he introduced himself to Mr..
Gustav White, director of education of
The institution, and through him be-
came acquainted with several foreign
ers who were studying English there.
He represented that he had obtained
Il degree in languages at the renowned
Heidelberg university, and Mr. Brown
asked him to criticise his method of
instruction. DeBrissac did so, and vol.
unteered to assist in the work of teach
ing language, IL Mr.. White approved.
The arrangement was made. and the
frenchman attended several sessions
OF the foreign classes and taught with
out pay several Of the classes That
he is q master of nine languages there
seemed to be no disputing.
GENEROUS TO AN EXTREME.
The count was generous with theater
tickets. Often he would invite his
most and his wife and daughter to att
iend some of the theaters in the city,
and would procure tickets for them;
nut 1t happened always that he was
ousy with an engagement himself and
ne did not accompany the party to the
theater but once.
ne night of the opening of the Co
ionhl theater,; with Nordica as the at
traction, DeBrissac invited party to
attend the opening with him. He or
uefeu tickets for a number Of guests,
and told the party at the box office
mat he would. call forfthe tickets in the
evening. AS the hour approached for
closing the box office DeBrissac evi-
IDENTITY became worried and approach
ing Mr. White of the Y. NJ c. A., asked
aof the accommodation of $12 for an
hour or so. explaining to him the stu
anon as regarding the tickets, and tell
ing him that he had money on call
with member Of the University club
IN this city, and that in half an hour he
could return the money to him. Mr..
White handed DeBrissac the amount,
ana the latter told him he would give
nm memorandum Of the amount,
stating that 1t would be worth nothing
really but would be merely an evil
ae'lee of the indebtedness TO Mr.. White.
WAS. REALLY A CHECK.
What he signed was really a check
upon the Commercial National bank,
ana Mr.. White learned that Debris;
bank,
Within the time specified however,
Dei5rissac returned and handed AIR.
Mite the money he had borrowed.
DeRrissac claimed to be very much
Interested in moral and reform work,
and spent a great deaf OF time IN con-
nection With cases in the Juvenile court.
~ tact, he became so much Interested
N one case that. he expended between
~ and $50 on clothing for some des-
ufntci children, and another consider
spte amount to assist Il Young man who
: Was IN trouble and WAS before the coust
WITH a jail sentence staring him in the
acc Tho count pleaded with the court
4 % give tile young fellow q light sem
! g so that he could take him ont
g his mines In California, and said he
would undertake. To report on parole
10y :, the conduct of the young man.. The
ehlldren in question We're taken 10 g