The San Francisco call., 1908-10-23
POSES AS BARON.
REAPS BIG CROP
Edward Miller Cuts Wide Swath
and Disappears. Leaving His
Creditors to Mourn

With no more capital than a bogus
title, an easy manner and collosal
nerve, Edward Miller, young German
who posed as baron Won Sender, was
able to win his way into the most ex-
elusive clubs of San Francisco. to gain
the friendship of men high in finance
and society, and incidentally to extract
from them sums of money reaching a
total of 5000. When he made his final
cleanup the young baron made a hur-
ried departure to fel5s unknown. Now
the story is being tole the clubs and
cafes and those whe, -ere in the con-
idences OF the yous1g foreigner are
bending every effort to establish an
alibi.
There was no limit to which the
if occasion demanded. He had been
rat catcher on DIR. Blues staff, he had
worked in an Oakland livery stable,
but after he made his grand entry Into
society he became. according to his
own tales, the owner of a vast dairy
ranch in Marin county and a won
derful orchard near Santa Rosa. He
sent rolls of butter to his friends from
his dairy; he sent boxes of cherries
tied with pink ribbons from his or
chard. and to those from whom he had
borrowed the largest sums he sent
sucking pigs from his farn-all pur-
chasedW in lower Washington street
with the coin he had coaxed from his
benefactors.
He was received at the Pacific Union
club, he autoed with Manager Meyer
field of the Louvre, he drank cham
pagne with Antonio Blanco of restau-
rant fame he inspected Marin county
with President NJ. t. Freitas of the
Portuguese American bank, he dined
sumptuously with DR.. Won Horstman of
the German hospital. he rode to the
theater in Kelly's carriages at Kelly's
expense and he slipped tea with a
young society matron from whom he
accepted, with many protestations, a
temporary loan" of $50.
The baron was devotee of the auto
mobile, the wine supper and the night
life of the ocean boulevard. His 250
pounds rocked with laughter at every
jest, with an entertaining accent he
told pleasing stories, and the thought
that the baron was not the Pierpont
Morgan of the kaiser's realm never en-
tered the minds of those with whom
he dined and motored.
The baron was an artist in his line
His wife, he said was the wealthy
member of the family. She had the
money and the baron would give a.
long whistle to indicate that it had no
end. But his wife was frugal and he
was Compelled to borrow occasionally,
from his friends. The early advances
he repaid only to enlarge his credit
The end came when he made his great
coup and departed with $500 tucked
under his velvet vest
Miller came to America Is years ago
with letter of Introduction to the
governor of Tennessee. He became the
manager of the governors estate. and
while in the south married a Young
woman of excellent family She was
with him in California, but was i'll a
great part of the time. From Tennes-
see Miller drifted to Milwaukee. and
came to San Francisco in October of
last year
At first he worked in an Oakland
stable and then Joined the rat catching
regiment 1t was while working in
this capacity that he conceived the idea
of capitaliZing his nerve, with highly
successful results.
Meyerfeld was good enough 70 adj
vance him $3.50, Bianco thought he wa {
to have partner in his business and
made general contributions to the vis-
1torS cash account, Z IreiCaS also rnade
generous donations A number of ca fe
proprietors were on the list for large
amounts. In fact the list Of contrib-
utors resembles the subscription list
for the entertainment Of the fleet.
The baron was not satisfied with
the local field. but worked the suburbs
as we'll San Rafael Remembered him.
as does San Jose and -uren the. plea sant
little village of Point Reyes IT was al
Point Reyes that the baron had his
mythical dairy with 5000 cows
The baron was a gifted talker. Ho
could discuss military affairs and poli-
tics, but he appears to have been at
his best at finance