Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-01-07
Famous Pa|mist Gives
Parisians a Sensation.
Charged With Swind|ing to
Extent Of Many Thousands.
Had Society in His Hands, Just As
Once Had New York,

Paris, Jan. 6.-"Count'' Louis Hamon,
rope as "Chairo, the Palmist," and be
fore that as plain John Warner, is a
fugitive from France tonight and the
entire American and English colony is
discussing one of the most meteoric
anw mysterious careers which ever
dazzled Partisan society.
Hamcn is charged with embeZzlement
and his sulnptuous offices where he ed
tied Il newspaper called the American
and conducted a bank and other enter
priseS, to which Americans loaned cap
ital, are bare and empty, scores O.
creditors having descended and selzeG
everything. The compliments against
HamCn are Mrs. Julia p. Newell anC
Miss Josephine Pomeroy, formerly
New York, but now residents of Paris
VINO claim that they turned over to Ha
Mon stocks to the. market value Of
100000 On which Hamon agreed tC
raise q loan through London banks o.
S150000 They allege. however, that Ha-
non neither negotiated the loan or re-
turned the stock. in consequence OF
which they began a criminal actor
against the Hamon bank.
An examining magistrate opened ar
investigation. after which, according
to lannon's secretary, Hamon learning
that a warrant was about to be issued
for his arrest. left for London. The sec
retarv also asserted that the women
entrusted their money to Hamon for
the purchase of stocks, but the deals
resulted in heavy losses owing to a
break in the market. He declared that
Hamon owned the women only $1,000.
Hamon had been a dashing figure ir
Paris since his arrival here six years ago
He lived in costly apartments in the RGf
Du Boin De Boulogne. Considerable mys
terry attaches to his title, which has beer
questioned. He claimed to have inherit
| "a it from his father, who received 1t
| from the Pope. The mans real name
| is said to be L. E. Warner
A statement issued at the bank today
| sets forth that as a result OF the pro
| ceedngs the credit of the institution has
been adversely affected and that the loca
| branch will close temporarily. Othel
branches of the institution are in Lon
don and New York. Count" Hamon':
secretary explained that the whole Incl
|
| ing, but he admitted that the count
| was trying to meet some pressing obliSa
| lions when the crash came.
Since he arrived in Paris in 1902 whel
he transformed himself from Chairo, tn
palmist, to Count Hamon, he has ha'
easy access to society. One of his spe
cial friends was a man known as ADD
De Lafresna" whose agreeable manne
obtained for him entry into the most ex
elusive circles. 1t was the "abbe" VIII
presented Hamon everywhere and intro
| duced him to Mrs. Newell and man.
| others. with whom later. he had bushes
dealings There are reports that Hamo
and his friends, owing to their high con
nections, were able to arrange" man
marriages among people of high stand
ing in the Anglo-Am colony.
New York, Jan. 6.-"Cheiro, tn
i palmist" during his residence here am
massed what is believed to have pee
a fortune of many thousand dollar!
Women prominent in society fiocked
his office and he received S. for ha
an hours palm reading. AS nearl
as can be learned Cheiro came to thi
country as a member Of Wilson Ban
rett's Theatrical Co. on Barretts frs
| trip to America. The man was know
as John Warner and that probably
his right name.
!. On the recommendation of Attorne
| General O'Malley. following a repol
made by Otto Kelsey, New York stat
f superintendent of insurance, Suprerr
. court Justice Fits Wednesday appoin
ed John F. wager of New York receive
/ for the Metropolitan Surety Co. of Ne