New-York tribune., 1910-07-26
HIS CLIENT WAS De OFT
New York Lawyer Won't Say He
Acts for Archduke John.
PROVED VERY FASCINATING
Austrian Embassy Sent Out
Warning Against Baron de
Ott" a Year Ago.

John P. Everett. attorney, at No 80
Liberty street. said yesterday that he was
the lawyer who. according to current re-
port. had as a client in April last a man
said to be the lost Archduke John of Aus
tria-
Mr.. Everett said when asked what he
knew of the supposed archduke.
In the first part of April, 1910, gentle
man came to my Office and presented the
highest recommenda tons, both from Paris
and from London.
He came in company with the Marquis
de Cassoretti, who had among his recon-
mendations ambassadorial letters from
France. The letter introduced Baron de
OFT, saying he desired to consult me in
regard to certain property rights in some
OF the South American republics.
I spent one month in securing the infor-
nation he desired, and got rather well ac-
quainted with the baron during that time"
Couldn't Betray Confidence.
When asked If he Knew whether the
Baron de OFT was the lost archduke. he
said that their relations as attorney and
client prevented him from revealing any
thing he might know
II do not wish" continued Mr. Everett.
ito give credence to the story that my
former client is the missing archduke nor
do | wish to deny it. ! knew him one
of the most cultured, refined and scholarly
gentlemen 1 have met for some time.
He spoke several languages fuentiy,
and was very pleasant company. In fact
found him very fascinating"
The last Mr.. Everett had seen of his
client was when he sailed for Europe about
May 20. He said he rather expected he
would come back to this country. and was
sure he would keep in touch with condi-
tons in the South American republics, as
he had extensive land interests there.
Warning from Austria.
About year ago the Austrian Embassy
sent out a warning against the lost arch
duke. On May 10 of last year the Marquise
de Fontenoy wrote follows:
Bogus Archduke Johns are continually
cropping up, and it would be well if those
who put forward any claims TO be the
missing John Orth were to take the trouble
10 divest themselves of every vestige of
apillary adornment, in order to give at
least some appearance of verisimintude to
their fantastic stories. ArChduke John was
completely bald, even as quite a young
man. and this in itself has been sufficient
to diSprove the claims of most of the pre-
tenders to be the lOng-vanished archduke-
Every one who knew him was aware that
he was wholly diVeSted of all nair on his
head, although not his face. He had
wonderful collection of wigs. and oc-
casionally when among intimate friends he
would cool his head, if he felt at all hot,
by unConcernedly dofing his wig and lay
ing it on any piece of furniture that nap
pened to be handy.
When man is as bald as was Archduke
John-so hopelessIy and entirely bald-he
does not late in life develop d luxuriant
head of hair.
and
cOnsulates here and in Canada have been
experiencing a good deal of annoyance In
connection with q soi-disant Baron" Adolf
Macmillan OFT man of the same name
and title-his title was repudiated and de-
MED by the Austrian Embassy in London
has recently been figuring in an extremely
London in suit for divorce brought by
man of the name of F. Cleeve Messun, IN
the employ of the Royal Mail Steam Packet
Company as purser.
was drought to light that the pseudo baron.
on the occasion of one voyage from RIO,
behaved in such a blackguardly fashion on
board that the passengers and officers
would not permit him 70 continue the Voy-
age to Southampton, but forced MN 70
land a CherbOurg, much against his VIII.
1t was likewise intimated during the course
Of the trial that the man had been turned
off the grounds of The Birmingham Club. IN
london, and also out of club at Rio de
Janeirc. for cheating q cards, and that he
had likewise cheated at cards on board the
Roval Mail steam packet Thames; that he
had defrauded number of persons. in one
specific case having done man out OF
So 900 a Buenos Ayres. and that his char
acter all along the River Plate was ex-
tremeIy bad The man in question is about
forty-eight years old. an adventurer of
the worst type 1t is possible, and even
0roba Bile that the Baron Adolf Maxi
milan OFT. who has recently been held up
to public oboquy in the London court OF
divorce and the pseudo Baron OFT VINO
has been endeGvoring to obtain money, both
In canada and here in the United States. on
the false plea that he was an officer of the
Austrian army and had formerly played
great role at the court of Vienna (and
had actually the impudence TO tell this
story to the Austrian Consul at MontreaD,
are one and the same person
The Austrian Consuls have been
warned that the name of OFT is unknown
I'm the Austrian army and at the court or
Vienna, that there Is no 6aron known OF
the name of Ott and that the man in ques-