The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-07-18
ROBERT JOCELYN
RECEIVES A TITLE

tent that Watt was Immediately set at
i, liberty.
1t was only after this. and after
Mrs. Watt had still further vented her
animosity upon Lady Violet by suing
her for libel and by endeavorng to
bankrupt her in connection with the
enormous legal costs OF her divorce
suit. that she was practically forced ny
popular clamor TO consent 10 the iinal
legal steps necessary to complete he.
divorce from Hugh Watt. so as To
permit him to wed Lady Violet,
1t is only fair to add that since then
the path OF Lady Violet Watt and of
her husband has been rendered easier
by the knowledge that not only society.
but also the public at large. without
ton. nevertheless regard them as hav-
ing been the particularly cruelty treat
ed victims of gross misdirection of jus
tice and of feminine revenge ana as
such worthy of sympathy and good
Will.
Count" Nicholas Leontief. whose
death has just taken place in Paris,
was a Russian adventurer. who played
a certain role in Abyssinia about four
teen years ago. Always ignored By
the Russian embassy in Paris. and
avoiding the land of his birth. since
he insisted that his title of count had
been bestowed upon him by the dussy
Negus of Abyssinia.
He also. on his las, return from
thence, proclaimed that he had been
appointed by Emperor Menelik Cover
nor general OF that monarchs Ethio-
plan Proyinces"-a terribly vague term,
since all Abyssinia. is known as the
tory to the east of Abyssinia, which the
adventurer indicated as the locality
of his viceroyalty, never belonged TO
Menelik nor to Abyssinia
a. tho streppth If these stories. and
of equally mythical concessions, he
founded several companies in Belgium,
in conjunction with Brussels hnanciers
of doubtful reputation, and with their
assistance managed to dispose of his
concessions to credulous investors for
a very large sum. OF course. the, CON
Germs came. to financial grief. and the
Belgian police became 50 pressing in
| their attentions to Leontieff that he
| found 1t prudent to retreat TO France.
| where he remained ever afterwards.
| in cosmopolitan society. but carefully
avoided by the official and diplomatic
| world.
There were two reasons why he did
not dare to return to Russia. One of
these was tina, he had obtained from
| Russian merchants at Moscow, at Odes-
: sa. and at Lodz an enormous quantity
/, OF variously assorted merchandise for
| the purpose OF being bartered In Abyss
sinia and OF opening up a trade be-
| tween that country and Russia. Leon
| tiaff sold the goods all right, but kept
| the money, and the merchants We're
| never able to obtain any redress.
| Then. too, he had, with the object of
Strengthening his position in Abyssinia,
| taken with him to Russia, on the con-
| clusion OF his first visit to the land OF
| the Negus a batch of Abyssinians of
more or less subordinate rank. He had
dubbed the Oldest one Of them special
| arnba ssador, and himself as the coun-
selor OF the mission. Proceeding to
ST. Petersburg. he. by his grandilo-
| quent stories, caused his companions
| to be received by Alexander III. and
! by the imperial government with all
! the honors due to an authentic enl-
| bassy. It's members were extensively
entertained and overwhelmed with
| presents and with decorations. while
Leontieff caused the alleged ambassa-
| dor to distribute among Russian dig
| nitaries various classes of decoration
which he called "the Star OF Abys-
| sinia," and which We're received With
j great Appreciation.
It was only after the departure of
/ the mission and Its return to Abys-
/ sinia that 1t was learned at ST. Peters
I burg that the embassy was entirely
/ bogus; that 1T had been Entrusted With
no mission whatsoever by Emperor
i Menelik; that it's members We're al !
i men of no rank whatsoever, ana tnat
| the order of knighthood known as tne
Il Star of Abyssinia was a fantastic IN
4 vention of I.eonteff, about which Mene-
4 Xix knew nothing.
j Copyright, 1910. by the Brentwood
Company