The Detroit times., 1911-04-13
IMPOsTER POSED
As GAY MARQUIS
Used Name of French Family of the
Ancient Regime and Countess
Was Lionized by Society.

PARIS, April lS.-By the arrest
here OF an imposter who has called
himself the Marquis Paul de Rogue
feuil, further zest has been given pub
lie interest In u bewildering case OF
impersonation sounding more like u
chapter from the pen Of Ponson du
Ferrail than an event in real life,
which has kept the Paris OF the Third
Republic laughing all the week, while
Il has plunged into CONSERVATION the
drawing rooms OF the old French aris-
tocracy, whose proverbial exclusive
ness is now held up TO general ridi-
cule.
The affair finds a historical parallel
In the notorious case OF the English
butcher who managed to pass as Sir
Roger Tichborne.
This so-called Marquis Paul de
RoQuefeuil, one. of Paris most popu-
lar society men. member of several
smart clubs, lionized in the best so
ciety for the charm of his appearance
and manners OF the old school and
married TO the Countess de la Bour-
meme, has been identified by the Sc
cret police as certain Paul Reiss,
alias Gallet alias Tisserand, the son
OF wine seller. and wanted by the
police here and in other countries for
bankruptcy, swindling and bigamy.
The name RoQuefeuill, assumed by
the adventurer, belongs TO very an
cient and wealthy family from which
the American Rockefellers have been
said TO be descended.
The tale OF the false Marquis in
Vulnerable adventures all over the
world would fill volumes. Born in
1855, he began his career in 1875,
when he left Paris for Buenos Aires
In company with wealthy coffee
planted. There he became a bank
rupt and returned TO Paris with q
great deal OF money, which he spent
in a few months.
He then managed TO obtain funds
on false promises and started again
on a long journey. during which he
travelled in Italy, India, and China.
Nothing more was heard OF him until
We find him In Algiers as a novice in
the Convert OF Trappists, which he
left in 1885 to become editor of the
newspaper, La Verite, which conduct
Cd q aSdlhoN ohNA
Semitism.
became the bosom friend OF the real
Marquis de Roquefeuil, then a lieuten-
ant in the Regiment OF Hussars sta
toned at Algiers The Marquis was
in very poor health and died shortly
afterward, and Reiss appropriated all
the papers belonging 10 him. Armed
with these family documents. Which
constituted for him the brand of a
new identity, he travelled some years
in Italy and Spain. No one knows
how he lived during that time
In 1897 he reappeared In Paris a
somewhat reserved good-looking,
middle-aged man, and, thanks TO his
assumed name of the Marquis de
Reiss de Roquefeuil, began TO move
In the best circles in society. While
on trip TO Italy in 1909 he met the
Countess de la Bourmene, an elderly
and wealthy widow and a most popu-
lar Paris hostess. SO well he played
his part that they were married al
most Immediately in Paris, and
Charles de Mouy, together with Joseph
Blondel, attorney general for the high
court Of justice, acted as witnesses at
the wedding ceremony.
Since then the elderly bride and
her husband. twenty years her junior.
have lived happy life, dividing their
time between their country house in
house at Brussels, and their villa at
Cannes At Cannes they entertained
royalty and invitations to their recep-
tions in Paris, where anybody who
counted in the diplomatic, political or
social worlds, was TO be found, were
eagerly sought
Their great popularity was, how
ever, the cause OF the pseudo Mar
quis undoing. In December last the
glowing report OF their parties in the
society papers attracted the attention
OF member Of the Roquefeuil family,
who boldly called on the false Mar
quis and asked an explanation.
The one he received did not satisfy
him, and, In order TO clear up the
mystery. he placed the matter In the
hands Of the secret police. with the
result that warrant was issued for
the arrest OF the person known as the
Marquis de Reiss de Roquefeuil, who,
after disappearing with his wife on
getting word OF the danger, disposed
OF the belief that he had sailed for
America by surrendering TO the Paris
police.
A sentence of five years imprison-
ment passed on him during one OF
his many absences from France
awaits the false nobleman, who will
have TO answer also to a charge Of
bigamy.