The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1912-03-21
WAS GREATEST OF ALL FAKERS.
CagliostrO Was the Most Perfect
Scoundrel in All History.

History presents no better example
of a great impostor than is embodied
in Cagliostro. In many respects he
was the greatest of all takers who,
from time to time, have successfully
carried out their nefarious schemes
of fraud through their skill at decep-
ton. Thomas Carlyle pronounced him
"the most perfect scoundrel that in
these later ages has marked the
worlds history; by profession heal
er of diseases, abolisher of wrinkles,
friend of the poor and impotent spir-
it-summoner, gold-cook, grand-cop-
tina, prophet, priest, moralist and
swindler, really liar Of the first
magnitude, Thoroughbred in all
provinces of lying; what one may call
him is the king of liars"
Cagliostro seems to have been
marvellous man, for he was able not
only to impose along certain lines, but
he was the master of hundreds OF
brilliant fakes, even his high-sound-
ing name being an example. He was
really Giussepe Balsamo, the son Of a
poor shopkeeper of Palermo, born in
1743. AS a mere child he seems to
have acquired a devilish penchant for
taking. Being expelled from charity
school for mischief, he was placed in
monastery and, being set at reading
The Lives of the Saints" to the
monks whilst they ate their meals,
he was detected in further misde-
meanors, and he was literally "kick-
ed out"
| But having got to work in the
monks apothecary shop, he showed
positive genius for medicine and soon
knew more about chemistry and the
use of drugs than did any one. else in
the whole brotherhood. He was also
clever enough to learn that people
trust physicians as they trust no one
else, and that a large percentage OF
the public is really fooled by any
nonsense that is clever enough to at
tract them.
After he was expelled from the
monastery he forged theatre tickets,
robbed an uncle, cheated goldsmith
into buying from him, at a large
price, the secret of treasure cave,
and being accused of murder he was
compelled to fee Sicily and started
on wandering tour through Europe
and the Orient, perfecting himself in
the best art of all the takers he met
on the way and swindling every SIM
ple-minded traveller. Then, with
gloriously beautiful girl, whom he
had married in Rome, he launched
forth as the discoverer of miracu-
lous liquor, which he called wine OF
Egypt" and which he claimed would
prolong life and restore youth. Point
ing to his lovely young wife, he re-
lated that she had recently been
withered old crone of 80, and that he
himself had lived for 1000 years by
constantly drinking this wine.
In a coach-and-four these impostors
rolled through Europe, found access
to the highest society, and mysteri-
ously dispensed potions, washes
charms and love philters. People
listened greedily to Cagliostro's abb
surd. lies, and through the sale of his
"Wine of Egypt" he grew fabulously
rich. Princess and other notables
We'd with one another to do him hon.
or, and he speedily became one of the
foremost men of Europe.
Apart from his wine and other
equally marvellous drugs Cagliostro
became famous as founder of sort
of Masonic cult, and secured thous-
ands of converts. He even Instituted
Masonic lodges for women. He claim
ed to be of almost divine origin, said
he could make himself invisible, and
that he could tranSmute DdGeF uStdls
into gold.
Cardinal de Rohan, bishop of Stras-
bourg, eagerly took up Cagliostro, and
for five years followed the impostor
blindly and believed every word ne
said, and in those few years he gave
the faker more than 100000.
From Strasbourg he went to Paris,
where his vast charities made him
popular, and his boundless wealth
backed his assertions that he could
make gold. In this blaze Of prosper
ity destruction was near. De Rohan,
the dupe in that mysterious and ia
nous business of the diamond neck
lace, which he sold or imagined he
sold to Marie Antoinette, was thrown
into the bastile, and with him his
friends, the Cagliostros. After an
;rnrieonment of nine months they