Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-02-16
A.WEEK MARQUIS"
TRIED FOR $5O,OOO,OOO
4. c.,It with J. p. Morgan & Co.
4 os Personal Envoy of
Spanish King
ROMAN AMONG DUPES
xrw YORK, Feb. &c.

NEW YORK. Feb. l5.
,os,nc as "ttls Excellcncy the Mar
y. Edmond Eoussclot di Chstillot,
pssoniial representative OF bis Maj
r King Alfonso N1If or spain
'SG,a.weck telephone operator, 1t is
srced "opencd negotiations with
~ Ranking house OF J. y. Morgan
W sor a loan Of s50,OO0,o00. and Ivy
.r;slnr that Spain would enter the
" On the side of the Entente Allies
s.oueht the state Department into
~ natter. The alleged deception
sas revealed in the Federal Court
~. when three indictments were
ss,urnei against Edmond liousselot
onder the espionage law.
rousselot was pressing his plan for
,he loan when chance caused his ar
~st on another charge and his castle
4 Spain quickly toppled.
| William pierson Hamilton, of tho
|uorsan House. was foreman of the
rrand Jury which returned the in
Sctments, and was familiar with the
s,,ire transaction because he was the
! -.mber of the firm to whom the mat.
|frr was intrusted.
Vfpr- tho subject OF the loan was
|kroached to the bank by Roussclot.
rho had been properly introduced by
IW y ID. stokes. of New York city. the
auk Immediately communicated with
| secretary Lansing, who opposed tho
| han 10 the Spanish Government
| Through an individual. and suggested
|hst /, be taken UP through tho rcgu-
|hr government channels. Roussclot
| |shjected to this method OF procedure.
|,rnlainlng that the loan was TO be
made personally TO King Alfonso, and
| N was because of this secret arrange.
ment he could promise that Spain was
/ "a join the Entente Allies.
d The negotiations were still under
vay and MIR. Hamilton had the matter
|under consideration when Rousselot.
about three weeks ago. was arrested
on the charge of falsely representing
himself as Count Rousselot." a
French diplomat here on n secret mis-
don. and. being unable to obtain bail,
/ vas sent to Jail. This led to in
euries and tho whole affair was laid
Before tho Grand Jury.
II developed that Roussclot had not
confined his operations to banking
|houses. but numbered among his con-
| hdng friends ono woman from whom
| he had borrowed $4,000 on oil stocks
| of doubtful value. but for tho redemp-
/ don iof which he had pledged his IAN.
cestral estates.'
Another of his friends was a promi-
|hent actress, who told the authorities
|she had been introduced to Count
| |Rousseot" and. believing him to he in
|ihe French diplomatic service, had
Visited an English warship in the har.
Dor with him. As his credentials were
4 sell covered with seals which seemed
10 be all right, they were taken over
|the ship and shown every courtesy,
|she said.
She admitted giving him an auto.
|Caphed photograph. which was later
Hound in his effects. on the promise
|bat 1t soon would be with him ION
Flhe battlefront in France"
4 Rousselot, with the money obtained
Nom the oil stocks, established him.
klf in "A suite in n fashionable hotel.
hd there received many letters which
ke described as being covered with
rests and seals and addressed to him
marquis" Count" and "Eing's
Messenger"
These documents. when examined
Ihy the authorities. proved to be letters
| apparently written by Rousselot to
himself One of them. purporting to
| have como from the King of Spain,
bore large red seal impressed by the
stamp OF the Commissioner of Deeds
cf Westchester County. y. Y. lie also
had a rubber stamp bearing the words
["Ministre de Ia Guerre." which, the
authorities allege. he used while posing
/ asa French diplomat. When represent
Ing himself as the agent of the King
| OF Spain he used crest cut from the
advertising OF leading furrier, they
declared.
A little later Rousselot moved to the
Hotel Ansonla, where he told Mr.
Stokes, the owner. that he was King
Alfonso's confidential agent In this
country, and In support of his state.
ment displayed his collection of "cre.
oentials." lie further explained that
ne expected a visit from Jules Jusscr.
and, the French ambassador, but did
nothave the necessary funds to enter
tain him. Mr. Stokes advanced him
sbo0, and one of the indictments has
70 DO with this transaction. From this
conversation Rousselot succeeded In
having Mr.. Stokes introduce him to
klhe Morgan firm.
Va