New Britain herald., 1918-02-16
SPANISH MARQUIS
 PHONE OPERATOR
Posed As NObleulan and Wanted
 Loan of S5O,0O0,0OO

New ork, Feb. 16-Edmund ROuS- Selot, who called himself ''the Marquis dl Castillot,' and posed as a member of the French War commission to the united states, also a close friend or the King of Spain, was indicted by the fedcral Grand jury yesterday charged with violating the Espiona ge
 act by falsely representing himself to be an official of the French govern ment. He was also indicted on charges of forging a United States permit to visit American naval vessels and ob- taining $500 under false pretenses from w. F1. D. Stokes. In default of $15,0OO bail he was locked up in the Tombs
 When Rousselot was arrested sev- eral weeks ago it was stated that he had been posing as a Marquis that he had Wormed himself into the confi- dence of many persons, and that the house of di Castillot was a myth and that the Marquis himself was by
 occupation a telephone operator, earning $15 a week.
 An alleged attempt to interest J. P. Morgan Co. in a $5o,0o0,000 loan purpOrting to be for the Spanish government caused the government agents to investigate, and the arrest followed.
 After the indictment was returned the Federal authorities made public some of the chapters in the life of the Marquis di Castillot.'' To fully appreciate the remarkable career of this young man it is necessary to state that he is prepossessing in ap- pearance, dresses always in the latest fashion, uses good English, but writes it poorly and ungramatically, and IS a of a said to have expressed it "to mako you believe most anything about himself. In proof of this witness cited the fact that Rousselot was able to make a lot of persons believe that the official seal of Westchestcr County, N. Y, was the royal seal of Spain.
 Letters From King Alfonso. It was about three months ago when a welI-groomed young man walked tinto the Waldorf-AstOria and regis tered as Edmond Rousselot," a mem- Der of the French War commission to the United States. A few days later word went around that M. ROusselot was the Marquis di Castillot," a Spanish nObleman and an intimate friend of King Alfonso XIII Appar- ently it did not occur to those who were introduced to the "Marquis' to inquire how it was possible to be a citizen of France and a subject of King Alfonso.
 At first he did not personally ad- vertise himself. He adopted it was explained the novel scheme of losing letters and telegrams. Some of the letters were dated Madrid and they were signed "Alph," and later when he came to know his American friends better the Marquis ex- plained that King Alphonso, when he wrote to his intimate friends had way of signing himself just plain "Alph.'
 The Marquis also lost some tele grams signed "Jusserand.' He claimed to be very close to the French Am bassador, Jusserand, some of the wit nesses said. One day the Marquis di Castillot' was introduced to a Miss Josephine Mayher, d woman of wealth, and the two became close friends He told her about his busi ness affairs and the vast importance of the diplomatic and other state busi ness he was doing in this country for France and his dear friend,' the Spanish king.
 After he had known Miss Mayher for a short time the "Marquis' told her he needed s10,000 He owned some oil stock, that is, he said he did-and offered the shares as security for the loan. Miss Mayher said she would advance the money. The "Maruuis'' thanked her from the bot tom of his heart, and then he dld a generous thing He Sald that, While he had every reason to consider the oil stock as gilt-edge security, he was nevertheless afraid that something might happen to cause it to depre ciate. and in order to better protect her he insisted on pledging as addl- tionaI security the 'anceStral helr- looms of the house of CaStlllOt.'