The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-02-16
DREAM OF RICHES
And SIS Week Clerk Almost
Put 1t Across for $50, 100000.
Negotiated in Name of King OF
Spain With j. p. Morgan.
CHANCE SPOILED HIS PLOT
Jailed on Old Charge of Imper-
'sonatihg French Nebleman.
Smooth Talk and ''King's Seal''
Got $4,000 From Woman.


Got $4,000 From Woman.
week telephone operator. posing as
His EXcellency, the Marquis Edmond
Rousselot di CastilIot confidential
representative of His Majesty. King
Alfonso XIII of SPAIN" opened nego-
tiations with the banking house of ].
P. Morgan & Co., for a loan of $50
100000 to Spain, and by promising
that Spain would enter the war on the
side of the entente allies, brought the
state department into the matter, was
revealed in the federal court mere,
when three indictments were returned
against Edmond Rousselot under the
espionage law,
RousseIot was pressing his plan for
the loan when chance caused his ar
rest on another charge and his castle
in Spain quickly toppled-
Introduced by w. F. ID. Stokes.
William Pierson Hamilton, of the
Morgan house, was foreman OF tine
grand jury which returned the 1ndlct-
ments and was familiar with the en-
tire transaction because he was the
member of the firm to whom the mat
ter was entrusted. When the subject
of the loan was preached to the bank
by Rousselot. who had been properly
introduced by W. E. D. Stokes. OF new
York city, the bank immedlaleiy COM
municated with Secretary Lansing,
who opposed the loan to the Spanish
government thru an individual ana
suggested that it be taken up thru the
regular government channels
Rousselot objected to this method OF
procedure, explaining that the ioan
was to be made personally to KING
Alfonso and it was because of this Sc
cret arrangement he could promise
that Spain was to join the entente al
lies.
Arrest Caused Suspicion.
The negotiations were still under
way and Mr.. 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 secret mis-
sion, and being unable to obtain bail,
was sent to jail. This led to inquiry
the grand jury.
1t developed that Rousselot had not
confined his operations to banking
houses but numbered among his con-
fiding friends one woman from whom
he had borrowed $4,000 on oil stocks
of doubtful value. but of the redemp-
ton of which he had pledged his IAN
cestral estate"
Another of his friends was a prom
inent actress, who told the authorities
Count" Rousselot and believing him
to be in the French diplomatic serv-
ice had visited an English warship
IL the narbor with him. AS his Gre
deEtials were well covered with seals
which seemed to be all right they were
taken over the ship and shown every
courtesy. She admitted giving him an
autographed photograph, which was
later found in his effects. on the prom
Use that It soon would be with him ION
the battle front in France"
Rousselot, with the money obtained
from the oil stocks, established him
self in, a suite in a fashionable hotel
and there received many letters which
are described being covered. with
crests and seals and addressed TO him
| as Marquis Count" and Kings
Messenger"
These documents when examined
by the authorities proved to be letters
apparently written by Rousselot to
himself. One of them, purporting to
have come from the king of Spain,
bore large red seal impressed by the
stamp of the commissioner of deeds of
Westchester county. New York. He
also had a rubber stamp bearing the
words "ministre de la guerre," which,
the authorities allege, he used while
posing as a. French diplomat. When
representing himself as the agent of
the king of Spain he used a. crest cut
fier, they declared.
Hotel Man Advanced Him $780,
A little later. Rousselot moved to
the Hotel Ansonia, 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 ere
dentials." He further explained that
he expected a visit from Jules Jusser-
and the French ambassa dor but did
. not have the necessary funds to en-
A. terrain him. Mr. Stokes advanced him
| $500 and one of the indictments has
to do with this transaction. From this
conversation, Rousselot succeeded in
| having Mr.. Stokes introduce him to
! the Morgan firm.
| Another indictment charges Rousse-
| lot with forging a government license
permitting him to visit all warships
and still another alleges the theft of
official note paper of the treasury de-
partment.