The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1919-06-05
WAITER
 WHO POSED AS KAlSER'S KIN
As the Man With a Hundred Sweet
 hearts.
By Sa1fridge Hennegan.


 The British authorities are to be congratulated on the rapidity with which they are clearing out the scum of the German and other nations who found refuge in Great Britain in pre- war days. No city in the world has ever had to tolerate what Lendon sub mitted to before 1914, and the pass ing of the Aliens Bill will make it impossible for expelled foreigners ever to set foot on English soil again.
 Among the latest of the deportees fs a German waiter who played many parts in his time, his most successful role being that of Baron von Brocker," a cousin of the ex-Kaiser. His real name was Strett, and into his three-and-forty years crowded moro adventure and episode than many men do in a whole lifetime.
 Well spoken, with nice manners and rather handsome features, he had & passion for women, and in the space of few years he claimed no fewer than a hundred wives and sweetheartS all over the country. Whether he ever went through the actual form of marriage with half this number of his victims lawfully, I cannot say, but it is pretty certain that many of his victims lived with him at some time or other. He spent money to make money, for robbery was the real motive which inspired his amorous enterprises.
 In the West End he held jobs at several restaurants, and in this way he became acquainted with those on whom he had designs. Unsuspecting and he had no difficulty in establish ing friendship.
 Poured Love Into Victims Ears.
 Like Landru, the French Blue- beard, he spoke loftily of his family's wealth, and of estates to which he was heir in California and other dis tant lands. If asked why 1t was that he followed the mental occupation he replied that this was the easiest way of acquiring the language of any country.
 His methods of feecing the unpre- pared of their savings and va1uables was not original. He simply poured love into their ears and captured the hearts of his victims. Then he pitch ed the usual tale of the family cheque which never arrived. and by a variety of plausible excuses and apologies solicited aid from his girl friends.
 Domestic servants fell an easy prey to his stories and fctions, and from time to time he amassed considera- ble sums, which he took care to bank. Jewelry, too, found it's way into his safe, and he had a tidy bit put away when he was thrown into prison.
 Like all adventures, Strett believed in fashionable dress, and those who met him outside his working hours could never believe that he was one and the same individual. He usually wore a morning coat, silk hat, patent boots and spats, while a dazzling imi- tation pearl pin was conspicuously displayed on his tie.
 Never Wrote a Letter. How he managed to masquerade as modest German waiter one week and the next as Baron Brocker, a. cousin of the ex-Kaiser, is his own secret, for through all his escapades he managed to stear clear of the po- lice.
 It was in his own country, that he first started on his career of decep- iton, and after putting paid to the accounts of numerous women in BE- lin, Frankfort, and other German towns he tried his luck in Paris Strett was a great traveller, and a cautious one at that
 His courtships were invariably con- ducted on fairly legitimate lines His promises. however, were always oral and, unlike the majority of suitors, he never wrote letter. Thus he depriv- ed his dupes of an important clue for Identification purposes and when he disappeared nobody had the slightest idea as to his whereapouts.
 When he came to London he work ed first of all in Soho and afterwards in the Strand. A striking feature of his methods was that he never had any use for women without money no matter how prepossessing their ap- pearance. To gain confidence he fre- quently entrusted his victim with sums of money which he asked them to mind for him till he wanted it Then when the moment came to carry out his plaU he would borry a hun dred or two and in this way regain his own cash with substantial interest.
 There is a story told of how he decamped with the life savings of one lady to whom he told a pitiable tale of unfortunate speculation. He said he had gambled heavily on the Stock exchange, but his expectations were disappointed, and declared he lost every penny. Forged documents were produced to support his story, and the woman in the goodness of her heart ddVanceQ hlm 5OO pounds to recover his fortunes. Then Strett dis appeared.
 After living some time in London he appears to have made his way to Lancashire anu then Scotland, not in the guise of German aristocrat, but as a Swiss waiter. Everybody who met him was impressed by his genial disposition, behind which he cloaked his native caprice and cunning. No- body ever doubted his sincerity, and his campaign was so cleverly en- gineered that when he vanished after his usual custom, having enriched his pockets, it was generally thought that he had gone on some business engagement abroad and would turn up again in due course.
 A Victims Experience. One of his London victims to whom he was engaged for several months. and who found herself very much poorer for the attachment gave me a picture of Strett and his tactics. "He seemed" she said, ''to be a very decent fellow, good looking and jolly, and the sort of man you could
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