BOLO PASHA

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 54, 27 November 1917, Page 9

BOLO PASHA

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CAREER OF A NOTORIOUS INTRIGUER

A WILD CAT SCHEMER

8010 Pasha, according to a story of his career appearing in tho I'aris "Matin," was born in Marseilles. At first he was a clerk to a notary. He is a brother of Monsignor 8010, one of the most eloquent preachers of tho Catholic Church in France, and had easy access to an honourable career, but chose occupations that were varied and 1 hazardous. His business ventures began with a scheme for the wholesale catching and shipment of lobsters. This cost his partner a. considerable sum. After failing in several other enterprises, he came to Paris and started a sort of information bureau. It became the targot for numerous complaints, culminating in the condemnation of 8010 by default in 189-1 for abuse of confidence and swindling. He then went to Valencia, Spain, where, under the name of Berner, he oponed a cafe that was much frequented by the French colony. In 1903, the "Matin" says, lie turned up at Bordeaux, whero he married a widow; who had an annual income of 70,000 francs. He. then enlarged his field of operations, appearing at Lyons as an agent for champagne and other wines. Afterwards ho again. transferred his headquarters .to Paris.. He was conspicuous in the riots in the Champagne district when the winegrowers there, in a protest against the use of.wiue from outside Champagne for making sparkling wines under the name of cnarap'ijne, devastated the vineyards of big French companies, while, thoso. owned by • Germans were left'unharmed.

It was m Juno, 1914, that 8010 met Abbas Hilmi, then Khedivo of Egypt. He ; was introduced bv-Yusoff Sadik Pasha, one of tho Khedive's Ministers. He at onco became a trusted acent in tho enterprise for tho exploitation 'of real: estate owned by the Khedivo and for the protection of tho Khedive's in-

; terests in the Suez Canal and in Egypt in the event that circumstances might compel Great Britain to repudiate the Khedive. The "Matin'' concludes from these negotiations that Abbas Hilini, two months before the actual outbreak, of hostilities, anticipated a war iii which Turkey would bo involved and sought to provido agninst-sequos-tration'of his interests in caso ho cast his lot with the Sultan of Turkey. Requiring a "straw" man to take his interests under cover, says the "Matin," a. contract was. drawn up by which 8010 was to bo recognised by the Khedive in writing as his creditor to the amount of 50,000,000 .francs. In .exchange 8010 was to make an agreement to repay that sum to its legitimate owner.- Yusolf Sadiff, tho newspaper adds, found Bolo's part of the -agreement insufficiently clear, and the project was not carried to. completion.

The "Matin" says Polo Pasha-met Abba's Hiliiii in Zurich in March, 1915. and concluded an arrangement, which was approved by Gottlieb von Jagow, the German Foreign Minister, under which 10,000,000 marks would bo paid in instalments to 8010 through tho formor Khedive for the purpose of. influencing the French press. .In accordance with this arrangement 4,000,000 marks was paid bv roundabout methods through Swiss banks, to avoid suspicion. Abbas Hilini and an associate are said to have _ collected 200:000 francs as a commission. After that time 8010 Pasha and Abbas Hilini seem to have fallen out, for their relations ceased.