PRINCE OF IMPOSTERS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20101, 18 May 1927, Page 12

PRINCE OF IMPOSTERS.

MONEY SPENT LIKE WATER. NEBULOUS SCHEMES DEVISED. An astonishing adventurer, who lived ia London and in large country houses like a prince, raking in money and spending it like water, has just died in Madrid—Senor Isidore de Pedraza, one of whoso exploits during the war was to pretend .that Lord Robert Cecil, now Viscount Cecil, had appointed him to make peace between the Allies and Austria.

Senor Pedraza was constantly devising large schemes. The misfortune was that they never came to anything, and that the only person over known to make any profit out of them was himself.

PASSION FOR DAINTY COOKING. The adventurer entertained lavishly, and had a passion for dainty cooking. One of his schemes was to build electric railways right across Spain, north and south, ease and west. “X have heard,” said an acquaintance, “that Pedraza paid £52 for a single handkerchief, worked for him in Ulster, and that he once gave £7OO for a dressing case. Ho had a fleet of motor cars. Ho kept two Spanish valets. From time to time he had an expensive suite at a famous London hotel, and his bills there must have been enormous.

“This prince of impostors would entertain parties, beginning with a specially chosen dinner at the hotel, and then on to an expensive night club, champagne flowing freely all the while. Ho would think nothing of a £5 note as a tip to the waiter.

“Cooking and nice dishes had the sanctity of religion for him. For instance, he liked the asparagus brittle, and he always asked for the second chef at the hotel to cook it for him. It was the same with other dainties—one chef, one dish._ “Two years ago he took a flat in Queen Anne’s Mansions. He took Blickling Hall, Norfolk, and then Critchel, Dorset. _ His knowledge of English sport may be judged from the fact that ho shot starlings from the billiard room window, and roasted ■ sheep on the lawn for the villagers. “One thing must be said in his favour. It. was the rich man he drew into_ hi» schemes: he never exploited the widow and orphan. He had a fine sense of fun. The only handwriting of his I over saw was his signature on a cheque. All hia messages were sent by telegram.” Sir Basil Thomson, late Director of Intelligence at Scotland Yard, in Bis book, ‘‘Queer People,” wrote: “In March, 1910, two distinguished Spanish gentlemen were ushered into my room. One, who boro an ancient title, was the proprietor of a Madrid newspaper; the other, who spoke English fluently, and was married to an American, was vouched for as a person of wealth and position. ‘The latter explained that he had a scheme of obtaining for the Allies the use of all the Austrian ships interned in Spain, “Senor P had with him all the impediments of a wealthy traveller —wife, children, governess, secretary, servants, and baggage—and he had engaged a suite of rooms. Ho had interviews with various distinguished people, but there was something rather nebulous about the proposals, and he did not produce any written guarantee of his good faith” Pedraza told one of his friends that the story about ships was a blind, and that he was really going to negotiate peace with Austria.