A FICTITIOUS NOBLEMAN.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXVI, Issue 8700, 20 December 1899, Page 4

A FICTITIOUS NOBLEMAN.

THE STORY OF AN ADVENTURER. Referiuno to the conviction at Nelson of a young man named Whittall, and styling himself the " Earl of Northesk," on n charge of obtaining money by falso pretences, the Chrislchurch Press says :— "The young man referred to is not altogether uuknown to several Christchurch tradesmen and others, and since his arrival in the colony has bad rather a chequered career. His first appearance before the public- was at Wellington early in the present year, when he unsuccessfully .attempted to pass himself off as Mr Fredk. Villiers, the war correspondent. He was evidently unaware of the fact that the gentleman he wished to be taken for had visited Wellington, and that his appearance was well known to several Welliogton pressmen. Shortly after this he came to Christchurch, and put up at one of the best hotels, but he had not been hero long before he got into trouble with two or three of our tradesmen, from whom he had obtained goods, which be paid for with cheques which had no cash basis. For these peculiar financial operations he was sentenced to a term of imprisonment at Lyttelton, and it was Bhortly after his release that he became the central figure in certain events which completely cast his previous vagaries into the shade. Very little is known about him, but he apparently is the possessor of a pleasing presence and plausible manners. During his retreat at Lyttelton his remittances from Home had mounted to something like £60, and as soon as he was a free man he put up at a Christchutch hotel. He claimed to be the Earl of Northesk, and soon completed the conquest of the affections of one of the barmaids, who, no doubt, fell an easy victim to the self-styled Burl and his lordly mannor of " shouting" champagne on the slightest provocation, and of writing out cheques for fabulous amounts at the shortest notice. The supposed " Earl " and the barmaid were duly married, and theformer became, if possible, more profuse in treating all and sundry to chnmpague, and more liberal with Ilis mammoth cheques. While the illusion lasted all visitors to the hotel wore introduced to the titled guests, and much was made of them. It is related that one evening the Earl became enraptured with the singing of a certain lady, praised her voice, and urged upon her the necessity of travelling and of having her voice cultivated. Alas, the budding local Amy Castles was not in a (inuneinl position to indulge in these luxuries. Tho Earl did not intend to let a trifle like that interfere with the lady's musical future, and he thereupon drew a cheque for £20 as an instalment towards her expenses. On attempting to cash it at tho Bank tho fair singer was informed that the person whose signature \yub appended to it had no account there. Shortly after this the recently created Countess was informed of the real character of her supposed husband, and her married life and her title came to an abrupt termination. Finding that he had overstayed his welcome in Canterbury the "Earl" left suddenly for parts unknown, to " bob up suddenly " at the Supremo Court at Nelson.