REMARKABLE ADVENTURER.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXIX, Issue 86, 31 May 1911, Page 5

REMARKABLE ADVENTURER.

DAIIIA'G GIIiMIXAT AS C ART" 11. Jlciur.ich Wyler, son of a Swiss merchant in the Snlothurn Canton, who was recently can team! at St. leterrburg, to four and a half years’ impiisonment for thefts, lias behind him one cf the moat remark:'.hie records for admit swindling that have over conic .before a Russian Court. Variety lam not been lacking, and the talc of ids past life, as unfolded by tno poire, reads more like part of a sensational novel than real life. As a hoy of 17 he was publicly wbipped by his father for having imealtid a young girl, and in a- fit of rage and desperation left ids home. After conic' few years of honest existence as a. clerk in Franco ha went to Monte Carlo, where he was successful enough in winning Id,ooo francs, with which ho travelled iaraugu Italy and afterwards Spain, gaining considerable fluency in the language .of both countries, Tired of this humdrum existence, he then journeyed to Africa, where ho made more money by trading in ivory and also—a more remunerative department—in slaves. On Ids return voyage to Italy, with some 50,000 francs capital, lie met 1 lie Duke of the Ahnr/.za, who took an interest in the intelligent young man who in the intelligent young man who could speak five languages, and ho warn evoutaully appointed the i)uko,s interpreter. Through the medium of the Duke, Wyler was introduced to trie famous ITofcssor Lombroso, who, after knowing him a short time, declared that Wyler was not a fit perron to be at large, as lie had an intensely criminal disposition. So furious was Wyler on heal ing the professor’s statement that his behaviour did actually lead to his being sent to a lunatic asylum in Milan for a time; but .he succeeded in escaping, with thp result that his life from that time onwards has borne out Professor Lo:nbroso’s diagnosis with remarkable precision. A series of hotel thefts led .to Wyler’s flight to Bucharest, where a wellknown theatrical beauty foil in dove with him. He jived ai hoi expense for a time, and then, tiring of her, made off with her jewels. Assuming the title of Count Hahvyl, ho next succeeded in carrying nut a series of remarkably, daring robberies, the most sensational of which put him in possession of a magnificent diamond bracelet belonging to the wife of the Russian Ambassador at Rome. This was quite a recent affair. The lady was seated in her box at the Royal Opyra. when an adjutant of the King of Italy entered, and fold her that the Queen, who was in the Royal box opposite, had greatly admired her diamond bracelet, and would take it as a favour if she might ha permitted to inspect it more closely. The Ambassadress entrusted the bracelet to tiro care of the supposed adjutant, who was Wyler in disguise, and who was not soon again in Rome. Since that time the Rufec-ian police have boon hunting everywhere for the thief. Ho appeared in Munich as the Marquis Rosetta, and, becoming engaged to a Russian lady, whoso acquaintance he made at a fashionable bail there, subsequently disappeared, with.' jewellery valued at A-UKKJ. Then, sinking lower and lower as the result of much hard drinking, Wyler was eventually caught in the act of stealing an overcoat from a restaurant. Jt is stated that this extraordinary mfu Ims still a sum of about two million- francs deposit™! in a Swiss bank, the,product or his life of swindling.