THE ARABIAN KNIGHT.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume II, Issue 437, 5 July 1915, Page 10

THE ARABIAN KNIGHT.

BOGUS AMBASSADOR.

ARREST OF A CLEVER SWINDLER.

PARIS, April 18,

The arrest of a clever swindler named Parisot has disclosed an amazing series of adventures of which he is the sorry hero. Beginning life as a sailor, Ernest Parisot left the French merchant navy for the English, deserted, travelled all round the world, and was captured at Port Said on his way from Japan. Sent into confinement in South Africa, he made his escape, and worked his passage on a cargo boat, which, however, was wrecked in the Straits of Bah-el-Mandeh. Parisot never forgot his forced visit to Arabia, and in later years put to considerable account the visions he had, or imagined, of Oriental magnificence and glamour. But his early experiments on the gullibility of his fellows were made in homelier style. Returning t( France, Parisot, by dint of shadj dealings, made his first haul out of a respectable manufacturer at Lille, and later blossomed into advertisement manager of an important railway company.

Soon he deemed it prudent to disappear, but two years later he was endeavouring to float an "International Railway Company" at Basle. Police inquisitiveness made Switzerland too warm for him, and Parisot returned once more to his own country. He opened a company-promot-ing agency, which gave him an almost unlimited field for his dishonest practices. Despite eight or nine convictions and sentences by default, the man contrived to keep out of prison.

State Visit to the Elysee.

The war broke out, and Parisot, remembering his adventures in Arabia, decided that the moment was propitious for putting his long-medi-tated plans. into execution. Gifted with a ready tongue - and undeniable looks, he did not doubt of their suc-

cess for an instant, and so the beginning of September found Parisot at Bordeaux, posing as Prince Zahir, Prime Minister of "Ferid I. King of Arabia"! One hardly knows which to marvel at most, the imposter's cool audacity or the ignorance and foolishness, of the good people—and they were many—who welcomed, indeed lioJiised, him, without a shadow of suspicion in theiPminds. On October 30 last Parisot, or "Prince Zahir," had the impudence to present himself ceremoniously at the Elysee in order to lay before President Poincare his credentials from the King of Arabia. The special audience which he demanded of the President was refused. Meanwhile the "Prince" had offered, "in the name of his king," to supply the French Government with 50,000 Arab horses for the cavalry, as well as cattle and other provisions for the army. Nothing daunted by a refusal, Parisot continued to make friends in certain sections of French society, where he made an 'impression by the imposing collection of seals and diplomatic papers which he was,careful always to leave about his hotel rooms in sullicienl prominence. In due course lie made known to financiers that his master Ferid I. had ordered the constitution of a bank with a capital of 12,500,000 douros (£2,000,000). Templing interest was offered, of course, with royal commissions to brokers, with decorations, orders, and distinctions for all who aided the undertaking. The £2OOO Bodyguard. Subscriptions (lowed merrily into Zahir's coffers, when one day an army captain who had secured, for the modest sum of .ttiOO. 50,000 hectares of land in Arabia, together with the title of Count of Terym and the rank of "Marshal of the King's Camp," became suspicious of such

abulous promises and discovered, ifter inquiry, that the Kingdom of Arabia was non-existent.

Another resident of Bordeaux, a respectable merchant, who had subscribed £2OOO for the organisation and arming of 700 men as a bodyguard for the Viceroy of Arabia, has not yet recovered from his amazement and disappointment at the shattering of his dreams of the honours which were to be showered on him by the Oriental potentate. Besides Parisot, a friend and accomplice of the latter has been arrested. Papers were found on him conferring on him the title of Comte d'Anghor and Grand Dignitary of the Kingdom of Arabia and Syria, Commander of the Military Order of St. Paul. This man's "credentials" contained the following phrase:— "We pray God to favour his mission and keep him under His holy prolection"!