THE ALBERTI SCANDAL.

Colonist, Volume LI, Issue 12401, 17 November 1908, Page 4

THE ALBERTI SCANDAL.

■ . — . » — The fall of Peter Alberti was an intensely dramatic incident. He was ivas a successful lawyer and business man before" he ': : entered the political field in 1892. His rise was rapid, and while he was apparently prosporing in business he was winning popularity in the Chamber, of Deputies. In 1901 he became Minister ol Justice, .and when he resigned office in July the King conferred on him the highest Danish title, bestowed previously oil .retiring Premiers; He was extraordinarily popular at Court, and it is commonly believed that he was business adviser to the Royal Family. He held the controlling power in the Sealand Savings Bank, and also in the Danish Farmers' Export Association, so that he had charge of hundreds of thousands oi .pounds belonging to workers and small farmers. One day he coolly presented himself at the office of the Chief of Police, and announced that he surrendered himself on charges of fraud, embezzlement, and defalcation. The officer thoiight him mad, bit investigation speedily showed that Alberti' s affairs were hopelessly involved. The Savings Bank had to close its doors and the Export Association ceased business. He was speculating on the London Stock Exchange, it seems, sixteen years ago. According to his own confession, he " commenced his frauds in 1894, so that he had long been a criminal when he became Minister of Justice. He could not even approximately estimate his embezzlements, but judged them to be between £500,000 and £800,000. The amazing feature o'. the affair is that Alberti should have been able to carry on so long after he was, in reality, a bankrupt. He was a figure to inspire confidence. Copenhagen -is 'not -a gay capital, and Alberti was conspicuously, open-hand-ed and merry, j He , lived in excellent style, entertained " largely, and was often at Court, enjoying the warm personal friendship of the King. In politics he was regarded as a strong man,- with pronounced democratic tendencies, although the newspaper he owned was almost servile in its attitude towards Royalty.