A FASCINATING CHARLATAN.

Colonist, Volume LI, Issue 12502, 1 April 1909, Page 1

A FASCINATING CHARLATAN.

The Paris police are anxious to secure the arrest of Count Hamiion, bet--ter known as Cherio the Palmist. The ladies of Paris, on the other hand, are fervently praying for Count Hammon's escape, which indicates, a con r flict- of opinion between the Paris pok ice and the Paris ladies. Not so long ago he was one of the swarm of fortune tellers w^io find a happy hunting ground in Paris and provide a { languid "sensation for those whose wealth has clothed the world in a dreary monotony of ennui. Then he wrote a book about palmistry filled with diagrams and lucid explanations that every one could pierce the viel of the future for himself or herself. It seemed like bad business but it was - actually 'the most adroit' Of advertisements, for Cherois consulting rooms were filled forthwith by the elite of society. He ; eventually obtained money from some of his lady_ consultors for investment. But his career as a financier" was not a long one, and it came to an abrupt end when he was prosecuted byjifrs George Baldwin Neville, widow; of a New York lawyer of some celebrity in his day, and by her. daughter Josephine for defrauding them of stocks and bonds to the value of 500,000 dollars. Then he suddenly disappeared. When his papers fell into the hands of the police there were found over four hundred missives from women of all nationalities — French, American, and English.' Never before was there such a collection of love letters to one man.- Some of .them were comparatively innocenti the gushing outpour-, irigs of girls, the sentimental rhapsodies of their older sisters. But these were in the minority. Many of the others were absolutely shameless in their self revelation, and in the utter abandon of their tone. They came from : married women, from the leaders of society, from everj" rink' in the social game. •_ One of the police officials who examined them, says -it is almost incredible "that ' ".women.-, of v positibn should dare to write such letters, and they were nearly of them written, by women of position, who were thus willing to place their reputations for ever at the mercy of a plausible and fascinating;, charlatan.