Rensselaer Union, Volume 8, Number 12, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 December 1875 — A Famous “Financier.” [ARTICLE]

A Famous “Financier.”

“ Rasper,in Vanity Fair- thus writes of the famous Dr. Strousbcrg: I remember last year of sitting opposite a stout, ordinary-looking person at dinner and wondering for a long time what could possess him to talk as he did of his estate in Bohemia and his thousand horses. 1 asked who on earth he could be, and Counterfoylc informed me that it was “ the famous Dr. Strousbcrg.” This great man, being a German and a philanthropist, was some few years since moved to take into'octasideration the case of Rouinania. He went flown to Bucharest, talked polity ical economy to the young dragoon whom' Prussia had set up as Prince" there, and offered to develop the resources of the oonntry by making its railways' Prince Charles was delighted with the proposal, and it was agreed that the railwfcys*ni6Ald be made, and that payment should be effected by Roumanian State bonds, of which a niimber representing something like 3.000.000 or 4,000,000 sterling were deposited in a strong-box. The strongbox has three locks and three keys, one of which was handed to Dr. Strousbcrg, while another was placed in charge of the Roumanian agent at Berlin, and the third in the hands of a Berlin banker. The arrangement was that as Dr. Strousbcrg constructed the railways lie should meet with the other two trustees of the box and take out therefrom as mapv bonds as represented the value of the line constructed —a plan which was perfect in that it required the concurrence of the three, representing respectively Dr. Strousbcrg himself, Roumania and the public, to get the bonds out of the box. After some time, however, it was found that the railway works progressed very slowly, and atj last they stopped altogether. Repeated representations producing no effect, the Roumanian Government at last decided that as there seemed no hope of getting the railway Advanced it would resume possession of its bonds. But tot when the famous box came to be examined the bonds had disappeared. There was naturally -a tremendous row made, but at this time it did not suit the German Government to have its troubles increased, and as several high personages were connected with the proceedings ii was intimated to Prince Charles that he must have the matter “squared:” and squared it accordingly was by the payment to the Government of something like £6O(UH)O, while the Roumanian taxpayer was let! saddled with the paymeut of all the bonds then in the possession of innocent holders, and representing of course an indefeasible Roumanian engagement to pay them in lull. Dr. Btrousberg, who had married an English woman at the time he had been a commercial traveler in the United Kingdom, soon sought fresh pastures. He hired the most expensive house in Grosvenor Place at a rent of £3,000 a year, furnished it in the most wonderful way, and under the protection of a great English family which’ provided him with a private secretary, and the chaperonage of a great lady, esteyed English society, and went so far as to oiler £200,000 for an English newspaper as a lever. But he soon came across difticulties. The Lord Chamberlain respectfully declined to entertain the notion of a presentation at court: an ambassador looked coldly on, and spoke warmly-of him. the great lately made defection, and “ the Strcusbergs” went out before they had been well alight. I am distressed, therefore, but above all surprised, to learn that this great man has now become a bankrupt, is accused of fraud, and lias been arrested in Russia. It seems especially ominous just now, for the Fatherland from which he hails and the religion to which he was born hav? given us other eminent financier's lor whom 1 begin to tremble also.