In 1817 a young woman of exotic appearance was found
wandering near Bristol. She spoke in a language that no one
could understand except, seemingly a Portuguese sailor. He
claimed that she was a Sumatran princess from the island of
Javasu. Princess Caraboo, as she was known, became a
national celebrity and lived in a grand style, entertaining
many distinguished visitors. But, a few weeks later, she was
exposed as Mary Baker, the daughter of a cobbler from
Devonshire. Mary's deception is one of several intriguing
stories of nineteenth-century fraudsters brought to light in
Linda Stratmann's entertaining look at some of history's
greatest rogues. From bankers who forged share certificates,
ruining hundreds of small investors to `Louis de Rougemont'
who claimed to own Canada, these riveting tales of true
crime expose the seamier side of life in which corruption,
avarice and scandal hold sway.
ISBN: 9780752457109
ISBN-10: 0752457101
Series: HISTORY PRESS
Audience:
General
Format:
Paperback
Language:
English
Number Of Pages: 252
Published: 29th September 2010
Dimensions (cm): 19.8 x 12.5
x 2.2
Weight (kg): 0.325