Mystery Man

Sir Basil Zaharoff, G. C. B., recipient of the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honor, born in poverty in Egypt, was recently described by the Paris press as the " First Croupier of Monte Carlo." He is generally alluded to as " Europe's Mystery Man " or as the " Croesus of Europe."

The reason for this outburst of adulation from Paris is that it was discovered that Zaharoff saved the Casino during the war by a princely " donation" of one million pounds ($4,650,000), and so obtained an interest in La Societe de Bains de Her de Monaco--the official title of the world's greatest gambling house.

Sir Basil is reported to be one of the richest men in Europe, his fortune being estimated at $100,000,000, but it is probably a good deal more than that. Although he was born in Alexandria of Greek and Russian parentage, he is a French citizen, living for a good part of each year in a magnificent chateau outside Paris. His French citizenship, however, does not deter him from accepting and using a British title. His apparent business is Continental sales agent for Vickers and other large munitions factories in Britain; beneath and beyond this no man knows the limit of his influence. He is also a great philanthropist, having established large numbers of orphanages throughout Europe.