20. A Minneapolis Society Star

In the summer of 1871, Minneapolis was a small but bustling city, with about 20,000. Not that many European aristocrats made their way there, so Lord Gordon-Gordon became an instant celebrity, courted by all who mattered. He was showered with dinner invitations from the city’s elites, and rubbed shoulders with the rich and well-heeled at elaborate picnics in nearby Minnetonka.
Gordon-Gordon had placed himself in the perfect environment for his next scheme. While taking Minneapolis society by storm, the recently arrived aristocrat crossed paths with Colonel James Loomis, Land Commissioner of the Northern Pacific Railroad. Loomis and his employer were destined to become the British scammer’s next marks.



