[ London Times ]
This newspaper, most correctly known simply as The Times, began publication in 1785 and continues to this day.
The edition of March 5, 1823, carried a news item about a man who claimed to be a French nobleman (but was probably not) who attempted to scam money from Prince Paul Esterhazy, a member of the very wealthy Hungarian noble family, who was living in London at the time. The so-called French count demanded payment of what he said was a gambling debt owed by Prince Paul's father to the Count. Prince Paul didn't believe the so-called Count but paid him some money just to get rid of him. Didn't work. The "Count" kept coming back for more, and created so much trouble for Prince Paul that the police were called and the Count got to become very well acquainted with the British prison system.
The article closes with a remark about the "Count's" appearance and behavior:
He is a good-looking man, of gentlemanly deportment, and wears very large whiskers and mustachios. He walked a great deal about town, and had always two remarkable companions — a very large Newfoundland dog, and a very large walking-stick.