I really don't know where to start. Emperor Norton was a colorful character. A wealthy South African Jewish immigrant to the United States. He moved to San Francisco in 1849, with about $40,000 ($1.1 million back then). Norton lost all of his wealth investing in Peruvian rice. So, Norton goes dark for a decade and sprung up again in September of 1859, stark raving mad, claiming to be Emperor of the United States. The man became a cultural icon in his home of San Francisco. Money was issued in his honor, he broke up race riots with the Lord's Prayer, and demanded the abolishment of Congress.