The Portland daily press., 1870-09-26
DAILY PRESS.
Monday Morning, September 20. 1870.
Gold Bar NwinSliuy.
PcEIVL.ANB.


Two SPANIARDs VIcTDiIzING Sr. T.
AND CHICAGO MERCHANTS BY THE Coz.
BAR DODGE.
[From the st. Louis tMo.) Democrat Sept. 10Th
About three weeks ago two Spaniards of
gentlemanly appearance and address, applied
to Mr.. Bernardino Florez, No II South Third
street, and after a short conversation informed
him that they were strangers in the city and
short of money. They had, however, couple
of gold oars worth $500, which they brought
with them, and although they did not wish 10
dispose of them, still their obligations must be
met, and their banker was far away. Would
MIR. Florez, therefore, advance tLem sum of
money on the bars, and by SO doing greatly
Oblige his countrymen?
Mr.. Florez expressed a willingness to do so,
provided he was satisfied that the bars were
genuine.
The strangers, of course, desired an imme-
diate test, and called tor a file. With it
broad notch nearly an inch in depth was cut
IN one OF the bars, and the impecunious pair
requested MIR. Florez to take the filings, which
they had preserved, to a jeweler, and have
them tested. This was done, and they were
pronounced very fine quail ty of gold. The
strangers the n presented Mr.. Florez with the
dust, and begged that from it he would lave
ring manufactured to wear in remembrance
of them. He promised to do so, and borrC W.
lag 5000 on the bars, the gcntlemenly foreign.
ers departed, promising to soOn return and
claim their own. This they failed to do, and
Mr.. Florez yesterday became sorrowiully con-
viDced that he had been swindIed The bars
were nothing ba. cuppers and the dust he had
tested was by simple trick OF jugglery sub
stituted in the place OF the copper filings. He
made complaint to the detectives, but they
could do nothing for him, although the where
abouts of the swindlers is easily determined. as
is seen 10y the following, clipped from the Gin
cinnati Commercial, OF the 15th:-
Day before yesterday two Spaniards, pos
sessed cot unpronOunceable names, which
might possibly pass tor r. Leitza and Juan
Yooe, reached the city, registered at the Cali
House, and were assigned to comfortable
room. When asked by the clerk where they
were from, they said st. Louis, Mississippi.
Later in the day despatch reached this city
from Chicago, calling tor the arrest of these
two men and their return to that city. The
gentleman who received the despatch hunted
around among the hotels until he found out
where they had stopped; and then securing
the survices of Seargent Rittweoe, of the
Hammond street district police, ami detective
Hazen, caused their arrest yesterday. Yooe
was first captured, and then message was
sent up to Leitza's room that friend desired
to see him. When be came down and found
three strangers awaiting bis appearance, be
was suddenly taken i'll and wanted to retire
for moment. Finding that he couldn't be
excused, he inquired, in broken English, Il
give you the gold go?"
"Yes," said Hazen, ito Hammond street."
and be went.
Both prisoners were started last night for
Chicago. 1t appears that on Monday last they
walked into the office of firm of Chicagos
sha,p brokers-Enos Bowen g. Co.-and Of
fered Tor sale bar of lead nicely galvanized.
Evidently Spaniards or Mexicans, it seemed
perfectly proper that they should have bars of
precious metal. Perhaps the brokers imae-
ined they were doing remarkably well in CIV
ing only 81 500 in gold com tor bar OF lead
in which dose OF quicksilver may have been
deposited, and probably no suspicion of
trick occurred to them. However that may
be, they took the bar, and the Don and his
friend walked off with the gold, leaving imme-
diately for this city. When arrested they
were found 70 have about them 81 ,220 in gold
and $3.50 in Treasury notes.