Northwest enterprise. [volume] (Anacortes, Wash. Ter.) 1882-1887, 1883-03-10
A BOGUS FORTUNE.


lished in its special correspondence
from London the story of the claim of
some of the inhabitants of the can
ton CT BeIne to the fortune of An
dreas Kohl. who was supposed to
have died at Malta many years ago.
leaving an estate claimed to be worth
300, 100000 francs. 1t was also stated
that female branch of kohli's de-
scendants We're living in Baltimore.
The fact was adverted to that the
connection of such stories had become
staple method of swindling, and
that. in all likelihood, the Kohl story
was one of this sort.
This story of the Kohl fortune is
said to have been made use of by
Benjamin Spandauer of No. 81 North
Wolfe street, in way that has led to
his arrest on charges of swindling
1t is charged that i'll company with an
elderly man, who was introduced as
Henry Moller, Spandauer called on
Mrs Annie Griefzu at her home, Cor
ner of Wolfe and Madison streets,
and represented to her that she was
entitled to slice of the Kohl for
tune. She believed the story, and
the three Of them talked her husband,
John Griefzu, into the same belief
Money was needed to straighten out
matters before the fortune could be
handed over to the GriefLus, and they
gave Spandaucr and Moller S125.
That was not enough, however, and
the two men We're referred to Michael
Vonderline, who keeps small store
at Madison and Durham streets. The
story OF Mrs. Griofzu's fortune was
repeated, and some one was wanted
to administer on the estate. Moller
was a Government officer at Wash
ington. so the story went, drawing an
annual salary of $1,000, and owned
valuable property besides. His con-
nection with the Government de-
barred him from becoming admins
traitor. Vonderline could have the
place, paying the preliminary ex-
penses, which, with consideration
for his services. were to be deducted
from the fortune when obtained.
Vonderline advanced money at vari
Gus times. Five hundred dollars was
given at one time, and as small sum
as one dollar was drawn from the
credulous storekeeper. The drafts
on his money-drawer were continued
until last Friday, when the last pay
ment was made to Spandauer. The
total sum given by Nonderline had
then reached $1640 On Saturday he
took paper with big red seal, given
him by Moller, who represented that
any amount wanted would be paid
on presentation ofthe paper atWash-
ington, to a German bank official of
this city, and learned that it was
worthless. He had Spandauer ar
rested at once, but Moller could not
be found until yesterday, when
Henry Remmers, shoemaker, 1877
Hanover street, was arrested by de-
tective Droste and identified as Mol
Ter, 49, ... ..-.. ,. -..-.----..,..--,r
The accused were brought before
Justice Fitzhugh yesterday after
noon for a hearing, when Conrad
Denhardt, quor dealer, of 344 South
Charles street, preferred an addition
al charge against them of having OBJ
tanned $50 from him through similar
representation as those made to
Griefzu. Both prisoners waived an
examination and were committed for
the action of the Grand Jury on three
charges of swindhng. 1t is under
stood that George f. 'Wiesner. of
Highlandtown, also lost sum Of
money through the two men. 1t is
alleged that they represented to him
that he had an interest in an estate
in Pennsylvania. A suit at law was
necessary to settle it, and money was
needed to carry it on. Wiesner ad-
vanced the money, and afterwards
found that the story of the estate was
pure fabrication. This charge will
probably also be brought against
Spandauer and Remmers Span
dauer was voluntary witness in the
trial Of Mrs. Surratt, charged with
completely in the assassination of
President Lincoln.