The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1884-07-31
AN OLD ME
The Cuban Prison Swlndle Re-
vived.
A Prosecuted Patriot Makes Tempting
Proposal TO a Canton Merchant
and he Bites ~

Interesting rehulnR Dy MI lnOse Who hTe
acquainted with the old Cuban prison
swindle. The scheme Is one that was
worked several years ago to good adyan'
taQe, and was completely exposed by a
Baltimore paper on the occasion OF q,
wealthy gentleman Of that city coming
within an ace OF being made victim
Of II some two or three years ago. The
awkward construction and false spell
ing OF the letter addressed TO the In
tended victim In this case, Mr.. Louis
DumOnt, one OF Cantons prominent
merchants, Is very thin gag, and Is not
calculated TO deceive anybody but the
sOltest kind OF an individual. The let
'ers are herewith given;
[coPIm VERBATIM YRoM TIR 0RIONAI4l
HAVANA POLITICAL PRISONS,
9th July, 1884.
L. DUMoNT, EsQ,--SIR: Obliged by
the difficult circumstances In which |
find myself and encouraged by your
good reputation, don't doubt to trust
your q secret of great Importance.
In 1874 | was an officer In tho Spanish
army, but an unhappy accident compell-
cd me TO desert, saving myself OF the So
verify OF the military lawe. In such u
case | embraced the Cuban cause, and
In 1877 | was commissioned TO Tecollect
the funds In order TO continue
the war, that were In hands
OF the Committees OF the& Ia
land. | set of TO I'll my commission
Il In less than q month had rec0llected
800 thousand dollars In cy and five
hundred ounces In gold, But was 10
much prosecuted by the Spanish police
that | was obliged to save myself In a
vessel that sailed for that Republic.
When arrived 10 N. York | found
that during my absence, great dlac0rd-
ance In the scin OF the Revolutionary
Cuban Committee had taken place, In
consequence Of which the most import.
ants members constituted In OpOslti0n
to II the Revolutionary Junta. As they
desauth0rlzed themselves mutually de-
nlging every representation " calling
themselves traitors IL AZ both wanted
me to deliver the funds had recollect'
cd, with absolute prohibition to do II Il
the other, | decided to return TO the ls'
land TO get orders from the Execu'
tive Power. Knowing the risks
1 had 10 run In such an ELL
terprise thought first to assure the
funds conlded to me, and for such q
purpose buried them In leaden case
In the nelghDOrhoOd OF that city,getting
before u crOGlns Of the place, which
kept In q secret Of my yallse.
MI precautions for misfortune were
not In vain, for az soon ~ | stepped the
pier OF Havana was imprisoned aud
sumitted 10 preceding for inldence,a
my baggage being sized. As was AZ.
forwards denounced as desert0r officer
am also also under military proceeding
and pending OF personal Identification
Soon after my imprisonment the war
was over as q shameful bargain. Every
thing was bought and sold In the "Zans'
son." aud Rince ARE my greater suffer
ings and the arbitrarties OF which
am the victim, inspired by those who
were my fellowship TO such point that
have no hope OF my liberty but by
opening my prison with u GOLD KgY.
In such q situation 81 entirely alone q
surrounded by powerful enemies that
want my RUNE | trust IN you hopping
you may gelp me 70 recover the sums !
have buried y with them my liberty
may be my life. OF said amounts
win give you the third part IN q reward
for your good services, paying you also
all The expenses that such case should
demand q which hope you will antici-
pate because in my actual poorness II IL
impossible for me 10 attend 10 them.
The only expense worth OF mention
will be only TO get my baggage that IL
sized u which can be gotten by paying
the costs OF my cause, this being indis-
pensable In order TO get the conqin,
with out which nothing Gun be done.
pray you for your honor to DO prud'
ent aud estrictily reserved and no TO
trust any body what have stated.
You may aign your letters only with
your initiRlsa aud you may address, them IN
the form state because otherwise they
should be intercepted by my enemies,
am In haste for your answer for
when receive II. then will give more
immediate details aud will lot you know
some documents that will patentlze the
Importance OF the business,
Yours very truly,
FERDINAND VARoNA.
Adress: Esterlor envelope; Sr DR. Bias
Gimenez, 8, Rafael 1 tabaQnOria, Ha6aDO
(CubO) with second envelope TO be dc
iiyered 10 II, v, Ps. Ps.
MR.. DuMoNT's ANSWER.
CANTON, ONO, u, 8, A., I
July 20, 1884,
SENIOR FERDINAND VARoNA, Up. T.,
Hahana, Cuba.- Unfortunate Fellow
man and Brother:-Y0ur explanatory
communication dated July och, came
duly 10 hand aud | eau assure you II
was most carefully peIusod, over and
over again, with overwhelming feeling,
Of sympathy and regret.
Sympathy, because from personal TX
perIence. IhGye good cause to sympa.
ihze with the oppressed Of oil lands, be
II Empire, Kingdom, Monarchy or Ro'
puuit,
Regret, because | did not know OF
your lad case sooner aud because II
appears ~ bo impossible for me 10 afford
you immediate and substantial relief
from tho mental agony and phyaicnl
suffering which | am positive, from my
own personal knowledge OF similar
casea. You must have been and are nj
present enduring.
at llrst thought that would open a
correspondence with our Minister
Plenipotentiary and Envoy Exiraordi-
nary, nj llabana, and with whom have
tho honor N be personally acquainted,
but after mature dellberntion over the
conclusion OF your communication,
detormined TINT that would be the
wrong course 10 pursue TO render you
the required aid without due publicity
nnd comment also pondcred for many
hours, eudeavorlng 10 solve the problem
M 10 tho manner and by whom
You Ind secured my name and present
address. hut remembering my In
uarceratlon In u military prison ai
Paris,lfor alding;the Commune, 'and my
prison experience In Mexico, for render
ING valuable assistance 10 Maximlllian
aud that during those petiods we wer,
occasionally allowed 10 read the news
-L...L. ...l f.t.a sabine Aha l..t lat,