The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-03-30
The Clever Scheme OF an Alleged
Scheme to Swindle Ameri-
can Citizens.
A Spanish Officer Who Was Com
tinually Dying and Leaving
Buried Wealth.
The Victims Were to Have Part Of II and
the Beantiful Heirsss for q
Good Retainer.

past attempts have been made to yictimize
people Of prominence in the United States
By playing upon their crednlity at the ex-
.penso OF their purses. Just who the would
be swindlers are, and TO what extent they
succeeded, Is not known, but sufficient data
has driftcd into the department Of state to
indicate that these operations have been
conducted on a broad ss.le, and that the
leader in them is educated and we'll ac-
quainted in the affairs of persons selected
as victims. The fraudulent schemes are Of
the same general plan, but the details are
varied TO suit the character Of the victim.
As rule he is person who has at some
time had slight acquaintance with q
Spaniard. He received q letter from a
Spanish priest telling him large sum Of
money had been left to him by this Span
lard on conditions that always involve the
advance of greater or less sum to pay nec-
essary charges. The first notice the de-
partment of state had of the swindIe was
letter addressed to President Harrison soon
after he assumed Office. In this letter the
writer, Catholic priest, az he
described himself, informed tho presi
dent that Spanish army officer
after undergoing incredible y'cissitudes
unfortunately died in Spain. He had
delivered to the priest package contain
ing S20,0C0, which was to be turned over to
President Harrison on the sole condition
that he would assume charge of the officers
little daughter. Incidentally SIS, 600 was
needed to pay the necessary expenses. The
next person selected as a victim was Gener-
al Bartlett, of the pension office in Wash
lngton In this case great quantity Of
valuable plate was at stake encountered
with an innocent, angelic child Of the
Spaniard. His suspicious were aroused and
he escaped without loss Then promi-
nent druggist OF Patterson. N. j., was
picked out by the gang, but he regarded
the letter as joke and paid no attention
to it.
Early last week citizen Of Creston.
Iowa, was told that $4,000 in Jewels and
treasure had been buried in is neighbor-
hood by Spaniard he had known in by
gone years. He was to have description
Of the location and part of the proceeds Of
the property il he would send the remainder
to the da7zh of the Spaniard. binding
himself heavily and remitting money rs
pay the charges before receiving the chart
showing the location of the treasure. A
member of the United States house of rep
resentatives also came III for one of these
prize packages which were warranted to
contain fortune and beautiful eiIe
This latter was chiefly remarkable foc vne
crafty manner in which the priest seeks to
prevent the exposure of the swlndle by
making it appear to be in the recipients
interest to maintain silence. The priest's
story is romantic, as is invariably the case.
An illustrious prisoner had died in CASTLE.
The charge upon which he was confined,
embezzlement from the state, was cum
nlngly stated with apparent innocence, al
though Its suggestion indirectly accounted
for the great fortune of 3,0OOOOO pesetas,
about 81 300, 900, which the prisoner secreted.
He had selected an American congressman
to act as his executor. He also had an inno-
cent angelic heiress, and was willing to allow
his executor O fifth part of his fortune for
his trouble.
The last communication on the subject
which reached the department. of state is
from an attorney-at-law in Nebraska. He
gives modification of the scheme which
was attempted i'll 1882. In this case the pre-
tended catholic priest had learned at the
confessional that Il prisoner condemned for
theft from the queen of Spain (there ia al
ways an insinuating manner as to how the
bogus treasure WAS come by had died, leav-
ing concealed in America a large amount Of
money, OF which he promised to leave con-
siderable part to banker In Nebraska IL
The latter would act as his executor,
This particular banker showed the letter to
the attorney who investigated the matter
and saved the loss Of any money. The ut
tempt was renewed last November upon an
other banker of the same city. 1t was the
Did story again modified, the names chang
I'D but the handwrighting was the Same as
in the first case. This also fell into the
same attorneys possession and he led the
parties along in correspondence while he in
Lhe meantime notified the American min
lister and urged the authorities to act.