The morning call., 1891-03-30
SWINDLING SCHEMES.
Persistent Attempts 10 YiGtniZe Prominent
People Of the United States.

WASHINGTON, March 29-For several
years past attempts have been made to vic
timiZe people Of prominence in the United
States 10y playing upon their credulity at
the expense OF their purses. Just who the
wouid-be swiudlers are and to what extent
they have succeeded is not known, but
sufficient data has drifted into the Depart
ment of State to indicate that the operations
have been conducted on a broad scale, and
the leader in them is educated and well ac-
Quainted in the affairs Of the persons ST.
lected as victims. The fraudulent schemes
are of the same general plan, but the de-
tails are varied Indefinitely TO meet the
character Of the victim. As a rule he is a
person who has at some time had slight
acquaintance with Spaniard. He receives
letter from "a Spanish priest" telling him
that large sum of money has been left to
him by this SpaniaTd on conditions that al
ways Involve the advancement of Il greater
or less sum Of money to pay neCes aly
charges. The frs; notice the Department
of State had of the swiEd.e was Il letter ad-
dreS- ed to President Harrison after he as
sumtd eff G. In this letter the wrteT-a
Catholic priest, as lie described himseli--in-
formed the President tnat Spanish army
Oltieer after uuStreeiBg incredible VIcisst-
tudes Of fortune, Lad diet Ia Spain. lie
had delivered to the priest q pa lge con-
tanning $4,000, which was TO be turned over
to President Harrison oil the sole condition
that he would assume Charge Of the affairs
of his little daughter. Incidentally the
amount OF 5000 WAS needed to pay neces-
AIRY expenses.
The ext person selected as a victim was
General Bartlett Of the Pension Office in
Washington In this ca.e i great quantity
of valuable plate was at stake, encountered
with an Innocent, angelic child OF the
| Spaailrd. General Bartletts suspicious
| were aroused and he escaped without loss.
| Then prominent druggist Il Paterson, y.
j., was picked out by the gang, but he re-
carded the letter as a Joke and paid nc at
leutiun to 1t. Early last week citizen OF
Creston. Iowa, was told that $4,000 II Jew
els and treasure was buried IN his neshDOT-
hood by a SpaniaTd he mad known Ia by
gone years. lie was to have description
| Of 1t, location and part OF the, proceeds OF
| the property II he would SEND the remainder
/ to the daughter Of TIE SPan.dTd, binding
| himself heavily and renting money TO ray
| charges before receiving the chart showing
the location Of the treasure.
4 member of the United States House OF
! Representatives last SUMMED also came in
! for one Of these prize packages, which was
| said to contain a fortune and btautIiul
! heiresS. This letter Is chiefly remarkable
! for the crafty manner IN which the alleged
! prizes, seeks to prevent the exposure OF the
| sWindle 10y making 1t appear to be IN the
| recipients interest to maintain silence.
! The alleged priests story is romantic, as is
! invariably the case An ilu5troul prison
/ had ed In Il castle. The charge upon
! which he was confined (enlbeZZlement from
| stat) was cunnin.ly stated with apparent
! innocence, although its suggestion iHdi-
| rectly accounted for the great fortune cf
| 9.GOJ, coo pextas (abuut Sl,J0O,0J0) which the
| prisoner had selected. lie had selected
| the American Congressman to act as his
executor. He had an innocent, angelic hcig
and willing Ia allow the executor
a fifth part Of the fortune for his trouble.
! The last communication on the subject
! which reach ed the Department of State Is
| from an attoTuey-at-iaw in Nebraska. he
| gives a modification of a scheme which WAS
| attempted in 1882. In this case the pre-
| tended Catholic priest had learned at con-
! fessiOnal that a prisoner condemned for
theft from the Queen OF Spain (thcre Is al
| ways an insnuatiUH as TO the manner III
| which the bogus treasure was come by had
| died, leaving concealed in America a large
I amount of money, of which a considerable
part he prom sed to leave TO the banker in
| Nebraska if the latter would act as his eX-
ecutor. This particular banker showed the
| letter to an attorney, who investigated the
| matter and saved tn9 loss of money. An
! attempt was made last November upon an
| other banker of the same city. The old
story was again modified aud the names
changed, but the handwriting was the same
as In the first case. This also fell into the
hands Of the same attorney, and he led the
parties along in correspondence while he in
the meantime notified the American Minis
ter in Spain and urged the authorities to act.