The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-08-11
THAT SPANISH FRAUD.
How Clever Scheme Was Laid to Trap Lee
Hays OF This City.


lish the intended robbery and thus save
hundreds of unsuspecting people from lie
coming victims 10 IT, The New York
World is talking through its hat. TIL
EAGLE published the details of the Span.
ish fraud, in two columns, nearly fou,
months ago. The name Of the Intended
victim of the fraud was not given al
that time for good reasons, but
bis identity was broadly iutimated
in the expression "a will known West
Douglas avenue merchant" Now that
there is no further reason for withholding
the name it is that Of Lee Hays the well
known leather merchant on the corner of
Douglas avenue and Water street. The
Spanish fraud was called to the attention
Of the secretary OF state by Mr.. Hays and
now the American consul at Madrid is in
vestigating the case as are also the govern
ment officers of Spain at the request Of the
American minister to that country.
This being the case the following ac-
count of deep-iaid plan to swindle Mr..
Hays is interesting not only because it
was conceived in Spain, and by a mind
that is evidently Spanish. From certain
circumstances that will appear it seems to
be clear that the scheme had been sue
cessfully tried many times on more con-
fiding Americans before the unhappy day
when the swindler selected Lee Hays for a
victim. Like all swiudles, this one is won
derfully strong, except in one or two
places where it is wofully weak, but the
general strength OF it is such as to make
the few week parts Invisible to mind
only ordinarily shrewd, or to one that is
possessed of unusual confidence in the
human race. The swindle is built on two
of the strongest characteristics OF man
love of money and sympathy for young
girl bereft of friends and beset by enemies.
How long it took the Dlotters to perfect
their plan, and how many rascally minds
were busy with it, may never be known.
When it was ali completed it comprised Il
tale of pathos. of the innocent suffering for
the guilty, of death and wrongs SO cruel
to dying man. In order that the reader
may be able to follow the peculiarly word
ed letters that gradually unfolded the plot,
this synopsis of it is presented.
A Spanish official of high standing in
Madrid, married man, with charming
daughter, discovers ii deficit in his accounts
to $500, 900, caused by the thev-
ing practices of his brother-in-law, who
met gambling losses with the public funds
which he, as clerk, handled Fearing that
his fortune and that of his wife would not
suffice to replace the missing sum, and
from beggaring his family. the
official converts all his property into cash
and deposits the amount obtained in Il
bank where the Spanish government can
not touch it. He then acquaints his
superiors with the condition of affairs and
submits himself to the proceedings of
justice. He is sentenced to ten years i'm
prlsonment in the penal institution at
Mellla in Morocco. and the brother-in
law is condemned for life with hard labor
In November last Mr.. Hays received
a letter detailing the above facts.
The letter states that the unfortunate
mans name is James Hays and that by
continual search he has found Lee Hays 10
be his cousin. He was born in North
America, according to his story, but was
taken to Spain when he was very young.
He then tells MIR. Hays a pathetic story.
He is in prison and very sick, but he has a
very kind spiritual advisor named Father
states that at the time of the defaeation
by his brother-in-law that he had in cash
something in the neighborhood of S325, Goo
He could have saved both himself and his
by beggering his only
daughter who was then Is years old, his
wife having died from the shock incident
to his arrest. This money is placed in
bank in a distant part of Spain where it
was safe in the event of an attempt being
made on the part of the government to re-
compense the loss caused by the dishonesty
Of his brother-in-law. He stated that he
had through an American friend
information about Mr.
Hays standing in the community,
aud that he found it sufficiently
good TO warrant him in desiring TO
send his daughter over here to MIR. Hays
20 be raised, dwelling on the important
,act that she would he surrounded by
excellent Christian influences aud receive
good education. To be brief he asked
Mr.. Hays whether he would be willing to
become the guardian Of her person and
He did not expect Mr.. Hays 10
De his friend for nothing by any means.
.
give him the sum of 1000 for his trouble
md incidentally as token of friendship
existing between them. Why he desired
% send the daughter to America is eX-
blamed as follows: The unfortunate gen
leman incurred the ennity of his wife's
parents for permitting their son TO be
imprisoned for life while he had enough
money to make the defalcation good. The
parents were trying to get possession of the
,irl and he was unwilling TO let them have
Ter for fear they would prejudice her
mind against him and thus rob him OF her
owe and affection, a thing which would
lot only make his prison life more misera-
lie, but which would eventually bring
linn to premature grave.
When Mr.. Hays received this letter he
vas astonished beyond measure. He did
lot know what to make of il, and be read
t over and over again. There was not a
ingle intimstion OF fraud in it, and he
vas anxious to see where the matter
would end, so be wrote in reply, saying he
would do everything possible for her and
would cheerfully become her guardian.
In reply to this he received another let
er from his Spanish cousin. who was still
ick, and in the handwriting of Father !
feuis. His cousin was prufuse IN his !
hanks for Mr.. Hays kindness in accept !
ng the trust. He said il made him feel !
Ike a new man. aud the way he recounted !
he joys o: his daughters future la such |
GOD hands would do credit 10 q novelist |
lie wound this letter up by profuse |
hanks and an earnest desire that t
ir Hays would write soon and 1
cquaint him more fully about his family /
fairs, whether he had daughters, &c. !
nd in fact was seemingly very earnest |
bout every thing that had bearing on /
he happiness OF his sweet child Rosa