The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1896-04-02
Big BANK VICTINIZED.
Smooth Spaniard Gets a Check
for $4,000 Cashed.
HOW lie WORKED THE swlNDLE.

He Makes the Acquaintance OF n Vol
Known spaniard at New York aud Is In
troduced at iielmonrs Iank-.On Re-
eeipt of n Forged Letter Of Identifica-
ton His Check Is Cashed aud lie Imme.
diateiy Leaves for the w, st.
NEW YORK, April A shrewd Span
ish swlndler, after paying brief visit to
this city, Is supposed to be somewhere In
the wost-Chicago or st. Louis-prepar.
ing to desrlud banks by tho same plan
that he or his companions used abroad
lie arrived at the Hotel America, mt Flf
teenth street and Irving place, in the
early morning of March IL and created
not little comment among the Span.
iards and Spanish-Amorican who make
that hotel their resort VIII 10 in New York
He was man of about 45 years, very dark.
well dressed and just from Havana by the
Steamship Saratoga of the Ward line He
said he could not speak word of En-
gllsh, and 50, when Senor Sentinl, who
is great man about the hotel, was intro
duced to him, he begged tho latter To ac
company him about the city and protect
ter. He signed ths register as Manuel
Gonzales Mendozl. and, az he seemed tc
be well provided with money and was
really helpless, Senior Sentini consented
The Check Apparently Regular.
Mendoza made an early appointment
with his friend the morning after his ar
rival, and asked him If he would accom-
pany him to his bankers and interpret fol-
him. Sentinl agreed. They arrived al
the office of bank, said to be the one
controlled by August Belmont, shortly
after business hours began, and Mendoza
presented IA check drawn by Hidalgo &
Co., Havana, for S2i, ,00J. The check was
apparently regular but payment was re-
fused unless Mendoza could get some
one to identify him. Hidalgo g. Co.
have branch office for the mercantile
division of their house with the Ward
Steamship company at lib Wall street.
Frederick De Zllda Is their resident part.
ncr in this city. The check was sent to
him. He looked at IL closely and de-
clared that it certainly was the signature
of the firm. but he did not care to assume
any responsibility in the matter, as he
had received no advices concerning Mr..
Mendoza or of any check for S2i, o0J. In
the first mail the following day letter
was received from Havana, apparently
signed by Hidalgo & Co.
The Money Paid Over.
1t showed that Mr. Mendoza was very
charming gentleman, entirely unac-
quanted in this country, and that there
could be no question concerning Mr..
Mcndoza's responsibility, Mendoza then
received tbs monoy. New York thcn ap.
parently became too dull for Mendoza, for
he went to the hotel desk and, paying his
bill, said he would give up his room. He
did so and disappeared. 1t was not until
the beginning of last week that the propri.
etor of the Hotel America was compelled to
60 through "a series of cross examinations
by detectives concerning his guest of three
days. What he knew he told, but that
was very little. BY this time the bankers
were deeply interested in tho whereabouts
OF Mendoza, for they had communicated
with Hidalgo & Co, and the latter had
informed them that they knew nothing
about any check for $4,000 or Mendoza,
or, in fact any similar person or transac.
tion. They pronounced their signatures
to check and letter forgeries.