The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-09-03
rs LIKE A ROMANCE
STRANGE STORY OF GIGANTIC
SPANISH swINDLE.

i
SPANISH sWINDLE.
Like The Great Dutch Fortunes asd th'
Planned and the Oceans Width Doe
Not Prevent 1t From Hunting Victim
| in America-Story Of . Beautiful Cir
| in . spanish Prison and the Plan o.
| Her ReIease-The Workers in TIT
| Curious Deal.
New York, Sept. 1.-The Herald says
This is literally q romance Of crime. Il
Is the story OF an international conf
dence game winch has had wide ramih-
cations, and hundreds and possibl thous-
ands, Of victims. In many respects 1t is
a new scheme to defraud, and has never
| been exposed. For cupidity and care Of
detail it surpasse the gold brick swindle,
| the game of the shipwrecker mariner
| who has discovered buried gold on des-
ert isle or the discovery OF the English
or German barrister who knows OF an
unclaimed estate Of millions which can
| be divided among the Brown, Jones or
| Robinson familyp in America.
They are set Of clever rogues who are
engaged in this magnificent enterprise.
| There is one party Of confederates in the
United States and another in Spain. The
| band in the United States devote their
time to finding likely birds to be plucked.
| Is there some prosperous German who
came to America when an infant, and
has been so busy making money that he
he does not know what became Of his
relatives who were left behind in the
Faderland? Is there some French emf
gre now in easy circumstances who
would be certain to have relatives scat
tered over Europe? These are the men
marked for prey. The only other requi-
sites are that the victims should have
the ordinary instincts Of humanity. and
should Deso tender hearted as to be dis
armed of strict business prudence and
caught unawares. The letter writer in
Spain, constitute the other band, will do
the rest.
These hundreds Of men and women
have been swindled. Each case resem-
bles the other. and the Herald. in oredr
to throw light on this new trap for the
unwary, will relate the details Of one Of
them.
RECEIVES A STRANGE LETTER.
One of the solid German-American citi-
zens Of Baltimore, Nd, is William Baum
garten. When mis- parents brought him
to America from Handover Germany, he
was only nine years old, and they left
behind numerous cousins and uncles and
aunts who, probably in few years were
scattered all over the face Of the habit
able globe. His parents were poor, but
they gave their son a good education,
and in time William Baumgarten be-
came an APPRENTICE to his father in bust
ness Of engraving and the making OF
seals. In the hurry Of making living
many Of the relatives who were left be-
hind were lost sight of, and this is i'm
portant to the story. Mr.. Baumgarten
cast his lot with the Confederacy during
the civil war, but soon run the blockade
and got North again, and devoted his at
tention to business mora closely than
ever.
When his father retired in 1878, he sue
ceeded to the business, and had a large
factory and store at No. 213 East Fay
cite street. He established important |
connections in Europe, and boosted that |
he never felt the hard times, matter |
what other firms had to say.
The beginning Of 1897 found MILAN |
pleasantly situated. He |
was fifty-four years old. but had made |
enough money to contemplate retiring
from business with confidence and to
plan extensive European travel. He
carved his fortune out OF the New
World, and was proud of It. He avs a
because he saw no reason
why man should slave In his old age
whe he had enough money for his worldly
reeds. He was a Master Mason and an
Odd Fellow and a Red Man, and had
been connected with half dozen other
secret societies. He was also a chess
player, for which he had a great fond
less, thus insuring himself against dull
I'D age, and every evening found him at
he rooms Of the Baltimore Chess Asso-
,iation.
Mr.. Baur,Sdrten entered his store one
% open his mail There was one square
morning late in January and preceded
Envelope with the lot which had a for
ign postage stamps. and bore the post
mark OF Valencia, Spain. Beng u max
r OF stamps Mr.. Baumgarten is also a
ollector of stamps. and he tore off the
orner Of the envelope with the lot which I
lad a foreign postage stamp and drop
ed il into the corner of his drawer for
afe keeping. Mr.. Baumgarten then un-
olded the letter and began to read II. It
Tas strange story which the letter !
old. in English which had a Spanish
wist to II. that made Il read singularly I
uain: I
1t was dated Castle Fort o. valen-
ia, February IA 1897" and was address,
d to ''Mr. William Baumgarten. Ny {
lear Sir" and the writer proceeded TO !
, tell his story.
He didn't have the honor 70 know the 7
erson he was addressing, but his dead |
life. Caroline. IN mentioning the tndi- q
iduals OF her family, had praised the G
onesty and good qualities OF him he I
as writing 10. He was writing. there J
IRE. for the first and possibly for the =
st ';ine to one whose aid ne was about I
solicit for his only daughter. who was \
50 Mr.. Baumsarten's neice. This {
aughtsr was for the present safe IN the c
oHoge Anglo-Spanish OF La EstrelIa. 8
Then came an Injunction 70 secrecy. c
he writer was watched by his enemies. p