New-York tribune., 1897-08-04
ALLEGED GoLD.BRICK OPERATORS.
ACTING INSPECTOR OBRIEN HAS PAIN
SUSPECTED OF LARGE SWINDLEs'

ACTING INSPECTOR oBRIEN HAS PAIN
SUSPECTED OF LARGE swINDLEs.
ACTING 1rsnector O'Brien has locked up at Head
ou.rers two alleged god brick swindlers. wanted Ill
New-Orleans for swindling wealthy sa'oonkeepei
OH; of s. 900 and also suspected OF beihg "eie' Va
a gang who have had extensive operations III 'o"'"
American cities and the large cities or TINS country.
The two persons under arrest are Juan ANTONIO
Magan ffty-hve years old who gives as his ADDRESS
No IA Dolphln-st.. New-Orleans. and Rogeho Gui-
terriaz tweniy-one years old. who also comes from
New-O cans They bo.h said they left New-Or'eans
four days ago
The specific charge against them is the one men
toned of their having swinded saioohKeeper
named Pascal Iastell. of New-Oreans. out OF s"ooo
on a gold brick swindle. On July Magan. 1t Is
alleged went TO the saloonkeeper and represented
himself as Ralph Diaz He stated that ne ana
others In the employ OF the Argentine Govern
ment stationed at Buenos Ayres. While mus en-
poyed by the Government they had got hoii or
100000 in gold bricks Ralph Diaz, as he styled
himself displayed one Of the gold bricks to Laseil
and asked him TO have II analyzed and tested thor-
oughy. Lastell had the brick filed and was tod
that the filings were pure and unaloyed goid uus''
The next time Daz called he had with him young
man supposed to be the Guterriaz arrested ana III
custody here. The young man said that the eider
man his father. and that he had for long 'ime
suffered with affection of the heart. The reason
for this was the great energy he had displayed In
his early life In accommodating fortune lie staten
that his father didn't to run any great risks,
and wanted some active man TO share for consid-
Grafton in the gold-brick fortune he had met IN
Buenos Ayres. He further stated that 1t was the
intention OF his father go to Tampa for his heaith
as he had disposed OF his interest in the
gold bricks.
Having tested the god bricks Lastell was anxious
to get a good share of them When the proposition
was made to him that he could have one-third f
share Of the gold-brick scheme. he jumped AT the
opportunity. He parted with his 5000 and he was
not long In ascertainng that he had lot OF worth
lett gold bricks hand. He reported the matter
to the New-Oreans police. One of the men sup
posed to be a member OF the gang died suddenly IN
New-Orieans from heart disease supposed to be
supernduced by the excitement attendant on this
transaction with Lastell. His name was Jose
Maria Mayano.
on July % Acting Inspector OBr!en received
telegram from d. 5. Casper. Superintendent OF
Police Of New-Orleans. and since then has been
looking for the men. who were arrested yesterday:
The detectives discovered two trunks at NO lS
Lexington-ave.. where the men were staying. The
trunks contained the complete outfit FOR the gold
brick swinde. There pair or Jewe.lerS
scales. weights etc. a box of jewellers tools. a
lamp. crucble, two small boxes containing gold
and silver alloy, two bottles containing a yellow
liquid used for painting fake bricks, six fake gold
bricks and dies for making others.