Evening journal., 1897-03-27
BIG FoPcFo,'rs III CUBA.
Two Spanish Crooks Whose
Profits We're 100000.
CARRIED ON A LONG TINE.

Principals Finally Arrested and Lodged
In Jau-said to Have Dcfraudcd Many
Persons In France. England and the
United stascs-They worked Cleveriy.
HAVANA, March s7.-Tho police have
discovered here another gang Of swindlers
las audacious as the ore w hich last year
forged the signature of Hidalgo & Co. Of
Havana on a draft on August Belmont a
i Co. Of New York city after having swim
\ iled several other foreign bankers with
correspondents in Cuba The two princi-
pals os the last gang, now under arrest,
are Spaniards. Sebastian Bcrnal Alfonso
5 and Antonio Mart Herrera. both of Va
lencia.
Both men carried on their frauds for
s ong time from Madrid. Basoclona and
& other important towns OF the peninsula
md ara said to have defrauded many per
ions in France, England and TIE United
States. Last year they came to Havana
with some Of their associates, and here
q hey have obtained criminally 1t Is said,
more than $500, 600 Their why OF opera
81 ing was exceedingly clever Knowing by
lame many persons Of Spanish or Cuban
& iescent living abroad and foreigners mar
f.
aimed full information regarding the dis
ant relatives of these persons. 1hon thoy
s addressed letters to the proposed victims
notifying them that certain ones Of thoir
n listant relatives had died, leaving large
"a egacies to the persons addressed. The let
e"s appeared to have been signed by no.
ary public who inclosed certified copies
If the wills on Spanish legal paper The
ignatures Of tho notaries were certified
pparently by the Havana consul general
q # the nation TO which the person address
5 d belonged. In each case the seal Of the
onsulate was forged to make tho proof of
enuineness seem conclusive.
Consulate Certificates Forged.
With the alleged official letter was sent
mother, signed by Dr. Adrano Millares,
VI opposed to be a lawyer in which more
PARTICULARS were given and the manage
nent Of the case solicited. OF course
here was no notary public Of the name
iven and no DR.. Adriano Milarcs. All
he papers and seals and consulate oertin-
ates were forged But the family details
7ere so numerous and correct that, with
sw exceptions, the persons addressed fell
nto the trap After receiving from them
favorable answer Dr. Millares, who was
he swindler Bernal, answered, asking q
MI power Of attorney and a certain sum,
4 rhich never was less than 50, 600. Some
& mes the sum was sent TO him by cable
fully convinced were the persons Of his
eracity.
When Bernnl and Marti were in Spain
hey always wrote to their victims that
art OF the legacy was in property in Ha-
ana; so last year they found a good ex-
use for establishing here their headquar
3rs. When asked about delays in settling
le fictitious estates, they answered thai
ne incapacity and corruptness Of the Span
u courts accounted for tho trouble II
lany instances more money was sent {,
iem for use in bribing the judges auS
iurt officers and obtainingra speedy set
ement of the claim.
Bernal conceived the plans, and Marti
no is a wonderful penman, was in oharu
the forging Of seals and signatures. A
10 house of Marti, in Guanahacoa, tn,
iwn across the bay, where he was arrest
l. the police found lot of legal paper
als of all the Spanish courts in Cub;
I'd Of all the important consulates anC
rged signatures Of nearly all tho magis
ates and public notaries in Havana.
Bornal and Marti wero discovered
rough inquiries made in Santiago dl
uba of the chief of police, Senior Tru
Ito, who, after long investigation, asket
lat they be arrested in Havana.