The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-06-27
FASTENED to answer. asking for further and
more minute particulars.
FROM THE PRIEST

FASTENED to answer. asking for further and
more minute particulars.
FROM THE PRIEST
He was somewhat astonished at the an
swer. Instead of being from the prisoner
whose solicitude for a darling daugher is
so touching. II is from the supposed Perez.
The phraseology and idioms are strikingly
like the first letters The game progresses
thus:
"SAGUNTO. Oct. 6. 1895.
"Sir-I have just received your esteemed
OF the goth of September. addressed 10 the
unhappy Mr.. Molina. l have the sorrow 10
announce you the death of our poor frleRS
which, occurred the first OF TINS mo nun;
caused by an illness he had for long
time. l took charge of the AFFAIR ne con,
fided you. l have been made executor ana
guardian of his young daughter, VINO Is
now with me under the care of my good
and old mother.
In compliance to the will of the de-
ceased. l am obliged to communicate 20
you everything concerning this affair IN
order TO decide you, but again | ask you
all reserve, even in your own family:
delay to become possessor of the seized
trunk, and at my return will write 10 you
again and send some other documents
Enclosed l have the honor to send you
the certificate of marriage of Mr.. Molina
and his spouse Nine. Louise Bamor
also incose a translation so as 10 enable
YOU to read it without any ones help,
which is quite essential. Please wait Tor
more news from me: Your very n1InDle
servant, MANUEL PEREZ.
AN OFFICIAL" LETTER.
Thereafter all correspondence is con-
Quoted with the bogus priest whose next
move is to inclose what purports to be a
copy of the decree issued by the tribunal
at Madrid granting a delay of four months
to enable the payment of the costs of the
suit to be made. This is written on the
official letter paper of the Department of
Justice. The letter is in French and the
Enclosures in Spanish. The translations arc
MADRID, Oct. u, 1896.
"Sir-Inclosed you will find the document
given to me by the tribunal, which relates
to the seized box. the delay granted to pc
come possessed of it and also or the cost
of the suit. l go back tonight to S3gunto
and after resting little while l VIII write
again. explaining infinitely the affair oc-
cupying us. Please send back TO me the
document inclosed, and also the copy of
the certificate l had the honor 10 Sehd you
previously. Your servant, M r
Schedule of Notification.
Registry of Mr.. Vonduemas
I'm answer to your communication claim
ing the object seized to the condemned ana
deceased, Mr.. Juan Molina Moran, this
tribunal, taking in consideration your
rights according to the will OF the de-
ceased, allow you a delay of four months 70
D6 dDle TO accomplish TIC pay lliCllI "
expenses of the suit which motived the
seizure, amounting to 61S2 francs 90
confines.
ment was not made inside this delay, auc-
ton sale will be made of the trunk and
the objects and jewels it contains, which,
according to page It of the summary have
been valued to the sum of 16. 789 francs.
Madrid Oct. II, 1896.
BY the next mail came formidable
looking envelope containing a copy of what
nIrnOrtS TO he the last VIII or Juan MO
lima dated Sagunto, Sept. 26, 1896 In Whch
he forgives all his enemies, commends. ms ms
soul to God and bequeaths to the guardian
of his daughter all of his fortune, winch
consists of the objects Seized by the triou-
The fifth Clause of the alleged will reads
thus:
1.-THE sum of 900 francs. which be.
a person n who h will give an account of it to
the guardian of my daughter WITHIN year
after my death"
This was an Ingenious method of inform
ing the expectant investor of the value of
the buried treasure, and at the same time
convey the impression that the Madrid au-
thorities could know nothing OF It's Where-
abouts when expressed in such language
1t is really the master stroke in the bid
for the 5000 francs to pay the expenses of
the lawsuit and so secure the ground
plan showing where the money is con-
cealed.
AS further clincher. copy of the mar
riage contract of Juan Molina, signed by
the register of public deeds of the town of
Alicante, accompanies the copy or the Will
and it is attested that Moina's bride
brought him a dowry of 100000 francs. on
the wedding day.
CONVINCING ANSWERS.
Letters passed back and forth until Feb
ruary of the present year, the correspond
ence constantly growing more voluminous
No inquiry that the selected victim could
make could battle the swindlers. They an
swered promptly by each mail steamer, and
presented the most plausible explanation to
each objection 1t was pointed out that
the tribunal might suspect from the delay
that something of great value ana lmpor-
lance was being concealed. and would
break open the box and possibly discover
the secret compartment containing the dla-
gram of the hiding place of the gold. In
this event. the swindlers pleaded, one or
more corrupt officials would Immediately
set sail for the United States, find the mys-
terious hole, dig up the treasure and re-
turn to Spain. This was intended, as the
final and convincing argument.
The specific case here related happened
in the northern part of this State. The
last letter was written on Sunday ana went
by Wednesdays steamer. 1t contained a
final declinatiOn to advance dollar. Eight
months have been consumed and the trans
lations alone have cost upwards of $780,
The intended victim had the money ready
to send in January, ana was just on the
point of yielding to the final argument
when it suddenly occurred to him that if
Rev. Manuel Perez had such a good thing
it was certainly salable in Madrid, where
every opportunity existed to prove its
value This eleventh-hour reflection saved
the loss of the cash. OF course, no such
person as Juan Molina" who buried 1900
600 francs in America. ever existed. Perez
las (chairmaker)-is simply the name used
to claim the mail. The decree of the tribu-
nal Is forgery. The victim who forwards
5000 francs by draft is fed on expectation
draft iS maid After that no hparS