The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-09-01
SLICK SPANISH SWlNDLERS.
THEY TRIED TO DO MIR. w. VI. DAV-
IDsON OUT OF $1,000.


try-A Pretended Spanish Politcni
Prisoner in Dying Condition.
Writes That His wife Was IA sister
of the Person Addressed, Usually
of Foreign Birth or Descent, aHd
Asks to Leave His Only Daughter
to the Latter's Care, Along with
Large Fortune, which, However,
REQUIRES some Expense to Get at
Mr.. Davidson Was Interested, hut
He would Not send 81 600 For EN-
penses.
Savannah has a hoped-for victim Of the
Spanish swindlers that have been trying
TO work their little game all over the
world. Mr.. William NJ. Davidson is the
gentleman whom the slick artists in the
trade Of swindling tried to work. Mr. Da-
wilson, however. was not the very easy
mark that they were looking
for, and there are now prob
ably hearts that are aching in
the land of bull fights and the bolero. A
sucker that was longed for did not take
the hook, as they would like to have had
him do. in order for them to reap the proht
Of their rascality, and the big amount of
trouble they had in putting their nice lit
tie game into operation. Mr. Davidson
took a little taste of the bait, but he did
not take the whole tackle, hook, line and
sinker. as it was desired that he should.
There is no doubt about the Spaniards
being pretty smooth articles. Their game
has become just little more public prop
erty now than they wished to be, several
of their prospective dupes having found
that they were about to be touch
ed and given the snap of the Span
iards away The idea has been to get
confederates in this country TO find some
foreigner or person of foreign extraction
who has come over from the old country,
and made money, or has had it made for
him by the pioneers of his family, on
American soil. As soon as the rascals on
this side of the water have done their part
of the work, the results of their investiga-
tions are sent over to Spain, and there the
talented artists get in their work.
There Is no doubt that the Spaniards
have all the understanding necessary, in
the practice of their plan, of the feelings
and sentiments 10y which the mind and
heart of the average American is ruled,
and the love they have for the members
of their own families, but there is another
point in which they are in error. rms Is
in the idea thao he Is such easy fruit as
to be likely in every instance to rise TO
the bait. When the Spanish workers OF
the game get their advices of the Ameri-
cans who will probably be apt TO prove
profitable, they go to work in earnest The
first move is for some smart manlpulator
OF a Spanish-American pen to write a let
ter to one of the proposed dupes, telling
him that he is confined as political pris-
oner In one of the castles in Spain, and
imploring him. after theMeath of the
writer. who Is stated to be i'll of slow
malady that is sure to result fatally, to
care for his young daughter, whose rela-
tionship to the intended dupe he dlsclOseS.
Mr. Davidson received one of these let
ters last May. 1t stated that the writer,
Alfredo Diaz, was confined in the castle
fort of Valencia, and began by asking
Mr. Davidsons pardon for addressing
him, saying very touchingly that it would
probably be for the last time, as the fatal
illness would be likely to carry him off
before he would ever have the honor OF
again addressing him. He went on to eX-
plain that his wife, Caroline Davidson,
had died. and that their little daughter
was in the college Anglo-Spanish of La
Estrello and needed the protection of the
male relative represented in the person of
Mr.. Davidson whom he tried to smooth
down by the application of a good deal of
soft soap. The letter was long and ram
bling, telling all about his
political troubles and speak
ing of fS5, 900 he had deposited with the
Bank of England after his flight for politi-
cal reasons from the land of his nativity.
For this nice sum he had obtained a draft
which he had concealed in the bottom Of
a portmanteau that was among his lug
gage that had been seized to stand as Sc
curity for the costs in his trial on politi-
cal charges. This, of course, however,
could be secured on the payment of the
costs, for there seem to be court costs to
trouble Spanish as well as American LTD
giants. The draft could then be taken out
of the valise lining. and would be readily
honored by the bank The greatest Sc
crecy was advised in the matter as dis
closure would greatly injure him. He was
closely watched, so was his daughter and
all about him by his political en-
emies, and on the whole, Senior Alfred
Diaz was a much abused man. The only
confidant he had was a priest his friend
and confessor Father Rosendo Marcos.
and it was through his help that he was
able to post that wonderful letter. Mr.
Davidson was also asked to address his
reply to the servant of the priest, whose
name was given as Manual Perez
The whole letter was marvel of public
htgs DeiHS written as IL was In a peculiar
style that would at once suggest a foreign
language and a foreign hand. That, as did
all the subsequent letters received, had
the postmark of Valencia and bore the
Spanish stamp.
When Mr.. Davidson had read
and re-read this wonderful
composition he set about to answer his
mind being stirred by ques-
ton of doubt and feel
ing that impelled him to ascertain
whether this child that would be left des-
titute, this pretty little Spanish girl of A.
i'm whom he had discovered a relative. So
he answered The letter and told his CORE
spondent. Mr.. Diaz, that he was mistaken
about his wife having been Mr. David
sons sister. He told him that il might
have been his father. who left Scotland
when a boy of II, but. that his father had
left only two sisters in that country, and
that neithers name was Caroline. The
younger of the two would now be 50, and
consequently, he judged it unlikely thai
she would have had a daughter of IA.
Mr.. Diaz was undismayed by what t
even a past master in villainy and decep
tive practices would have proven a facer
He wrote Mr.. Davidson another letter tell
ing him all about his troubles, but did no
enter mo an explanation about how an,