The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-06-27
AN INGENIOUS SWINDLE
MYSTERY OF THE SPANISH COURT
MADE BAIT FOR THE UNwARA.
Part of a Buried Million of Francs
offered as Reward for Aid i'm Re-
covering the Lost Wealth.
lew York Mail and Express.

New York Mail and Express.
A gang of French and Spanish swindlers
with headquarters at Valencia, Spain, have
begun and are now prosecuting in the
United States a gigantic scheme of fraud
which. for skillful planning, is ahead OF
anything heretofore attempted in the con-
idence line Beside it the work OF the
crafty green goods operator is the work
of the vulgar footpad. The Valencia rogues
have evolved a plan which appeals not 10
the man whose latent dishonesty is aroused
by a promise of fabulous prohts, out 70
the prudent business man of speculative
turn, and so specious are the arguments
that they seldom fail to find victim at
$1,000 a find. The patience with Whlch
these fellows pursue their purpose is some
thing extraordinary. They began in Au-
gust, 1885, in one instance. and are only
now concluding negotiations
To understand the correspondence which
follows it is necessary to explain that an
American agent is employed lin New York
to secure the names and addresses OF we'll
TODD merchants and farmers in interior
cities throughout the Union. These are
sent in patches to the headquarters in
Valencia, where a staff of expert trans
lators ana correspondents is employed un-
CAAS
Blanco. the name, by the way, of one
of the bomb throwers sentenced 10 ole IN
Barcelona next month.
The first bait thrown out is letter In
French, written on ordinary note paper.
1t is dated Prison of Sagunto, Valencia,
Spain, Aug 7, 1896" and was at that time
sent to various points in America by the
thousand Translated it reads as follows:
"Honored Sir-I have previously ad-
dressed you, asking you the permission TO
confide in you. secret about a sum Oh
money buried by me in your country. 10
day, feeling my health failing on account
of prison life. my conscience, my DUTY ana
the Christian counsels of the reverend
man who is visiting me made me think 10
write to you asking your help Tor a case
which happened in your country:
Il must tell you, If you take the tro bin6
you will have a part of the proht, when
in no means can offend your dignity
Il can assure you that only on this case
in question depend now my liberty ana the
honor of my daughter.
ITO your honor l confide this letter, that
you must keep and in case you could not
understand French, find a friend OF con-
fidence who could translate 1t for you and
Neep Inc 7eole'' JUAN MOLINA
"P. s.-Please address, the answer in
double envelope the inside one to my name
and the outside one to this address, MT
Antonio Garcia, fabrica de sillas, San Vi
cente, No. 253 Valencia, Espagne.
Added to TINS was dDOlneE pOSlSCI lPl,
written in a different hand and preceded
by the sign of the cross. 1t, too, was in
French, and read thus:
"Sir--I have the honor to guarantee the
innocence of this unhappy man. Yours ue-
votedly MANUEL PEREZ.
Beneath this signature was the stamp of
the parish, 'Iglesia, Parroquial de sn. JOSE
700 "'''O' THE SECRET"
The recipient of this particular communi-
cation or any of them had not been pre-
viously addressed" at all. The statement
that he had been was made simply for the
purpose of arousing his curiosity about the
vague reference to a buried treasure. He
Immediately made reply, saying that If
letter had been written on the subject it
had certainly gone astray. He promised to
regard any further correspondence as con-
fidential and to guard the secret of the UNI
happy prisoner. BY next mail came long
letter. 1t is worthy of reproduction in fun
as it shows how skilfully the writer leads
up to the possibility of his correspondent
enjoying part of the buried treasure. 1t
reminds one of the secret confided to Ed
mund Dantes by the dying able in the
Chateau DIFF. Following is a literal trans
lation:
PRISON OF sAGUNTO, Sept 6, 1896.
"Sir-I am in receipt of your esteemed of
August the 23d, to which am anxious to
Here is the secret 1 have been DESTROYS
to COnflde in you:
Il am the only son of an honorable fam
lily, having been brought up with the idea
of becoming a soldier, inheriting, after the
death of my parents, 100000 francs. IN
consequence of the Spanish revolution
for France. In the last period of my ban
ishment / became the most intimate friend
of the Prince of Bourbon. In the year 1870
after Alphonso XII was proclaimed King
of Spain, | went back with him.
During the married life of King Alphon-
so and Queen Mercedes l was their man of
confidence. After the death Of Queen Mer-
cedes, the King having married Queen
Christina. l had to meet with the greatest
opposition from her in consequence of the
Kings love for women, but l was not to
be blamed for it. l was obliged to serve
the King by respect for his dignity, but
some other persons were responsible for
all this. | have no need to tell you how
l made an enemy of a certain woman on
account of having the confidence of the
The 22d of, November, 1882 the King
being sick and left alone with me for a
moment. he spoke to me thus:
My friend, L am near DEATH thou hast
been my most sincere friend; thou must
start at once to Paris to hand over to Miss
H this note and this box. l fear for
thee after my death. My friendship and
confidence in thee made all thy enemies,
bles they might give thee For this reason
thou must not Gomez back to Spain for a
time, and Keep well INFORMED or what can
happen. To quiet my conscience and also
the cause, it is my desire and my will ev-
erything in this bag belongs to thee
NOW, this bag contained one million of
francs, and / at once proceeded to accom-
plish my mission.
WOMAN IN THE CASE.
1.-The 18th of November the King AL
phonso died, and the Both of the same
month the ambassador of Spain in Paris
received the order to have me arrested on
account of the disposition of a small jewel
case from the Kings room and of sum
of che million of francs, but chance made
me hear of this order before the embassa-
dor, and l was able to leave Paris safely.
when in your country 1 heard from my
wife, and from the news she gave. me 1
decided to bury the sum of 100000 francs
l was carrying with me. After having
made a ground plan of the place where
had buried my fortune, | returned to Spain,
but, unfortunately, at my arrival in Madrid
l found my wife dead, and, in spite of all
the precautions | had taken, L was seized,
judged and condemned
Now sir, it would be very painful for
me to tell you all the trouble l had until
l was able to put my fortune in safety in
your country and also to relate all the cir
cumstances by which | went through TO
the time of my condemnation and lately
to my transfer to the prison of this town.
In a word, l was condemned because l did
not want to defend myself in putting into
trouble some persons sacred TO me.
THE ground plan made by me is hidden
in a secret compartment in the box / was
carrying at the time of my arrest This