The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-08-04
SALOONKEEPER SWlNDLED.
GOLD BRICK GAME NETS $1,000 AT
NEW ORLEANS.

One of the Swindlers Dies of Heart
Disease After the Successful Com
summation of the Transaction.
The Two others Arrested at New
York ON the Eve of Their Depar-
ture For Europe.
New York, Aug. S.-The police have
locked up at headquarters, two men
wanted at New Orleans for swndling
wealthy saloonkeeper out of $1,000, and
also suspected Of being members Of a
gang, who has operated extensively in
South American countries, and the large
cities of this country.
The prisoners are Ivan Antonio Magan,
55 years of age. of 734 Dolphin street,
New Orleans, and Regelio Guitteraz, 26
years of age, who also comes from New
Orleans.
Both men are Of the Franco-Spanish or
Bosque type, common in South American
countries. They say that they both left
New Orleans four days ago.
The swindled saloonkeeper is Pascal
Lastel On July q, Magan went to the
saloonkeeper and represented himself as
Ralph Diaz He stated that he and others
were in the employ of the Argentine gov
ernment, stationed at Buenos Ayres.
While thus employed, they became pos
sessed of 100000 in gold bricks. Diaz dis
played one of the bricks to Lastell and
asked to have it analyzed and tested
thoroughly Lasten had the brick filed
and was told that the filings were pure,
unalloyed gold dust.
The next time Diaz called he had with
him a young man supposed to be Cult
teraz. The young man stated that the
elder one was his father and that for
long time he had suffered with an affec-
tion of the heart. The reason for this was
the great energy he had displayed in his
early life in accumulating a fortune.
He said his father did not care to run
any great risks and wanted an active man
to share for a consideration in his gold
brick fortune When his father disposed
of his interest in the gold bricks it was
his intention to go to Tampa for his health.
When Lastell was told he could have a
one-third share in the gold bricks he part
ed with his $1,000 He soon found be had
a lot of fake gold bricks on his hands and
he notified the New Orleans police.
One of the men, supposed to be mem
ber Of the gang died suddenly in New
Orleans Of heart failure, supposed to have
been superinduced by excitement attend
ant on this transaction with Lasteu His
name was Jose Maria Mayano. The po-
lice of this city were notified that the
| baggage of the gang who had departed,
had been taken by the Pennsylvania
Company. Two days later. the police was
further informed that John Martinez,
alias Gonzales, was supposed to be the
leader of the gang, and that an unknown
man had sent a postal card to Ivan An
tonic Magan in New York. The police
kept a watch on the postofflce and Magan
called for his postal card, he was shad-
owed to a house on Lexington avenue.
Soon he came out with youngrman of
Spanish origin. The detectives followed
the pair and placed them under arrest.
On Magans person was $247, a draft on
a London bank for $40, and a first-class
passage on the American liner St. Paul,
which sails tomorrow.
on the young man was found S10, an in
got of pure gold, about an ounce in weight,
diamond jewelry and a package of fake
diamonds Both men were locked up.
Two trunks belonging to the men were
found at the house. which contained
complete outfit for the gold brick swindle.
Magan. when questioned, admitted that
he knew Mayano, who dropped dead in
New Orleans. He said Mayano owed him
So 500 for a long time, but repaid the money
before he died. The police of New Orleans
have been notified Of the arrest The pris-
oners were arraigned in police court and
remanded.