Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1902-06-06
4 SVIUDLE OF
GIGANTIC Size.
Baltimoreans Are Tempted by
Crooks III Spain.
PApAlELLCASE IN HIGHLAND

VFCH NCt liiC 'hI''l Ht"tS'' WI
five wears or more, and hundreds
haye undoubtedly been made vic
Tins. Two eases in winch BAlti-
moreaNs were singled out are Fe-
ported by Tie American, the last
one having been worked, but IN
successfully, in last month.
The one more nearly like the
Highland case. that of MIR. Bum
garten Of Baltimore, was set going
in February, 1897, and the steps
taken in it are almost Identical
with those in the case we report.
Mr. Bumgarten was fleeted only
to the extent Of $50 in cabling.
thereby fully satisfying himself Of
the groundlesSpess Of the project
Another mqnhad a 81 message pre-
pared, but was avised by his law yer
to keep his money, which lie did.
TIE PART OF LOCAL INTEREST.
We do not remember Of ever
hearing Of a case wherein a master
swindler, such a. is described above,
sarght a victim in a locality so
far removed from the cities, but
we now hay4 a case before US, so
similar to Mr.. Bumgartens, of Bal
timore that there is no doubt the
same cunning mind devised them
both. The would be, bpt would
not-be victim is Mr.. James 0
Iiiner q thrifty mechanic Of our
town, and as this is one case i'll "A
country district, there may now or
will in future be others, and one
object of this article is to. give
warning against the swindie.
Country people move cautiously
and have time to think and they
are not so easily taken in as those
who have letter opportunity of be-
ing acquainted with the various
forms of deep swindling schemes.
We are glad to state that Mr. Hiner
cones ont Of the unusual expert
ence, worsted only to the extent Of
a stamp or two. The first letter
he received he says did not men
ton money or even hint at it, but
he Thought he could see it between
she lines" and he at once begun
the formulating of plans for tie
apprehension of the swindler. lie
however led him on by reply or
two until he came in possession of
the eutire scheme and to the point
where the "old mai" died and the
l40 ID, sterling, was needed to get
the fortune of the deceased pris-
| oner.
The first letter received by Mr.
| lliner was directed to his father }
B Hiner and came to his hands as
his fathers administrator and was
dated aE Castle of Barcelona Spain
early in March 1902. In compar-
ing this letter with the first one
received by the Baltimore man we
find a remarkable similarity. 1t
starts out; Having not the honor
of knowing yon. but for the refer
ence which my dear wife Mary
Iiiner your relative gave ne. who
mentioning the individuals of our
family, praised the honesty and
I goodqnalities thatdistingnshed !or,
address myself to you for the first
time (and perhaps the last time
considering the grave state Of my
health) explaining YOU my position
and requesting your protection for
my only daughter, your niece, II
years old, who keep as pension
e. in the College Of the Elena.
After giving a caution to secrecy,
as he WAS being watched by bis
enemeis,, he states, as in Mr. Bum
garten's letter, that he had been
secretary and treasurer for Marti-
nez Campos in Cuba and enjoyed
his confidence. During the reign
of Gen. Weyler he JOINED the
rebellion against Spain and then
his trouble commenced. He emf
grated to England, placed his for
tune $4,000 lbs sterling, IN "the
London Bank" taking from the
bank a security document payable
to bearer. and then went to Spain
to attend the funeral of his wife
and get his daughter and flee o
America. In Spain he was arrest
Ell. tried and sentenced to Is yea
and his baggage containing the
bank draft coldi>cated and held for
court costs. The writer then stat
ed that he could not hope to re-
cover from lis illness, and that his
| daughter WAS heart-broken, and to
keep her from Designing men lie
! placed her and his fortune in Mr.
IIiner's care. The correspondence
was to be carried on through the
chaplain and IL third party. The
letter was signed, Mariana Busot
Mr.. Hinpr. for lis deceased father,
prepared a careful reply 10 thts let
ter. stating that he would render
assistance to the girl it in his pow
en-, and then letter Eamber tNo