Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-03-20
ATTEMPTS Old SN|HDL[
William A. Smith. of This City.
Singled Out as One OF the
Victims.
"
Scheme is Known as the Span-
ish Swindle-Has Been
Worked for Years.
A Distant Relative, Political Per-
secution and a Big For-
tune the Plot.

Efforts to revive what is known as
the old Spanish swindle have been
made by the organized band of crooks
operating in Madrid during the past
fifteen years, and William A. Smith, a
we'll known resident of this city, is one
of the intended victims. This Span
ish band OF crooks has operated
successfully at times, but has fire.
quently been exposed. All efforts to
secure arrests and convictions, how
ever, have proved unsuccessful.
A distant relationship, kinsman
imprisoned for an indefinite time for a
political offense, a daughter unable to
care for herself on account of youth but
and friendly priest are the cards
played in the game. The relative In
this country is appointed guardian OF
the girl and is to have the fortune at
his disposal, provided he will assist in
temporarily aiding in a financial way
to secure the escape of the girl from
Spain and the rescue of the fortune.
The swindlers are educated and evil
IDENTIFY have access to family records,
and thus chose their intended victims.
So Systematically is the scheme
worked that it deceives many success
full business men. 1t is supposed that
members of the band look up informa-
ton in this country and place it in the
hands of the operators in Madrid. Mr..
Smith has the Spanish relatives. and at
first he had no reason to doubt the cir
cumstances revealed to him in the
lengthy letters received. In an early
day Mr.. Smiths older brother went to
Cuba when young man. There he
prospered and he married Spanish
lady. During the Mexican war the fill
busters raids on Cuba became SO fire.
quent that he converted his property
into money and with his family went to
Spain, where he resided until the time
of his death. He left son, whom he
named Luis Rodriguez Smith, and the
letters Mr.. Smith has received purport-
ed to have come from this son. The first
letters contained no requests for mon
ey, but simply told of the difficulties
suggesting that the little girl and her
fortune of s9S,0o0 be sent to Mr..
Smith, who was named as her
guardian. The poor but friendly priest
in whose care she was temporarily
would bring her to this country. Three
letters. written in December, January
and February, have been received by
Mr.. Smith, and in the last Senior Smith
adds this pathetic appeal.
Il only must pray you to tell me ii
under the proposition l now have
can trust you to be good and second
father for my dear daughter and to
obtain your help for what the worthy
chaplain, Manuel Treboly, may want
from you in order to obtain all my
luggage and bring 1t to you with my
daughter under the intelligence that / |
am ready to reward your services, hav-
ng for your profit all my property and |
he yearly interest that the whole stock |
may earn when 1t may be placed by |
you during my daughters minority, or
until the day she may marry
Accompanying these letters We're of
icial looking Spanish documents APP
Mr.. Smith guardian of the
girl and conveying the fortune to him
n trust.
These letters We're followed a few
lays. ago by letter from the girl her
'elf enclosing photograph and ex-
PRESSING happiness at the prospect of
meeting her American relative and es-
'apfng from the persecution of the
Spanish enemies of her father. This
etter is written on mourning sta
ionery and contains the news that
Ter father, the supposed nephew of
dr.. Smith, has just died.
Efforts have been made recently to
york the same swindle in New Jersey
dichigan. Ohio. Illinois, Maryland and
n cities in Canada and Europe. 1t
vas thru some of the other intended
'ictims that Mr.. Smith learned to
ertainty that the whole scheme was
raud.