Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-11-21
SPANISH SN|NOl.ER
They Regard Americans as
Their Espeaal'P Prey.
A WELL-WORN IsCHEME
SEND TO THEM LE4TEAs TELLING
OF 1NHER1fANtEs.
Great Business Opportunities for Per-
SONS Of Philanthropic Tendencies
Three Once Noted Figures.
nv WILLIAM e. CURTIS.

Special Correspondence OF 1He GsennS o.", -
MADRID. November ii. 1903
sornewhere in Madrid Is q gang Of clever
swinf1Iers who for several years have been
nlaying upon the credulity and avarice OF
some Of orr fellow-citizerls. But their dep
relations have not been confined to the
limited States They have worked Win
equal success in England. France and else
where. The supposed wealth of all Ameri-
can citizens however, has caused them 20
devote more attention to them than mas
been directed elsewhere, and 1t Is sad 20
say that the anxiety of our people to get
rich quick and their willingness to accept
money they have no right to has been the
cause of considerable losses.
The modus operandi Is nearly always the
same. How they obtain the addresses OF
people is a mystery, but, somehow or an
other, they get the names OF well-to-do
merchants, lawyers and other citizens in
different cities of the United States. and
address them letters, which are usually
signed by the name of a priest. In these
letters it is stated that some gentleman
who believed himself to be distantly related
to the person addressed or had learned OF
his sterling character and Kind heart, had
appointed him executor Of his VIII and
guardian of his daughter or his son, as the
case may be. The estate is invested in div
idend-paying securities and city real estate
which bring large revenue and amounts
all together to several hundred thousand
dollars. The only heir is young girl nine
OF ten years of age, or perhaps boy OF
similar age, who has no other relatives and
is left upon the hands Of the priest who
writes the letter.
He incioses a biographical sketch of the
deceased, a photograph Of the heir and in
ventory of the property and securities be-
longing to the estate, copy of the will and
n To- tiytr hax, hnN ut
the dictation of the deceased, just before
his death. begging the person addressed to
take pity upon his friendless child and as
sumo the responsibility of looking after it's
welfare and estate until it becomes of age.
For this service. according to the terms of
the Will. the executor is to- receive a COM
mission of 10 or ID per cent of the income
OF the heir, which amounts annually to
several thousands of dollars. The executor,
under the terms of the will gives no bond
and is to have the sole control of the estate
until the heir reaches the age OF twenty
A Tempting Proposition.
This Is tempting responsibility for many
persons, and 1t is astonishing how MANY
have yielded to it. The care OF AN estate of
several hundred thousand dollars and of a
child nine or ten years old, for a COM
mission of several thousand dollars a year
although offered by a mere stranger under
mysterious circumstances and clearly I'M
der a mistake as to identity has been ac-
copied by at least a dozen people know Of
think the files of the Department of State
Will disclose the names Of many more, for
when they discover how they have been i'm
posed upon the victims almost invariably
appeal to our government to recover their
money and punish the rascals who have
taken advantage of their aSarice and Gre
dulity.
The documents forwarded by the SUD-
posed priests are always accompanied by
statement from an attorney and certificates
from the registrar of wills and the collector
of taxes, setting forth that the will cannot
be probated and the executor cannot take
possession Of the property until certain
taxes and fees are paid These amount to
several hundred dollars, and the person ad-
dressed is required to forward a draft on
London or Paris payable to the order of one
of the officials named-usually collector of
taXes-Who, upon its receipt furnish the
will may be probated.
Usually the priest writes that the child
mas no home and no one to care for her
and asks that she may be taken charge of
at once oy her guardian. But it is necessary
for min to send funds to pay her expenses
TO the L ndted States and purchase tray-
cling outfit, which will altogether cost four
or five hundred dollars more Certai; e
liable people who are expecting to GO to
America within few months are willing
TX.
where her new guardian must meet her IT
IS necessary for him to send the money for
her expenses at once so as to take aivan-
taSe OF tins unusual opportunity and thus
save the guarGan the trouble and the ex-
pense of a journey to Spain.
Ihese letters are written by person
claiming TO be the priest of a certain mar
ish who has the child upon his hands, and
by the attorney of the deceased who drew
the will and is willing to look after the
business end of affairs. Sometimes there
Is an exchange of letters extending over
several months
Many Send the Money. ID
The victim does not ALWAYS swallow the
bait when it is first offered him. but writes
for further particulars, but It is extraordi-
nary, how many of them have sent the
funds and have never heard ANYTHING more
OF them. After waiting awhile they get
nervous and write to the Spanish lega tion
at Washington or to the United States am
bassador at Madrid. Some Of the neonle
addressed have been prudent enough tn
make these inquiries before sending the
money put the flies of the legation here are
filled with the complaints of people who
have been caught in this trap.
Each successive minister has endeavored
TO discover the consplrators and bring them
to punishment but none of them have been
able to obtain the assistance of the police.
Each complaint is faithfully transmitted
to the minister of foreign relations with a
request that the raScas be treated as thew
deserve. and the minister always receives a
polite acknowledgment and q promise that
every eHort VIII De made, but nothing ever
happens
No one has ever been punished, no one
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