The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1903-01-07

THE HUNBERTS ARRESTED.
Madrid Police Capture the Precious
Gang otfrench Swindlers.
THEY PROMISE REVELATIONS,

sN6I nOWioe uISI.h''osS
win Rival the Paaama seands1, They
ssy-Au Glasses. From MinIsfsrs Down,
Are Ynvoive.s-How the Greatest Hoax
Of History Was Msds PossIhls-Ges
sia,ooo, 900 FROM the Game.
Madrid. Spain Mime. Humbers. other
members Of &e Humbert family. and
n. and Nine d'Aurignac. the brother
and sister-in.law Of Nine. Humbert,
h who became notorious In connection
rith the great safe frauds in Paris,
1have been arrested here. They had
been In Madrid since May 8.
The police made clean haul Of the
whole family. Nine. Humbert. her
husband; Eva Humbert and the three
fAurignacs-Romain. Emile and Ma
RE. The prisoners protested that they
were the victims Of Infamous proceed
ings. They threatened to "get even"
with certain persons In France, and
said they had come to Madrid direct
from Paris.
The police made an inventory Of the
contents Of the apartments and found
q parcel Of Jewels valued at $1,000. a
couple Of lottery tickets and about $115
In cash. Seals were then attached to
the house and the whole family were
removed to jail and We're placed at the
disposition Of the French Ambassador.
The police suspect the Humberts Of
having disposed Of important papers
while delaying the entry Of the officers.
The family tried to escape by the win
dows. but failed. as the house was sur
rounded.
According to published interviews,
Frederick Humbert declares that the
revelations to be made by the family
will rival the Panama scandals. and
show he and others were the victims Of
robbers who exploited them. He says
that all classes in Paris, from Ministers
down. will be involved. Nine. Hum
bert claims to have In Paris documents
which compromise prominent person.
ages.
Paris, France.-The news Of the ar.
rest In Madrid of the Humberts and
II. and Nine. dAurignac. the brother
and sister-ln-law of Nine, Humbert,
has caused something Of q sensation.
because the general public had come
to believe that the police did not care
30 find the biggest swindlers OF the age.
Il had been reported that some pow.
erful political influence was protecting
the band. and the sensation caused by
kk,a ovr,tvSsl1o hol n Atnd
On May 10 the safe Of Nine. Hum
bert. at IS Avenue de In Grand Armes.
was opened by the authorities and
found to be empty. All France was
waiting in breathless anticipation, for
the band had lied few days before.
and must have gone directly to Madrid.
The empty safe was supposed to con-
tain a20,0O0.OO0 left by Robert Henry
Crawford. an American millionaire.
This vast sum was supposed to be held
In trust by Mime. Therese Humbert.
who, under Mr.. Crswford's first will,
was made his sole heir and who. on the
strength Of her title to this vast estate.
had borrowed about $12, 100000 from
bankers, money lenders and others In
France and Belgium.
The greatest Of swindllng games the
world has known puts In the shade all
the stories Of Dumas and Gaboriau.
The story Of q bogus heritage has been
befor. the French courts for nearly
twenty-five years, during which time
the author of the bold invention. Nine.
Huml,ert. the daughter Of Toulouse
linen merchant and daughter.in-law Of
M. Humbert, once Minister Of Justice,
kaA .vnnoaSlaI o., hNprsNvv1,0 ho amor
nous fortune. She was reputed to be
one Of the richest persons In France
and her family lived In regal style and
was much courted by the highest so.
ciety.
The bubble was burst by lie Matln
and the attacks on the family were said
to be blackmail and were resented by
all Paris. The paper kept on and in
sisted on an investigation and finally
the family disappeared. The gigan-
tic swlndle was made possible by
the law. which provides that civil
courts are permitted to seal up
property In litigation without ex-
animation or making any inventory.
The history Of this great fraud be-
gan with the death Of Mr.. Crawford,
supposed to be an Imaginary person,
who Is said to have died in 1878. In
1SS; Mime. Humbert bought the house.
which later contained the safe. the
Chateau des yive Faux. near Nelun.
and tho, Goioran property. near Mar.
bonne. Then she produced a copy Of
xn alleged viii Of Crawford In which
she was named as the sole legatee Of
the estate valued at S20.00O.000 Then
she brought out another document
which stated that the property be dl.
vided into three equal shares FOR the
benefit Of Marie d'Aurignac. her infant
niece. Henry Crawford and Robert.
with the provision that enough money
be invested In France to provide an in
come for Nine. Humbert OF $4,000 a
month. Not long after that she pro-
duced another document. which was m
agreement that all the property be Sc
questered In the care Of NJ. and Mime.
Humbert until the child should come of
age, when she was to marry one of the
Crawf fords and thus unite the families
II Tho cfroy 9th 40 fhaon dno,,