The San Francisco call., 1905-08-21
FALLS VIC TIM
TO SWINDLERS
Pathetic Story Of Jacques
Lascurettes, Left Stranded
in Europe With Family
RETURNING PENNILEss
Laundrylnan L Sells Out to
Take Invalid Wife Home
and Sharpers Steal Coin

Robbed of his twenty years earnings
and just convalescent from an attack of
brain fever. Jacques Lascurettes is now
on his way across the Atlantic Ocean to
his adopted home-California.
His own people in his own native home
treated him shabbily, TO say the least,
and the foothills of the Pyrenees have
little attraction for jacques.
The story of Jacques Lascurettes has
many phases of interest from the time he
arrived in this State quarter OF cen
tury ago, a mere boy. In tentative way
he sought a living by work in which he
might include Genevieve, the sweetheart
he had left behind. He succeeded finally
in securing employment in Oakland, sent
for and married his beauty from the sun
ny south. and they battled through their
career as laundry work people with
smiles and kisses until they, too, became
bosses and employed many hands.
The sunshine of California agreed with
the couple in every way. Two lovely
children came to them in twice that many
years and Jacques bank account was
swelling all the time Contentment filled
their home until. just a little cloud ap-
peared about one year ago.
Genevieve, the pretty wife and mother,
met with what was at first supposed to
be a slight accident Matters became
more serious and the CHEEKY spirit about
the household seemed to wane.-
BEAUTIFUL YOUNG WIFE.
The couple were then engaged in the
laundry business at 739 Laguna street.
and the people Of the ne;ghborhood
who had occasion to deal with the
establishment rems mber well the
beautiful type of wonnanhood, almost a
replica OF the Beatrice Cenci handed
down by old masters. whose lustrous
eyes dimmed SO rapidly and whose. oval,
oliye-tinted face sank in suffering.
Jacques Lascurettes needed little urg-
ing on the part of his brother Joseph of
$50 Howard street, or his sister. He sold
out his Laguna-street business and COM
ing home to his invalid wife one day. he
lay $4,000 in her lap. That does not sound
quite so big in American coin as 10000
francs in French, and that was the only
way she could compute values
We will so back home, Genevieve,"
Jacques told her I'VE will go back on
the sunny slope OF the hills where we
used to romp and there we will live the
remainder of our lives.
I'VE will purchase little home in the
province near ST. Etienne, where you
were born We will cultivate our land;
you will get well; the children will grow
up strong and we will be so. happy
felt too III to dream of the happy picture
her Jacques would paint, but hoped it
could be true.
Five months ago the little family were
hidden bon voyage by a host of friends.
The trip was to be made by easy stages
that the sick woman might stand 1t the
better.
The reports came back from time to
time that everything was progressing
8. ID fxxr.,
other Frenchinen had been met with. They
were charming gentlemen who, after
some years In the mines of Nevada, were
returning to their wives and families in
Saintonge, Charente 1nferieure. They
were very kind to the children, who re-
minded them 80 much of theirs at home;
those they would soon embrace and make
happy.
The Quartet and the two little ones,
went on TO New York and thence by
steamer to Havre.
WALLETS ARE EXCHANGED.
They had previously, in New York, Sc
cured letters of credit on corresponding
banks of Havre.
Lascurettes was not much acquainted
with letters of credit, but 1t was not
difficult to bring him to the bank, where
1t was explained to him the advisability
of depositing his money there and draw
ing 1t again when he would want 1t in
Harre. or elsewhere In France. The
danger of travelling with $4,000 in gold was
impressed on his mind with the desired
results the bank, however. acting
In the best of faith, making
the play of the two strangers so much
more effective.
In Havre, upon the arrival of the
steamer. Jacques two companions 0e-
cided they would transfer all the ne
gotiable paper they had into cash and
advised him to do likewise 1t would be
easier for them to handle when they
the south. Perhaps they might
go into the farming business on bigger
scale than Jacques at first intended.
These men had been so agreeable dur
ing all their connection that the poor
was not suspicious.
The very old story is told again. In
this case the gold brick swindlers
across the ocean to do their
victim They did him by substituting
wallets in which the money was sup
posed to be contained, and when Las
awakened to the fact that he
had been robbed of twenty years earn
ings, was far away from his adopted
and stranger in the land Of his
birth, with an invalid wife and two
helpless children on his hands, he col
lapsed. Brain fever set in and he has but
recovered from the strain. He is con-
yaIescent now. and, thanks. to his
brother. Joseph Lascurettes, and his
sister, as well as some few other friends,
he is now able to turn his back on the
Pyrehees and look with hope to this side
of the Sierra. He is coming here with his
wife and babies to begin life over again.
->-a--s-------
Cummings Attempts suicide.
James Cummings brass worker,