The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1905-09-28
C. X. Hurd Selected as Victim Of
Famous Spanish SwindIe
Tried Here Before
LETTER TELLS UNUSUAL TALE
Swind1er in Spanish Prison Alleges
to Be a Relative of Kenosha Man
and Seeks to Buy a Home
for His Daughter

The old Spanish swindle, the most
famous known to the detective forces
of the world, made its appearance in
this city on Saturday, when c. H.
Hurd, the we'll known Main street
druggist, received one of the famous
letters alleged to have been written
by prisoner in Spanish prison.
Some time ago it was reported that
this famous gang of swind1ers had
been broken, but the letter received
by the Kenosha man was mailed from
Valencia less than two weeks ago,
and it is by far the most clever ever
sent out by the band of noted swind-
1ers.
The letter purports to be written by
one manual Garcia" Cuban emil
grant, confined in the castle at Val
encia serving a term of eighteen
years on charge of high treason to
the King of Spain. In his letter Gar
cia states that he is relative of Mrs.
Hurd, from the fact that he married
one Mary Hurd while in Cuba. Con-
tinuing with his clever story Garcia
declares that his wife has often talked
with him of her relatives in Kenosha,
and had told him that they would aid
if he was in trouble. The writer then
declared that he had written to Mr..
Hurd TO ask him to take the guardian
ship OF his only daughter, girl fif-
teen years of age, who was now kept
in pension at st. Adams. He stated
L1a 10 81 h
work of keeping the girl by turning
over an order on the bank of England
for the sum of 3d. 600 pounds sterling.
Right here the swindler began to
get in his clever work. He stated
that at the breaking out of the war
with Cuba he had been sent there as
Spanish soldier, and while there he
had managed to amassIa large sum of
money through concessions granted
to members of the Spanish army.
With the coming of General Weyler
to take charge of the army he lost his
position and was forced to sell out his
holdings and join the Cuban army. A
short time later he claims that he fed
from Cuba and managed to get ship
to England, where he placed his treas
ure in the bank of England taking in
return certificate of deposit payable
to the bearer.
Shortly after this he received word
of the death of his wife at Cartha-
gena, Spain, and that his daughter
was in dire distress. Fearing arrest
he claims to have had special port
manteau made with secret compart-
ment, and placing his certificate OF
deposit IN this compartment he lett
for Spain. He was arrested as soon
as he landed in Spain by the agents
of the government, and after trial
was sentenced to eighteen years penal
servitude. His luggage, including
the certificate, is alleged now to be
held for the costs of the action which
are said to have amounted 80 paltry
SUM. AS soon as he was taken to the
castle at Valencia he discovered that
the chaplain in charge was an old
friend, and by his treachery to his
government Garcia alleges that he
has been able to send out this letter.
In concluding he asks Mr.. Hurd to
send the sum needed to get the certi-
ficate of deposit out of the hands of
the government, and that he take the
daughter and with the money secured
in England provide for her keeping
an the future. The writer asks that
the matter be held strictly as conf
dental, and that all letters be sent to
third party in Austria, where the
arrangements for the transfer of the
daughter and the deposit can be made
Mr.. Hurd has turned the matter over
to the officials.
This is the second time that efforts
have been made to work this game in
Kenosha, as similar letter was sent
to Frank H. Lyman, the we'll known
shoe dealer, nearly ten years ago.
The swind1e has been in operation
for more than forty years, the swind.
1ers adapting their work to new con
ditions. 1t is claimed that they have
secured more than forty million dol
lars from different countries by their
operations.