Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-23
Worlds Greatest Swindlers
Trapped by Clever Trick
How the Spanish Prisoner Gang Long Wanted for Worldwide
Frauds, Were Baggsd by the Police of Madrid.
Copyright, 1905. py Curtis Brown

ing out this plan the German consul general
wrote Herr Mathenberg the following letter:
Sr-Ihe major regarding whom you
asked does not exist, and the agency Office
10 which you refer is an association of
swirdlers against whom you ought to
guard. The police authorities of Madrid
have decided to arrest these criminals and
you must aid them in doing so. otherwise
you VIII be considered as an accomplice.
You therefore must write to the agency"
mel toned. announcing that you accept its
proposal and that you will come to Madrid
IN the South Express of the 22d instant, to
pay the 5000 francs demanded by the sup
posed prisoner. At the same time you will
give your personal description and mention
that, upon your arrival in Madrid, you will
carry in your hand blue handkerchief In
OF der TO be known more easily. You will
add also that you are somewhat deaf. 1t is
possible that these swindlers have accom-
plices in Strasburg; accordingly I advise
you to absent yourself from your residence
during some hours on the day in which you
viii be supposed to leave for Madrid.
Finally you viii be kind enough to give
me also a personal description OF yourself
exactly as you have given it to the pre-
tended agency. CITE, etc)
Soon afterward a reply was received from
Mathenberg thanking the consul general
and advising him that he had written to the
agency In tie manner requested. The Ger
man manufacturer also gave a detailed de-
scr1puon of his personality and promised to
pres erve absolute secrecy regarding the
matter as well as TO absent himself from
Strasburg on the date set for his supposed
departure. This letter the consul general
rded over to the police authorities. 1t
was then arranged between Detectives vi
! sedo, Morcateln and Puga that the latter
who speaks excellent German. should i'm
pcrsonate the Strasburg manufacturer
Accordingly when the appointed day
the South express rumbled into the station
ar Madrid there emerged Enthusiastically
/ Ieutonic parsonage, gray-muStached, spec
| tacled, and attired in travelling cap and
a baggy suit whose every crease bespoke
| it's origin In the fatherland. Senior Puga
also had equipped himself with two portly
| and somewhat battered valises. 1t should
| be added that on the platform carefully
disguised as railway porters. were waiting
the police officers Visedo and Morcatelli.
what was expected soon happened. When
the supposed German manufacturer alight-
| ed from the sleeping car and pulled out a
blue handkerchief, tall black bearded
/ and wel-dressed individual approached him
| ana inquired in German II he were Herr
| Max Mathenberg. The disguised detective
| replied In the affirmative and inquired in
! his turn whether the other was the repre-
J sentative Of the commercial agency which
| had written to him. The stranger nodded
i and begged leave to accompany Puga out
, OF the station. So the two men left the
place together. being followed at short
| distance, however, by the supposed porters
| who carried the valises of the traveller In
| front of the station a splendid automobile
was waiting. In charge OF a handsomely
4 Stiauiieuf, ara IN THIS vehicle the
| stranger invited the supposed Herr Matthew
/ berg to take a seat explaining that he
| would take him to the Hotel des Ambassa-
| deurs. where the little transaction between
/ them could be arranged
| Puga's reply. however. was clever one
II beg your pardon" he said but I
| don't think that prudent. I am little
/ deaf, as you already win have remarked,
/ so that you will have To speak rather loud
| ly TO me, consequently some in the ho-
| tel might overhear us. / think, therefore,
1t would be better IL I went with you to