New-York tribune., 1906-06-03
CASTILLAN ESTATES.
Tenn pting Bait Catches Many
GulIibIe americans.
Mana
[From The Tribune Bureau ]


Washington, June 2.--An organized band of swim
dlers in Madrid is once more working the Spanish
greengoods game gulble Americans. Within
the last week complaints have reached Chief
Wilkie of the Secret Service from who have
parted with sizable for fictitious Castilian
gold. and it is probable that many other equally
easy victims have been caught by the ancient but
plausible hoax who have preferred to swallow their
disappointment and pocket their losses rather than
the risk of notoriety. The same confidence
game was played a number of years ago by proba-
bly, the gang in Madrid. Hundreds of well-to-
do farmers in the United States were relieved OF
ranging all the way from $500 to 5000, and
great many more dupes were found in England.
Henry Labouchere, in London Truth, conducted
resolute crusade against the Spanish robbers at
the time. and all but landed the head swinders in
prison. The fact that the trail led straight to the
doorsteps of number of high officials at the Span
sh capital caused the British Foreign Office to per-
suade Mr.. Labouchere drop the matter. for at
that time international politics happened to be in
ticklish state and the Queens Cabinet did not wish
TO bring any complications with Madrid.
The two cases that have been brought to Chief
Wilkes attention within the last few days
practically identical in their salient features and
models of their kind. For instance. Henry
]. Brown of Baraboo Wis, receives large en-
Velope bearing a Spanish stamp and an imposing
coat of arms in its upper corner. Call the victim
Henry j. Brown because that Is not his name.
Neither is Baraboo his home. But the envelope
is genuine enough, and when II is opened the con-
tents prove most interesting. There is letter, ana
an important looking document. which. when trans
lated by the village wise man. proves to be Will
The letter is from Father Alphonse priest in one
of the suburbs of Madrid. He begs to inform Mr..
Brown that by the terms OF the will of Senior
Rodriguez Brown who has just died in prison, he,
Henry j. Brown. of Baraboo. Wis, has fallen heir
to fortune of $4,000 in American money. Sehor
Rodriguez Brown was the son of Albert H. Brown,
Henry J.'s second cousin. who moved to Spain some
forty years ago and married wealthy land owners
has forgotten that he ever had such relative.
but he existed in fact, as his estate which passed
intact to his son, we'll proves.
This son, Rodriguez, accumulated much wealth
and honor, married noble lady, and was happy as
happy could be until his wife taken from him
by a sudden attack of disease. The expiring wife
placed in her husbands lovely little girl and
conjured him cherish the child the incarnation
of her love. This bereavement occurred some ff
teen years ago. Desoate and desperate the
loss of his beloved, Rodriguez Brown plunged into
politics. hoping that the excitement OF plots and
counterplots would cause him TO forget But. en-
of riches and affection upon his beautiful daughter
She was reared IN Gonrent' ta9snI o9 tng most @
proaches her sixteenth birthday. she is as fair as
Shorty befors his death Father % APhonse con-
tnues Rodriguez & Brown was arrested for for plot plot
proved against him. however, and, had he lived,
he would have been released shortly upon the pay
ment of a merely nominal fne-so $3.50 in Amer,
lean money. But he was seized with his fatal
freedom. His summons to the next world was
short but not too short to prevent him making his
American cousin, Henry j. Brown His political
activities had embittered him against all his wfe's
his desire send his property to his next of kin
in Bara boo There only condition i'm
posed upon his legatee and this was that he should
daughter. Would he accept? Father Alphonse asked.
When he had given Rodriguez absolution for the
last time he had promised to write this letter ana
he had fulfilled that promise.
At his earliest convenience Henry ]; Brown was
urged 20 communicate with Father Alphonse and
let him know definitely his pleasure. The estate
his for the collection If he would assume the
guardianship of Dolores. OF course, there was
another detail. but such small one that 1t was
scarcely worth mentioning. Before he could col
lect the inheritance Mr.. Brown must send the
government AS so9n as it was received the estate
would be released, As long as it remained unpaid
upon it, and poor. sweet. adorable little Dolores
would be compelled to langush in the convent Yes,
fnfinitesinal to speak of all 1t might be good
idea to send 500 in addition to the $3.50 for the pur
That Is TO say If Henry j. Brown cared to encum-
ber himself with the $3.50 900 and the girl
written out in fine Spanish. bearing the official
signatures of fifteen twenty officials and the
taries? How could there be any deception? 4
priest who carrying out the deathbed request OF
whom he had Just shrlven would ceTfalnIy MY nave
luck Think of 1t. $3.50 600 coming TO like pick
ing 1t out of the street and. better than that with
hack NV money! And then there was Dolores
sweet sixteen. beautiful convent-bred. talented,
F8y the time Henry J. Brown had hustled around
and dispatched the money to Madrid he had bought
abiv decided that Mary Jennings. whom he had
been counting for five or six years. was not quite
- Then in about two months he woke UP to the
conviction that he had been taken in.