Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1906-02-09
A. SWINDLING SCHEME
Attempt to Cheat Little
Falls Man Not
Successful

uuS eCuomee ever attempted was Cfl0O
within the past two months on Henry
Nathe. the we'll known harness man
of this city, and thanks to Mr..
Nathe's common sense he lost moth
ing. 4 The swindle attempted is not q
new one. but so far as known never
was tried In this region before. It
originated in the brains of q very
clever rascal living in Madrid in
Spain.
On Nov. Path. 1906, Mr. Nathe re-.
ceived letter. dated at Madrid Nov.
l2th. purporting to be written by
Adolph Nathe, prisoner in . Spanish
prison. The writer said that his
mother, Mrs. Anna Nathe, for some
unknown reason had broken relation
ship with her family. but that she
had always spoken highly of Henry
Nathe. The writer goes on to say that
has father was q great engineer, en-
ployed by Ferdinand de Leeseps IN the
construction of the Panama canal.
that tine writer was employ cd by the
canal company, that he had the mis-
fortune to lose by death his father,
mother. and wife, and was left with
a daughter. When the first trouble
arose over the Panama canal in
France, he went to London and placed
his stock in reliable bank. On his
return to France, fearing arrest. he
took valuable documents. stocks, etc.,
In value of $3.50. GOO, and placed them
in q secret drawer of his baggage, and
begged friend to take his daughter
to Gibralter, intending from there to
embark with her to America. When
he was about to start he was ar
rested and brutally treated, which
made him very i'll, but at the time
at writing be was much improved in
health. Extradition proceedings were
stu pending. The writer says it
would be very easy to get the property
In the secret drawer If one had the
baggage. He says he has the sym.
Dathy of the chaplain of the prlsoD,
Who. however, js not aware Of the
secret. Tbs chaplain has placed the
daughter at school. The prisoner
v1nhes the chaplain to take tho daugn-
ter and the baggage OF America, and
promises his relative, if he will take
charge Of the girl. the fourth part OF
the property. and the cars Of the
whole during the minority of the
daughter. The writer directs that
the reply must come under two e0.
velopes, one for him, and the outer
for the chaplain, and directs the ad-
drees on the card enclosed to be used !:
Luis Disz, uope de Vega, 9, pral. -
He says Diax js the. chaplain's nep.
how, and urges utmost secrecy, ~ he
says he is closely watched.
The letter is written in fairly good
English, az indeed all are. MIR.
Nathe was much surprised to learn
that he had q relative in Spain, but
for curilsity's sake wrote abroad.
The answer was long, dated at Mad
rid Dec. 9th. The prison or thanks
Mr.. Nathe for writing, and trusts IN
hin for the propectiou Of his defense
less daughter, aged "A years. In this
voluminous letter he says that all his
property is in the English bank, but
that the documents necessary to se-
cure it are IL the secret drawer.
that all is arranged so that the bear
or can cash the amounts at any time
or any place. The drawer was clev-
erly arranged in a TRUNK and always
near him till he was captured. He
says chat no one is aware of the val
ne of the baggage, and that it is all
in the hands Of the courts, pending
the disposition of his case. If he
should be condemned, as he fears,
then his baggage will be sent to him
If he should die the chaplain would
probably get the benefit, as he says
1t is not likely the request OF the
priest would be refused. He ineinu-
ates that the Spanish court can be
influenced by money. For tho tran
quillity of himself and daughter her
dwelling should be with Henry Nathe.
The writer rays that politics caused
the troubles of these connected with
the canal matter, and mentions famil.
iarly several French statesmen and he
fears that the heirs of some Of the
stockholders, knowing his promin
.ence, would be deligent in eesrching
to see il he had any fortune. He says
that the chaplain, Donate GONE z,
does not believe him guilty. and goes
on q great length to tell Of Gomez
virtues. He says he told Gomez that
Mr.. Nathe was q relative and natural
" interested IN seeing, that the tag.
gage, containing many personal effects
and souvenirs. of the Nathe family,
should be sent to hin, that the chap
lain will see to its release, and that
Mr.. Nathe will therefore profit by bis
Kindness to relation in trouble. BE
then says thst he viii make his will
in proper form under Spanish Law, 60
that there will he no difficulty about
Mr.. Nathe securing the property, and
becoming guardian Of the girl. he
L.