Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1906-02-09

Nsthe g.. She says that her dear
father told her tnat Mr.. Nathe was
disposed to adopt ner, for which
she thsnks him with all her heart.
She asks Mr.. Nathe to nave all con-
idence in the chaplain, and his plans
that she may arrive in Little Falls.
and sends her photograph. The pic
ture is that Of rather pretty Sl aDlsh
girl standing in front of an altar,
with q prayer book in her nand.
The next letter under date of Jan.
10th. is from the chsplaip,'' who
writes on q letterhead with cross,
and the words, Donate Gomez,
Presbitro. This contains the nub Of
the whole correspondence. and shows
| what the swindlers we're aiming at.
The chaplain says that he presented
himself In the name of the girl and
asked for the baggage Of her dead
father, that the court decided he
could not get it unless within 45
days the sum of $500, 1887 pesetas,
was paid to take up the prisoner g
debts. If not paid. the baggage will
be sold at auction. The writer SAYS
he knows the baggage is not worth
the amount of the debt, but the poor
prisoner begged him to see that it
went with the girl to Little Falls,
and he must keep his promise. He
says as soon as Mr.. Nathe sends the
money he will reclaim the baggage
and start with Miss Mary, advising
Mr.. Nathe by cable of the name Of
the ship an date of arrival. He says
1T would be most convenient to send
the money in Q. 8. bank notes By
registered mail, advising Gomez at
the time by cablegram. Accompany
ing this letter was u copy in Spanish
f the prisoners last will, with a .
parently all the legal formalities com.
piled with, stamp Of the Madrid judi
cial Office, ETC., and translation. The
will beQueatbs to MIR. Nathe one.
fourth Of the estate. on condition that
ne adopt the daughter. The decree of
the court. among other things orders
that the estate must pay 1000 pesetas
to the person who was injured during
the prisoners arrest, the prisoner
having resisted.
In the meantime Mr.. Nathe had
written to the American consulate at
Madrid, and he received the following
reply:
American Consular Service.
Madrid, Jan. 20. 1905.
Henry Nathe, ESQ.,,
Little Falls, MINI.
Dear Sir: l beg to acknowledge 1e-
ceipt Of your letter of the 5tn inst.
! In reply thereto have to say that
the whole matter is we'll known
Spanish swindle and none of the par
ties ever existed. The whule story Of
the father who was arrested and after.
wards put into Jail, the orphan
daughter Mary, the confidential
priest. the hidden money in the secret
drawer, the embargoing of the bag
gage, ETC.. are all inventions of the
sw indle1s and should not receive the
slightest attention except the publica=
rton Of the papers in order to save q
possible victim.
For some time I have been collect
ing q fund to have these rascals pun
ished. have also done everything
possible to have them lodged in jail
but all this must be done by a COM
petent lawyer who can pre- secute him,
and who must te paid for his sci :
vices. For this reason I have asked
| everyone to whom have been of as
sistance in this matter, to aid me as
they can in forming q fund here to
neet the expenses of prosecutor and
,, to contribute whar they can here, t.
So or $40, or whatever may be. l
will give receipts for this amount
and will render an account of all
disbursements and receipts to the De-
psrtment of State
If you can aid me in this you will
be one factor in stopping a swlndle
which eacn year is robDing money
from very many Americans, many of
whom cannot afford it.
am, Sir,
Your obedient servant,
Madden Sumner,
Vice Consul
From the foregoing it appears that
many have been caught by the tempt
ing bait offered. Tue letters are in
geniously and cleverly written, and
it is not surprising that there should
be victims. Mr. Nathe. however,
saw through the thing from the
star. It seems strange that the