davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1909-12-09
Mrs. John Helton.

Mary A. Brown was born in Clond
county, Kansas, July z, 1870, died at
her home near Pleasanton, Iowa,
November 20, 1909, aged 80 years,
months and 81 days: !,
She was united in marriage to
John Helton, March 81, 1895, and to
their union were born eight children,
five having preceded her to the great
beyond, and the husband and three
children and large circle of dear
friends are left to mourn her depart
ure She was an affectionate wife,
loving mother and kind and gen.
erous neighbor, ever ready and will
ing to help those who were in need
of her assistance She will be great
! ly missed in the home and commun-
| ity She united with the Church of
Christ at Pleasanton on January 81.
1906, and was faithful member of
her church. May Gods choicest
blessings rest upon and comfort the
bereaved family. W.
Funeral services were conducted
at the home of Rev. N. D. Gordon, in
the presence of large concourse of
sorrowing friends who had gathered
to pay the last tribute of respect to
one whom they had known and
loved for many years.
REPORTER FOR SALE BILLS.
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1909-12-09
SPANISH. sWINDLERs.
The State Department Calls Atten-
ton to the Operation of Swim
dlers Operating in This
Country.

We are in receipt of the following
circular letter from the State De-
partment at Washington, regarding
Spanish swindlers:
The >So-Called "Spanish Swindle."
The Department of State, at
Washington. has received a report
from the American Consul-General
at Barcelona, Spain, in regard to the
band of swindlers operating in vari-
GUS town and cities in Spain, who
make practice of writing to per-
sons in the United States respecting
the Imprisonment of a relative and
the guardianship of a child.
The Consul-General states that
the alleged prisoner generally de-
scribes himself as a political prisoner
from Cuba; he is at the point of
death and has but one friend-the
prison priest-through whose good
Offices he is enabled to smuggle an
occasional letter out of the prison
fort.
The prisoner is rich. He has a
fortune in cash on deposit in the
United States, but the certificate of
deposit is concealed in a secret re-
ceptacle in his valise; the valise
itself has been taken possession of
by the court at Carthagena, which
tried and condemned him, and will
be held until the prisoner or his rep
resentative has satisfied the costs of
the trial. The prisoner has an only
daughter; dying. in his prison, his
sole thought is Of this beloved OFF
spring. He has no friend or rela-
tives in Spain to whose care he can
commit her. In his emergency his
thoughts turn to the distant relative
in the United States whom he has
never seen and of whom he knows
only through hearsay or the family
tree. Will the distant relative as
sumo the guardianship of his darl-
ing daughter, and the darling daugh-
ter's fortune of about 100000? If
the distant relative accepts the trust
one-fourth of the prisoners entire
fortune will be the material reward.
The good priest will go at once to
the United States and take the darl-
ing daughter with him. There is
but one condition; the ready money
which the prisoner brought with him
to Spain has. been. exhausted; the
distant relative is therefore request
ed to send enough to liberate the
valise containing the secret recep.
tacle and the certificate of deposit
This money Is to be sent to the good
priest at an. address indicated, and,
having received it, the good priest
will at once secure the valise and
start for America, the 'land of the
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1909-12-09
free and home of the brave" with
the darling daughter.

free and home of the brave" with
the darling daughter
The above is generally the first
letter of the series. 1t is quickly
followed by another in which the
prisoner pathetically states that his
strength is rapidly failing and the
end is near. He beseeches his dear
distant relative to assume the trust
and be a loving father to the darling
daughter. The third letter is from
the good priest himself, who in brief,
touching terms, and hopelessly bad
English, announces the death of the
unhappy prisoner; the good priest
adds that the darling daughter is un-
der his care. He is ready to put his
promise into execution and start for
the United States as soon as he shall
have received the necessary funds
from the distant relative. The good
priest frequently encloses with his
letter bogus newspaper clipping
announcing the death in prison at
Barcelona of the famous Cuban pa
triot sometimes called Augustin
Lefiente); the newspaper notice also
speaks cunningly of the confiscated
valise and the darling daughter.
1t is simple scheme, but pre-
scented in such plausible way that
almost any unsupecting distant
relative" of European extraction
would be more or less deceived by
the glad prospect of falling heir to
! the agreed custody of darling
daughter with big fortune, and a
one-fourth interest therein as an ad-
ditional recompense.
Naturally the first impulse of the
| distant relative is to ask lawyer or
a judge or some authority what
course he ought to pursue in the
premises, but as he. thinks of doing
this his attention is taken by the
warning in the prisoners letter be.
seeching him not to mention the
matter to any living soul lest the
secret of the valise and the hidden
receptacle be indiscreetly betrayed
The valise, after all, with it's con.
cealed certificate of deposit, is the
key to the situation and possession
must be taken of it before anything
can be done or said. This $50 Gun.
ningly set forth by the prisoner) is
very evident to the. distant relative
and SO he quite frequently preserves
the secret intact, and instead of con
sulting lawyer or writing to the
American Consul-General at BARGE.
Iona he quietly sends draft for the
sum demanded to the good prizes,
and awaits results. OF course. he
waits in vain, and the poor, dead
prisoner and the good priest and the
darling daughter in the course OF
time pass out of his life forever
leaving him only an uncom Portable
Imemory Of the money he SO cheer.
fully contributed to the confidence
game.
For nearly twenty years these
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1909-12-09

the honor to know you, but for the
references which my dead wife, Mary
Bartlett, your relative, gave me, who
In mentioning the individuals of our
family praised the honesty and good
address myself to you for the first
time. (and possibly the last one,
considering the grave state of my
healthy explaining to you my sad
position and requesting your pro-
lection for my only daughter, your
niece, fifteen years old, who'll keep
as a pensioner in the college Anglo
Spanish of Santa elena.
AS l am strictly watched by my
enemies, / hope you will reveal to
nobody the most insignificant detail
Of this letter.
Being secretary and treasurer
of Mr.. Mortimer Campus in the last
war of Cuba, and deserving the con-
fdence of such an allustrious gentle
man, placing my capital in public
fund transactions, so that ! might
make a brilliant position for my
daughter, whom ! ever loved with
passion since when her mother died,
now. my fortune increases fast;
would have been happy had my pro-
tector continued at the end of the
campaign, as no. sooner was he re-
placed by the General Weyler than
my misfortune presented itself, as
could not succeed in making him
company to Spain, and not being in
/ my power to see Cuba ruled by an
adversary polite, joined the rebel.
lion in behalf of the republic, but as
we we're the victims of the greatest
| treason l was obliged to immigrate
In English ground, taking along
with me my money, valued to s29,.
| 900 sterling After having resided
] in. London received the sad news
my wife had died, leaving my dear
daughter in despair and without
help. In this sad situation ! found
myself in the necessity of coming
back to Spain to help my daughter
and bring her in my company tt
your country. 80
/ Before starting, considering a,
imprudent to take along with mt
this respectable sum of money, ! de
cided to place it in the London bank
against special private contract
and only as deposit, as it appears
in the security document payable Il
the bearer that the bank gave NJ,
as a guarantee, which document
have hidden in a concealed hollow
of my portmanteau, very we'll made
which the most keenest eyes canno
!. find out. Id
Then very satisfied that the mon
ey was in security, I started fo
Spain to help my daughter, where /
was discovered by; the militar,
authorities, i brought immediatel.
4 shefnrel the Government milftar o
Cartagenass and condemned to eigh
teen years penal servitude, destine,
me to undergo my sentence, deprive,
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1909-12-09
from all communications from out

from all communications from out
side.
When l was sentenced my equip
age and the portmanteau have been
contiscateo, this embargo was made
as guarantee for the payment of
the costs of my process. There
am amidst so many Affections, not
expecting any help whatever from
my enemies. l am only visited by
the chaplain of the castle, who being
my confession, is my best friend. /
owe to him to being able to write
this letter. Being aware of my grave
state of health, which is and will be
a fatal and prompt one, l trust in
your discretion and indure me the
noble wish of pretending your pro-
lection should you be kind enough
to be the support of my daughter,
trying to make her happy, as per-
haps, l may not be able to see her
again.
My daughter will possess a for
tune in money of f29,000, although
my equipage are confiscated in
Cartagena, as nobody knows that
secret but you. If you are going to
be the protector of my daughter
expect you will let me know by re.
turn Of post, and when paying the
cost of my process, the embargo will
be raised and then I shall manage
to send the respectable chaplain
with my daughter to your house
also the equipage. We will act theI
accordingly for getting my CAPT
tai, which will be granted to my
daughter, Emilia, in my testament
and a part besides for you and your
family as justly reward.
AS it is prohibited to me to re
ceive any direct public correspon
dence l expect you will send YOU
answer in letter not registered
and under two envelopes, the one in
side to my name and the one out
side to the name of the servant O
my protector, the chaplain who il
our confidential man.
Here is his address,
| Spain,
st. Diego Carrillo,
Proade Murcia,
MOratalla.
/ trust in your discretion the fu
ture of my daughter, meantime,
remain yours faithfully and rela
tive, CARLOS MIR.
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1909-12-09

same knaves have been practicing
their swindle and it is needless to-
suggest that they are very carefully
organized, they have confederates
not only in the United States but in
most other countries. The confed-
crates in question select man and
find out all they can about him; they
get hold of family names; family ORR,
gin, and family characteristics. This
information is transmitted to the
rascals in Spain, and letters are at
once written to the prospective VIC
tim. The scheme is presented and
developed in very plausible way
and many of our ellow-countrymen
have bitten" promptly and cheer
fully.
Under the Spanish law, a felony
must be consummated before the
police may act and mere attempt
to obtain money by false pretense
does not appear to warrant arrest.
The money must be actually paid
must be present in propria persona
| to testify; otherwise prosecution
would be useless.
Recently the letters written to the
distant relative have varied some-
what from the original; the political
prisoner having become ea7neted Rus
sian banker who ahsconded, leaving
a deficit of some millions of roubles.
killed in a quarrel in England an
other Russian and finally took
refuge in Spain, where he was appre-
hended and charged with man
slaughter.
This change of character, how
ever, is immaterial, and in the fu-
fture more new characters will prob
ably be introduced by the gang. The
scheme is the same. and the public
is warned to place no credence in
such or similar letters.
Every effort has been made by the
Department of State and it's repre-
sentatives in Spain to unmask these
scoundrels and bring them to justice
and the Spanish authorities have
also been active and several mem
bers of the gang have been appre-
hended and held for trial. but so far
no convictions have resulted, owing
probably to the popularity of the
Spanish law referred to in the re-
|port of the Consul-General at BARGE.
Iona.
I Department of State,
Washington, d. c., Nov, 1903.
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1909-12-09
Department of State,
i Washington, d. c., Nov, 1903.

!! A we'll known citizen of Leon has
been hop ored with a letter from the
prisoner referred to in the above cir
cular, which he brought to this Office
some days ago. 1t was enclosed in a
blue envelope with Spanish post
age. stamp, post marked Alicante,
and reads as follows: a.slss-
Gaatiefort of Alicante, Oct. 16, '89
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1909-12-09
This is Worth Remembering.

Whenever you have cough or
cold just remember that Foley's
Honey and Tar will cure it..Remem-
Der the name, Foley's Honey and
Tar, and refuse substitutes. Bell &
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1909-12-09

). Perhaps you have thought about
your Christmas shopping
early.
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1909-12-09

: For the best auto oil and batter
les see H. A. Wright.
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1909-12-09

Ny Dear Relative:-Having !
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1909-12-09
!. Diego Carrillo,
Proade Murcia,

trust in your discretion the fu-
ture of my daughter, meantime,
remain yours faithfully and rela
tive, CARLOS MIR.
The San Francisco call., 1909-05-26
STAFFORD'S BAN
UPON CUSPIDORS

Americans in their private life are
the cleanest people in the world. In
public they are the most slovenly This
is evidenced in the rarity of home
without bathtub and the prominence
of the cuspidor in all public buildings"
These pearls and others fell from the
lips of President Stafford of the board
of harbor commissioners yesterday
afternoon, as he explained his reasons
for ordering the removal of an impos-
ing row of massive metal cuspidors
from the outside corridor on the ground
floor of the ferry depot. The cuspidors
will not be replaced.
Raphael WE'LL made a tour of the
ferry depot a few months ago and
pronounced it the cleanest public
building in the world.
The removal of the cuspidors," said
Stafford yesterday, was ordered after
mature Consideration. 1t was prompted
in part by desire to aid in the cam
paign against tuberculosis The GUS
pidor is neither an ornament nor
necessity. 1 have watched the crowds
pass through the ferry depot and have
come to the conclusion that the ma
jority of men regard cuspidor as an
invitation to expectorate. The average
craftsmanship is poor and the result
is indescribable. In lands where Gus
pidors are not in evidence promiscuous
expectoration is unknown, and we are
going to try the experiment in the
ferry depot"
The San Francisco call., 1909-05-26
Impertinent Question No. los
What's a Picnic?

For the most original wthest this questonhe
brefer the beter-Ihe Call will pay FIVE DOLLARS
For the next five answers The Call will pay ONE DOL
LAX Each Pnze winning answers will be printed next
Wednesday and checks mailed to the winners at Male
your short and SEND 1T ON A POSTAL
CARD to
-IMPERTINENT QUESTIONS.
THE CALL
Winning Answers n
prize to r Pngel2 stree.e
A
phze to bbin ytton. Sonouna
don't remember.
prize to Roberv vckey,7 Kingston oakland
merry-goround
pizet % George 1. Fost Seconds city
enough
w p gun street. city
The price of IS gas
ize o C. I'd gnerald Oakland
Change when money when voure broke
The San Francisco call., 1909-05-26
When the Sailors Take TO Horses
And the tlOrSerncn TORe TO Ships
By ARTHUR l. PRICE

the orderly would take a monkey
wrench, unscrew a bolt or two. give
the machine cap full Of oats and the
intrepid admiral would spring into the
saddle and galIop over the pillows to
demand the surrender of the works.
If the policy of the naval depart
ment is to have the officers versatile
no one should find fault with a plan
to make the machinery develop tall
ents uncalled for in the specifications.
When the sailors are all horsemen
of course the horsemen will all be
sailors. The cavalry arm OF the serv-
ice win be trained in coming tower
jargon and win be taught to push the
buttons which signal the engineers
who turn on the currents which fire
the 1S inch guns.
A war dispatch of the future will
read like this:
At the front, before the city OF
Boojum. May 25. 2OOs-The combined
attack of the naval and land forces
of the United States against this fort
yesterday was one of the triumphs of
the war. The battleships OF the Scarf
ofnothin' type silenced the exterior
works of the enemy and then the cav
airy charged repeatedly and captured
19 tons of mechanical infantry. which
were promptly disassembled by the
plumbers brigade. After the cavalry
got tired OF riding the sailors came
ashore and, borrowing the horses,
completed the work Of carnage. In the
meanwhile the cavalrymen. having
nothing else to do. went aboad the
battleships and amused themselves
with firing the 40 inch cannon at the
flying machines OF the enemy.
The San Francisco call., 1909-05-26
Dobbin
Will Get
His Due

pride Of the butchers boy be gala
honor of the
works.
Prominent San Francscans humane and lovers of honest
horse fes have formed the San Francisco work parade
ciation 1t the the
parades to work horses only The first of these will be
held September 9.
lis good thing, this work horse show Dobbin
deserves well of do him full
Bay Bill and their black brown and kin
played prominent and praseworthy the reconstruction
the San Francisco love- The mighty
mobile the hour grief and will forgotten
We have ringing chorus the virtues
Dobbn has been less spectacular Indeed spectacular
Dobbn ALL but he has delivered the goods Dobbn cleared
the wreck and He hauled the
of which has been wrought the wonderful
He rghtful and hard earned place lasting
will we be ashamed to hearty voice that when
Dobbin goes parade.
You're dasfng hero, Dobbin, proved
you. Here's Dobbin the horse
parade association. Long may you waye-both of you.
The San Francisco call., 1909-05-26
From New Naval Problems

Captain Lucien Young of the Mare
island navy yard has become a pedes-
trian. it is said, in anticipation of a
Forthcoming order from the president
which will provide that all naval off,
GERS be required to walk or ride horse
back so miles or lose their jobs. Cap
tain Young seems to have chosen the
easier of two evils.
1t will be splendid when all naval
commanders can ride horseback. Then
the navy need fear no defeat. For
mech anical skill and ingenuity. keep
ing abreast of the requirements of the
service, will invent a mechanism which
may be used with equal ardor as
machine gun. a snow white charger for
the admiral or a grand piano to fur
nish music for the ensigns' receptions
For instance, during the coming Por-
tola carnival the contrivance can be
sweetly employed as a calliope to play
patriotic airs while the bluejackets
parade up Market street. When, If 1t
should happen, war would be declared.
the invention could be turned to its
more deadly career and be used to
slay quintillions of the enemy When
the opposing forts would be silenced
The San Francisco call., 1909-05-26
| T ak Levy
Must Be
| Ratified
sanitation measures.

sanitation measures.
with the sanction of the entire board It's defeat
ing municipal sascians the following cuts in appropriations
they stand the budget Strets sewers ST OOOOOO fire
houses $o80 schoolhouse S20OO0 police houses $4,000
sanitation, $4,000
The budget made up with the greatest care and appaentlv
with commendabe regard Extraordinary demands
made the city They be met within the 81 limit
When the budget submitted for official
there protest from the tax payers.
Francisco needs demands liberal
street and work Her people will submit TO anv attempt
hamper that work. Something like dollar in value for the
dollar expended is all that San Francisco demands
1t would be to believe that S,nervors
Mceran and Hooks have been msrepesend in the matter of
their attitude toward the extra levy Neither has ever stood in
the way OF proper and expenditures The Call
pared to believe that either will way Of the extra
which generally conceded be only proper but
The San Francisco call., 1909-05-26
Puts 1t Up
To the
Candidates

signed deter other candidates.
their petitions physically impossible The 10 per maximum
reasonable and the adopted virtually all of the
states which have made the petition part OF the direct primary
system There must needs be latitude allowed candidate
Tor invalid signatures 1t might easily petition bearing
1000 would include the of fifty men not
qualified by registration sign such petition registrar
must strike such from the petition disregard them
in the computation of the percentages required the
petition valid
The election commissions failure the registrar in
the matter Of rejecting petitions containing signatures excess
OF the prescribed 10 the burden observing
and the dangers of penalty for nonobseance upon
for partisan nomination
IT, in the absence of instructions contrary the registrar
receives petition signed by so per the qualified electors
OF given party the candidate presenting such petition the
danger Of being haled into by praying to have that
petition dsegarded and the beneficiary stricken from
the list OF candidates
In passing such application it reasonable assume
that the court would look to the intent of the law
that the offending petition signed design
defeat the the legislature rejection petition might
be expected
Loose as the commissions method may appear the
reached not without logic Reduced simplest
missions scheme contempaes permitting the observe
the letter and spirit Of the law take his chances fight with
other candidates The has, paance OF the street.
passed the buck
The San Francisco call., 1909-05-26
Answers to Queries

WALL PAPER--Subscriber, City. What prep
aration is there (if any, to render wall paper
adaptable for washing with soap and water
without affecting the coiors?
The Scientific American gives the
following: Make a solution of two
parts of borax and two parts of stick
lac shellac or other lac In "a parts of
hot water. Strain the solution through
a fine cloth filter and coat the paper
with it several times, rubbing the lat
ter with a soft brush after each an
plication till a brilliant polish is OBJ
tained. 1t is immaterial whether the
paper is already pasted on the wall
or still in rolls.
LIVE OAK--Subscriber City Why is the term
live oak applied to one species of the oak
trees?
Because it is the Only species of oak
in America which retains it's green
leaves until the foliage of the next
season appears.
C0LIN--A. A. s.. Berkeley, Cal: Has James
r. Keene's great horse Colin won race since
his present stay in England?
Keene's horse Colin has not vet
started in any English race.
,rfcr THE LIZ LaRGEsT-A ,sh;s r. T., city. Can you
Louis Mo-. has the largest seating capacity
The Standard, 1850
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. City Is the eonoras
sionai Record published for general distribu
tion to the citizens OF the country?
1t is not.
TEACHERS. r, Arroyo Grande. Cal. How
many teachers are there in the common sebools
of the United States and territories?
475,32S.
MT DIABLO-K. g. X. Cordelia. Cal vhs+
is the height of Mt Diablo in Californian
3,S49 feet.