East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1909-08-25
Ray Crystal Will Be Enriched
by a Hundred Thousand
DoIIars-Maybe.
GETS LETTER FROM
SPAIN WHICH MAY BE TRAP
Supposed Relative OF Groceryman
Asks Latter TO Care for Child-He
Languishes In Spanish Prison for
Anarchu-IIas Fortune Concealed
I'm Trunk and Wants Funds for Its
RedemptlOn-Crysta Is Skeptical.

Ray Crystal, head OF the grocery
department of the Peoples Warehouse
is busy trying to figure out whether
he Is about 10 come into possession
of more than 100000 or whether he
has been picked for = victim by some
artists. In the meantime, without
running any risks he is going to make
an investigation, II the apparent
good fortune is genuine he will ac-
cept with pleasure, but II 1t Is a
bunco game he will refuse to be
fleeced.
The cause of his perturbation was
n lengthy letter which arrived this
morning from Madrid, Spain. The
writer represents himself to be rel
ative OF Crystal and says that though
he is now in prison on the charge of
being an anarchist, that he now has
more than s450.00O in English drafts
and that he will give one-fourth Of
this to Crystal on condition that the
Pendleton groceryman receive into
his home the 14-year-old daughter of
the imprisoned man.
Letter from Madrid.
The letter was posted in Madrid,
and was sent to Medford. Oregon, the
former home of Mr.. Crystal. From
there II was forwarded to Pendleton,
arriving this morning. II bears the
date of July 10.
The letter is signed Luis Rodiques
Crystal.
The writer starts off by saying that
the recipient of the epistle will un-
derstand their relationship when he
explains that his mother was Mrs.
Mary Crystal, said to be klnswoman
Of the Pendleton man. Mary Crystal
Is the name OF the local mans grand
mother, and II this is the same wo-
man to whom the writer refers this
would make him an uncle.
After explaining their relationship
the author OF the letter proceeds to
give a history Of his life. He tells
how his fortune was amassed and that
how when ne was first accused OF
being an anarchist he took his money
to London and deposited 1t in bank
Later. when he found that he was be-
ing followed to England he took his
money from the bank and hid II in a
trunk The sum concealed is said
to amount TO $500 pounds.
Prison Chaplain Is Friend.
The prisoner explains that he is
able to write this letter through the
friendship of the chaplain, who SYM
pathzes with his condition and that
of his daughter. He says. however
that the chaplain believes they are In
very poor circumstances and that he
must be kept in ignorance Of the ex-
istence of the fortune or he would
withhold his assistance. The writer
also says it would be fatal to their
plans for Crystal to attempt to see
him in prison.
The conditions imposed are that
, the local groceryman shall receive
the daughter and act as her protec-
tor until she becomes of age or Is
married Up until that time he is to
receive the interest on the whole
amount of the fortune, which is to be
invested by the protector Of the girl
When she becomes of age the origi-
nal fortune is to be divided one
fourth going to the protector and one
to the girl.
Apparent Joker Revealed.
SO far the plan Is entirely agreeable
with the local man, but there seems
to be further stipulation that the
good chaplain" be provided with
funds sufficient to redeem the lug.
gage, in which is concealed the drafts
and also to pay the passage of the
girl and the chaplain from Madrid tc
Pendleton. There is small possibility
that the money will be produced.
An answer by return mail Is de-