The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1909-03-12
ASHER FRANK IN BIG LUCK

Since Mr. Asher Frank has made
such a big success in the real estate
business and the auction sale of lots,
his name has been heralded abroad,
and he is falling up against all sorts
of easy propositions.
His last is a letter from Madrid,
Spain, which is from a noted banker
of St Petersburg. Russia, who alb
seconded, leaving a deficit of five mill
lion rubles. The abscOnding banker
landed in Spain under an assumed
name, and there committed man
slaughter The police hunted for him
long time in vain, pursuing the
search in all parts of Europe and
America.
Luckily for the law, but unfortu-
nately for the very noted banker, the
miniOns of Scotland Yard ran up on
him by accident and landed him in
prison in Spain.
There is a secret spring to his port
manteau and he has his Doodle intact,
and he thinks that it is so concealed
that the detectives will be unable to
discover its hiding place
His proposition to our hustling land
agent is to embark Immediately for
Spain, advance the money for his
prosecution, and in return he will
gvie him the key to the secret pocket
of his portmanteau. and he can take
for his share one-third Of the whole
amount, tO-wit: The sum of one lun-
dred and sixty thousand dollars, and
the hand of his beautiful and accom-
plished daughter in marriage.
Asher's friends see him leaving,
and are bidding him bon voyage.
The following is the London Times
account of the noted bankers arrest ::
Some months ago. as our readers
may remember. we referred in these
columns to the great scandal caused
in st. Petersburg, and in Russia gen
orally. by a noted banker who alb.
seconded, leaving a deficit of over five
millions of rubles.
The Russian police sought for him
for a long time in vain. for it seems
he had not left the least trace of his
flight, and the continued search over
Europe and America proved unavail-
ing.
Yesterday. however, Spanish in.
spectOr, accompanied by two officers
from Scotland Yard. and acting under
instructions of the Spanish ambassa
dor, who had previously interviewed
the home secretary. arrested him on
his way from the hotel while he was
going to the steamship office II
seems that it was his evident inten-
ton to take passage for New York
From information received by the am.
bassadOr, he had been in hiding in
Spain, where he lived with a woman
and with his daughter. a few days
before arriving in London he had
quarreled with another Russian, who
was mOTtally wounded by a revolver
shot during the scuffle, and who only
lived long enough to denOmce his as
sailant
In an interview with the Russian
ambassador it seems that the name he
had been using in Spain. and which
he gave on being arrested was not his
real one, Manasseina being simply an
alihi, but after comparing the priS-
Oner with photographs in his posses
sion the Russian ambassador recOg-
nized him as Petravicz, the criminal
banker who eloped with five million
rubles. He is a native Of St. Peters
burg, a widOwer. fOrty-eight years old,
with an only daughter. whom he left
in Spain on escaping from that coun-
try.
On being arrested two Of Manassei-
mas, or PetrovicZ's portmanteaus were
seized, but although strictly search
ed. nothing but personal effects were
found in them. in spite of which the
Russian ambassador declares that the
prisoner ought to have several million
rubles somewhere.
The Russian and Spanish ambassa-
doris conferred yesterday evening as
to whether the prisoner should be
conveyed to Spain OF to Russia, and
after an interview with the home Sec
rotary, and in accordance with the ex-
tradition treaty of England. Russia
AMI Spain, it was agreed that the pris-
oner should be conveyed to Spain, to
stand his trial for manslaughter, and
that only after his trial can the Rus
sian government ask Spain, through
diplomatic channels, for his extradi-
ton.
Following is the unfortunate bank
er'S letter to our hustling real estate
agent:
Madrid, Spain, 2-4-09.
Colonel A Frank, Ocala,s Fla:
Dear Sir-Although l know you only
from advertisements in the newspa-
pers and the good references of your
honesty my sad situation cOmDelS me