Gilpin observer., 1909-11-04
SPANISH SW|NDLE"

of swindlers operating In various
towns and cities in Spain, who make
a practice of writing to persons In the
United States respecting the impri-
sonment of a relative and the guard
ianship of child.
The Consul-General states that the
alleged prisoner generally describes
himself as 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 let
ter out OF the prison fcrt.
The prisoner is rich. He has for
tune in cash on deposit in the United
States. but the certificate of deposit
is concealed in secret receptacle of
his valise; the valise itself has been
taken possession of by the court at
Carthagena, which tried and condemn
ed him. and will be held until the
prisoner or his representative has
satisfied the costs Of The trial. The
prisoner has an only daughter; dying
in his prison. his sole thought Is of
his beloved offspring. He has no
friend or relative in Spain to whose
care he can commit her. In this emer
tant relative in the United States
whom he has never seen and of
whom he knows only through here
say or the family tree. Will the dis
tant relative assume the guardian
ship of the darling daughter, and the
darling daughters fortune of about
5000 II the distant relative ac-
cepts the trust one-fourth Of the pri-
soners entire fortune will be the
material reward The good priest will
so at once to the United States and
take the darling daughter with him
There is but one condition; the ready
money which the prisoner brought
with him to Spain has been exhaust
ed; the distant relative is therefore
requested to send enough to nberate
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
free and the home of the brave, with
the darling daughter.
The above Is generally the first let
ter of the series. 1t is quickly follow
ed By another in which the prisoner
pathetically states that his strength
is rapidly failing and the end is near.
He beseeches his dear distant rela-
tive to assume the. trust ard be a
loving father to the darling daughter.
priest himself. who in brief. touching
terms. and hopelessly bad English an
nounces the death OF the unhappy
prisoner: the good priest adds that
the darling daughter is under his
care. He is ready to put his promise
into execution and start for the Unit
cd States as soon as he shall receive
the necessary funds from the distant
relative. The good priest frequently
incloses with his letter bogus news
paper clipping announcing the death
in prison at Barcelona Of the famous
Cuban patriot sometimes called
Augustin LafienteD the newspaper
notice also speaks cunningly OF the
confiscated valise and the darling
daughter.
1t is a simple scheme. but present
ed in such a plausible way that al
most any suspecting distant rela-
tive" of European extraction would
be more or less deceived by the glad
prospect of falling heir to the agree
able custody of darling daughter
with a big fortune. and one-fourth
interest therein as an additional re-
compense.
Naturally the first impulse OF the
distant relative is to ask lawyer
or a Judge or some authority what
course he should take but the warn
ing in the prisoners letter beseech-
ing 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 its con-
cealed certificate of deposit. is the
Key to the situation and possession
must be taken of II before anything
can be done or said. This (cunningly
set forth by the prisoner) is very
evident to the distant relative, and
80 he quite frequently preserves the
secret intact. and instead Of consult.
ing a lawyer or writing to the Ameri-
can Cnnsul-General Mt Barcelona he