Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-03-27
OLD SW|NDLE TRIED
Letters Again Tell of Banker
imprisoned in Spain.
SPEAK OF BIG FORTUNE
Financial Aid Is Sought to Obtain
$48O.0O0 and Benefactor Is
Promised One Third.

Surprise often Is expressed at the fail
uresof the federal government to take
hand in the investigation of the whole
sale swindling game that is perpetrated
upon people in the United States by
Spanish swindlers. Letters from the
swindlers come at irregular intervals. and
the persistency OF the hackers Of the
game indicates that they find an coca
sional person who is willing TO surrender
cash. The authorities invariably say they
are utterly helpless to do anything, al
though names and addresses are given.
Some OF the letters received here recent
" are somewhat different from the
stereotyped missives Of years ago. the
writer's framing them in a manner which,
they think, is more apt to bring results.
Only an answer to the message Is asked,
and the information given is that the
vast amount Of wealth to be recovered
is in America The writer Of the letter.
as has been the custom for years. por-
trays himself as a former Russian banker
now in prison.
1t is necessary, OF course. that he
should be released before he can get pos
session of papers which will insure OBJ
tanning the vast sum of $4,000. and his
banefactor is to receive one-third OF the
money-$160 600 There Is, nothing con-
tanned in the letter to Indicate the amount
OF money the intended victim is to pay,
the letter being intended only as a step
ping stone to gain his confidence.
Text Of the Letters.
The letter of explanation sent out to
the intended victims recently is dated
Madrid, March 8, and reads:
Although I know you only from good
references of your honesty, my sad situa-
ton compels me to reveal to YOU an inn
portant affair in which you can procure
modest fortune, saving at the same time
that of my darling daughter.
Before being imprisoned here was es-
tablished as a banker in Russia, as you
will see by the inclosed articles about me
from many English newspapers which
have published accounts of my arrest IN
London.
II beseech you to help me to obtain
sum of $3.50 600 ] have in America and to
come here to raise the seizure of my bag
gage, paying to the registrar Of the court
the expenses Of my trial and recover my
portmanteau, containing secret pocket
where l have hidden the document indis-
pensable to recover the said sum.
las q reward | will give UP TO you the
third part, viz. $l6O.OOO
.I cannot receive your answer in the
prison, but you must send caDlegram TO
a person in my confidence, who Will de-
liver 1t 10 me.
Awaiting your cable to instruct you in
all my secret, am, sir,
Yours truly.
.DDMIDOFF"
The recipient is told to answer by cable
and not BY letter, addressing the mes
sage: "Gonsalves--Yacometr 23. tecero
4. Nadriz. NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
Photograph Of Girl Sent.
Accompanying the letter are what pur-
port to be clippings from English papers
telling of the arrest of the banker in
London and OF the injustice done him. To
those who fall victims to the game
pict. e Of the so-called beautiful daugh-
ter is afterward sent, letter purporting
to have been written by the girl accom-
panying the later correspondence.
IT is not believed by the local police
that many Washingtonians have been
caught, although the manner in which
the sWindlers operate, 1t is believed,
means that their efforts have not been
wholly in vain. Several years ago the
local police department Intercepted
Pennsylvanian who was on his way to
Spain. He had visions Of immense wealth
and was willing to risk his money. He
was told by the police that 1t was his
money and not his presence In Spain that
the swindlers wanted. He put his money
i'm his pocket and returned home.