Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1912-03-06
CAN 1T BE THAT SPANISH
SWINDLER is CAUGHT?
A Raid in Land of the Castlians
Seems to Offer Hope That the
Ancient Fraud Is Nahbed.

There are many persons in Norwich
who have had acquaintance through
correspondence with that oncien;
frald known as the Spanish pris-
oner" He has bumbar6ed our cit
liens with letters begging for assist
ance to get a fortune which awaits
him if only he can get his liberty,
and his letters have become nuis-
ance. The following despatch from
Madrid would seem to indicate that at
last, perhaps, there is ~ an end to
mis- work:
With the arrest in Bilbao of a gang
Of swindlers and the capture Of their
complete paraphernalia, the Spanish
police believe that they have at last
succeeded in putting an end to the
Vaccinations Of q rogue who for the
last ten years has been known to the
press of Europe and America as The
Spanish Prisoner"
HIS operations first attracted public
attentions after the Spanish-American
war Wnen certain soldiers, both Span
.sh and American, who had been quar-
tered in Cuba, began 10 receive mys-
FERROUS letters. The gist and nature
Of the letters to the Spaniards was,
that a fair American heiTess, whose
brother hal been in Cuba, had often
heard her brother speak of the ad-
dressae, until she began to entertain
for him a tender affection, and would
be not send her his photograph Usu-
ally the youthful, romantic Spaniard,
although not remembering the brother,
complied with the request. Then sue
ceeGed a correspondence, which final
ly developed the fact that the girls
brother had died, and that she mad
been left with her great wealth with
out any protection but wicked guard
ian, who might force her to marry
him so that he might become pos
sessed Of her fortune. ooh, for only
a few hundred dollars that she might
fly to her Spanish lover who would
know how to thwart the wicked guard
ian. Usually the son of Spain fell
into the trap. All over Spain there
are sad-eyed youths waiting for the
appearance Of fair and wealthy Amer
lean senCrit6s.
The system The Spanish Prisoner
employed with Americans was slightly
different TJusually the letter de-
clared that a certain parsonage, puT-
sued and prosecuted. on account of his
political religious ideas. had buried in
some known spot, or deposited in a
bank, large quantities of money in
bonds, or specie, and that, in order to
redeem them, a sum of $500 to $4,000
must be sent-the amount demanded
curioUsly fitted in with the known cir
cunstances of the addressee. As the
writer usually and apparently wrote
from some Spanish prison, he became
known to the American press as THE
Spanish Prisoner"
More recently his agents have been
operating IN The Hague and San
Francisco. Recently a tenor at the
Madrid opera house received a news
paper clipping stating that mis- long
lost uncle had just died in California
possessed Of millions, while local
law firm had actually been engaged to
look fer him, who was sole heir TO the
property.
The agency at The Hague caused to
be published in the English press no
tees of the demise of certain persons
whose 'nct stors had fled TO Holland
during the religious persecution Of the
middle part Of the sixteenth century
and had died wealthy without any
Dutch heirs. In these cases certain
London solicitors became the uncon-
scious agents of THE Spanish Pris-
oner,' and actually transmitted the
money necessary TO present the claim
to The Hague. where it was never
heard Of again
In the houser aided by the police il
Bilbao were found . collection of pho
tographs, letters and other documents
and long lists of Spanish, American
and English names, with biographical
notes attached showing how it had
been possible TO conduct the business
with 50 much plaJsibility
Inquiry among the police here show
that several foreigners had from time
to time arrived here, who had fOrtu-
nately. inquired of the police before
looking up The Spanish Prisoner
and had therefore been rescued from
his Vaccinations.