Albuquerque evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1911-1914, 1912-03-06
SPANISH PRISONER
now BELIEVED
CAPTURED
House Raided in Bilbao Con-
tains Photographs and
Documents Used in swind-
ling Scheme; Gang is Clever


A. j. Maioy Of Albuquerque IN all
probability proved a hoodoo for the
famous gang Of swlndlers who have
FOR years operated the rspanish Prls-
oner" swindle. Several days ago MIR.
Maloy received the usual pathetic let
ter from Spain, asking tho usual de-
nations. with the usual promises Of
great pecuniary reward. And now
comes the news telling Of their prob
able capture follows;
Madrid, March with tho arrest
In Bilboa OF a gang o. swlndlefs and
tho capture OF their complete para
phornaila. the spanish police believe
that they have az last succeeded IN
putting an end to the machinatiOns OF
rogue who Cor the last ten years has
been known 10 the press Of Europe
and America as ''The spanish Pris-
onor."
His operations FIRST attracted public
attention after the Spanish-AmeTican
war when certain soldiers. both Span
lsh and American, who had been
quartered In Cuba, began 20 receive
mysterious letters. The gist and ma
ture Of tho letters TO the spanlards
was that fair American heiress,
whose brother had been IN Cuba, had
often heard her brother speak OF the
addressee until she began TO enter
tain for him a tender affection. and
would he not send her his photo
graph2 Usually the youthful. roman
slc spaniard, although not remem-
boring the brother. complied with tho
request Then succeeded q corres-
pondonce, which finally developed
the fact that me girls brother had
died, and that she had been left with
her great wealth without any protec-
ton but q wicked guardian. who
would force her 20 marry him 20 that
he might become possessed OF her for
tune. "Oh. for only few hundred
dollars that she might fly 90 nor
Spanish lover. who would know how
to thwart the wicked guardlanl
Usually that son OF Spain fell into the
trap. All over spain there are sad
eyed youths waiting for the appear
ance OF fair and wealthy senoriias.
The system, "The spanish Pris-
oner." employed with the Americans
was slightly different. Usually the
letter declared that a certain person
age. pursued and prosecuted on ac-
count OF his political or religious
ideas. had buried in some spot or de-
poslteu In a bank. large quantities of
money and bonds or specie. and thNa
! in order 10 redeem them. a sum oi
l $500 10 $1,000 must DO sent--tho
amount demanded curiously fitted IN
with the known circumstances OF the
addresse. AS the writer usually and
apparently wrote from Spanish
prison. he became known 20 the
American press as 'The spanish Pria-
oner"
More recently his agents have been
operating In The Hague and Sar
francisco. Recently a tenor al the
Madrid opera received a newspaper
clipping stating that his iong-los
uncle had Just died IN California pos.
sessod OF millions. while local law
Arm had actually been engaged q
Hook out for him, who was sole he'll
to the property.
The English agency nj Tho Hagn'
caused to be published IN the EngliHf
press notices Of the demise OF certain
persons whose ancestors had fed e
Holland during tho religious persecu
| ton Of the middle part OF the sixteenth
century and had died wealthy withou
any Dutch heirs In these cases Ger
tain London solicitors became the un
conscious agents Of The Spanish
Prisoner" and actually transmitted
the money necessary 20 present tn
claim 20 The Hague, whore Il wa
never heard Of again
In the house Falded by the polio
In Bilbao wore found collection o
photographs. letters and other docu
ments. and long lists OF Spanish
American and English names, wit
biographical notes attached. shown
. how It had been possible to conduc
the business with 80 much plauaibll
ity
Inquiry among the police here Shot
that several foreigners had from tim
20 time arrived here who had, fortu
, natoiy inquired Of the police hofor
looking up sThe Spanish Prisoner.
and had therefore been rescued fror
his Vaccinations.