The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1913-02-07
SPANISH FAKER TRIED
GAME ON Il. BEhD|xtM

Springfield Mimi, January 1910
be singled out as the one man in
this section of the state by reason
Of his honesty and high standing
among his fellow men, TO assist a
foreigner in saving for his darling
daughter a portion of a hidden for.
tune worth $iS0,O0O, generous
share OF which is TO be his provid-
ing certain conditions are carried
out. is the flattering offer rendered
II. BcndiXen, a well known business
man of this city.
10 Mr.. Bendixen from Madrid and
received here by him one day last
week. This letter, without doubt, is
one of those notorious Spanish epis-
Ties. similar to those received from
time to time by different individuals
of the state, which on their very face
indicate that some foreigner is look
ing for some easy money. At least
that is the very wise conclusion ar.
rived at by Mr.. BendiXen, and he is
giving the matter no further thought.
The letter reads as follows:
Madrid, January 6, 1913. Dear Sir:
Although / know you only from
good references of your honesty my
sad situation cOmpels me 70 reveal
You an important affair in which you
can procure modest fortune saw
ing at the same time that of my dar-
ling daughter
Was a Banker in Russia.
Before being imprisoned here
was established as a banker in Rus
STA as YOU will see by the enclosed
article about me of many English
newspapers which have published my
arrest in London
Il beSpech YOU TO help me 10 obtain
a sum of $4S0.00O | have in America
and TO come here to raise the seizure
OF my baggage by paying to the
register of the court the expenses of
my trial and recover my portman.
Jeaus containing a secret pocket
where | have hidden the document
indispensable to recover the said
sum"
AS reward | give up to You the
third part. viz 100000
Il cannot receive your answer in
prison but you must send a cable
gram 10 a person of my confidence
who will deliver it 10 me-"
Awaiting your cable to instruct
YOU in all my secret" | am Sir,
yours truly FOrcada-Doctop Fourquet
5-Madrid. Awaiting.
First of all answer by cable not
by letter as follows" Serge Solov-
Jeff.
In the above letter this foreigner
who goes under the name of Serge
SOlovieff, alludes to a press clipping
which he enclosed with the letter in
order TO more fully establish his
pitiful story. This clipping also
makes interesting reading matter
and is herewith given:
ARREST OF A ST. PETERSBURG
BANKER.
CHARGED WITH FRAUD IN RUS
STA AND MANSLAUGHTER IN
SPAIN INTERVIEW OF THE
TWO AMBASSADORS.
Some months ago, as our readers
may remember we referred in these
columns TO the great scandal caused,
in St. Petersburg, and in Russia
generally, by q noted banker who
absconded, leaving deficit of over
five million rubles.
Police Were on the Job.
The Russian police sought for
him for a long time in vain for ii
seems he had not left the least trace
OF his flight and the continued search
over Europe and America proved
unavailing."
Yesterday, however Spanish
inspector accompanied by two officers
from Scotland Yard and acting under
nf l1n yich hac
dor. who had previously interviewed
the home secretary arrested him on
his way from the hote! where he was
staying, to the steamship office. II
seems that it was his evident inten-
ton to take passage for New York.
From information received by the
ambassador, he had been hiding in
Spain. where he lived with a woman
and his daughter. A few days before
arriving in London he had quarreled
with another Russian, who was NOR
tally wounded by a revolver during
the scuffle. and who only lived long
enough TO denOunce his assailant."
Interview With Ambassador.
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 is
simply an alibi. but after comparing
the prisoner with photographs in his
possession, the Russian ambassador
recognized him as Serge Solovieff the
criminal banker who eloped with five
millions of rubles; he is native of
st. Petersburg, widower forty-eight
years old with an only daughter
that he left in Spain, escaping from
that country"
"On being arrested, two of Man.
asseina's or Serge Solovieff port
manteaus were sliced but although
strictly searched nothing but per-
sonal effects were found in them, in
spite OF which, the Russian Am
bassador declares that prisoner ought
10 have several million rubles some
, where
THE Russian and Spanish AM
bassadors conferred yesterday even
ing as TO whether the prisoner should
be conveyed to Spain or to Russia,
and after an interview with the home
secretary. and in accordance with the
eXtradition treaty of England, Rus
STA and Spain, it was agreed that the
prisoner should be conveyed to Spain,
to stand his trial for manslaughter,
and that only after his trial can the
Russian government ask Spain,
L, -. e. u