Iditarod pioneer., 1916-08-12
FAMOUS SPANISH PRISONER STILL TRYING TO DISPOSE OF
 HIS DUC.ATS AND DAUGHTER

Readers of Thr Pioneer wiB rerap Ina. about e year ago Ara Wood, the we3 known loca business man, received a letter from a distressed Spanish gentleman who was imprisoned and who was soIicltouS of the welfare of his darling daughter and desired aTa to assist him in securing her fortune for her. for all of which he offered d princeiy reward. 1t appears thai either MT Wood IS hard hearted in the extremf or he has been afraid to make the trip to that dear Spain in war times for another resident of the district has lately receIved similar appeal. The letter follows almost similar lines as that received by MT. Wood, but the daughter has not aged any since last year, being stiH sweet l6. ln fact, she must have partaken of the waters of perpetual youth for she was 16 years of age quarter of century ago when the distressed Spaniard commenced asking the assistance of ''near kinsmen" in his effort to save his daughter and his ducats
 The latest letter of the famous Spanish prisoner was addressed to <'Mr, Pete Kowalskl, Wood Contractor ldits,rod Alaska" and IS dated May 2S, l9l6 Mir hOWdJSk WAS Stilt Hat lIuLEsCu il'Oht 'l- and was inclined to hte belief that "the proposition submitted in the letter IS of fraudulent character" He states that he has never been in Spain and has no relatives nor friends in that country.
 It always has been a puzzle 9s to how the "Sp4nsh prisoner" works his scheme ; but that it does work is evidenced by the persistencv with which he keeps up his work In order that 8 waiting world may be enlightened as to the details The PlO neer suggests that some chivalrous member of the community who can spare the money make the venture and comply with the request, in order that al may learn the details The fact that all of us may not be near kinsmen" of Senor Fonseca prob ably would not act as @ bar; for no doubt the money of entire strangers would be lust as acceptable Here is the letter;
 Writes to His "Knsman"
 Being llaced in q very grave situation and l cannot by myself resolve 8 great strocgle that Sorround nle take the lib ertv to write you the first and perhaps the last lime due to my grave heal3a. although ] a1n know to you when l say you that my death mother Mrs, Anna was your near kinswoman yon viii know oUr relationship
 Counting with your chscretion i will eX- plain you nv sorry situation although l am afraid this letter not reach you, but as my situation cannot accept delay l risk this letter of which can derend the salva- ion of great fortune tha: ls the future of my only and dear daughter of Is years old that is placed in bear4lng School.
 Nv death father wss Contractor of the Spanish army for this reason he made me to study for the corp of Administration for to make better his business and when my parents death was Commander of mill tary administration and l follow his busi- ness and the same time 1 was employed as cashier in the war ministry here lR Madrid, working hard to make a fortune for my dear daughter and when l begin to see realized my wishes because l had some for tune became the european war As you know every nation sent their aggregated miitarys and the Spanish government sent me to the centre of the operations of army could see myself the actions done by the bolligents and for this reason l write here in French Once in the centre of action l to Madrid to my republican friends telling them to work for break our neutrality and go to the war but when my politician enc mics saw it. the government call me to re- turn at once to my employment of cashier Then in Madrid and knowing that our gov crnmtnt do not break the neutrality for the power of the Austrian Empire has over the mother of our king because she Is there, myself and all republican people nam ing committee for start to France and ask the french government to aid us to de throne the king of Spain and proclaim a republican government but when the com mttee came back and arrive to Trun (hls- pano-franco frontier. they were lubrled cruelty by the monarchical adherents and some of them were wounded 1 think you know all this events because it was pub lished in the newspapers of the world.
 Immense Fortune Secreted
 Thinking that the french government would aid us I was empowered for start to England and there purchase war ma terial, so I went to London immediately bearing with me all my fortune which amount to f85,700 In London l was
 
 mission but before receiving them the com plot was discovered and the committee was arrested denouncing me as defrauder of 3 large sum of money to the war ministry. Knowing the calumny my enemies throw upon me 1 remain in London where some days after I received the sad news of my wife's death leaving abandoned in the world my dear daughter, this sad new obliged me to return to Spain to recover my darllng daughter but thinking it was an lmpru- dence to take with me my fortune decided to place it in a sure Bank of London but saying that money of mine could be paved in any branch office of said Bank in your country, which bank gave me as warranty of it Cheque payable to bearer transferred for to collect it in your country where l was going to life This cheque l hidden in secret partition l make myself in one of my trunks impossible to be discovered for anybody.
 Being then on surety all my stock l come here to Spain with all my luggage to recover my daughter and start for your