Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1925-05-17
SPANISH PRISONER
LUR|NG SW|NDLER
Fraud Kept Up Despite Ex.
posUres-Victims Silent.
Fearing Public RidicuIe.

IIauuS IN the world. Although eN-
lesed again and again in the news
papers of all nations nothing stops it.
for il is based on sound knowledge
Of the frailties Of human nature. even
though il appeals TO the best Senti-
ments of nkind-the sense of char
NY and Chivalry. Many Of its victims
deserve 10 lose their money. but
others. like the aged widow who sent
all her savings to rescue the 'pris-
oner's daughter" from a Spanish pris-
on. deserve monuments.
For an outlay of nothing except time
always the chea pest commodity in
Spain few sheets of note paper.
some stamps and much ingenuity. the
swindle brings 10 its perpetrators a
steady income in dollars. pounds ster-
ling, francs and marks. And the
Swindlers are uncommonly safe. Few
victims want TO prosecute. Already the
crowd arrested a month ago is at
liberty
How The SwindIe is Worked.
How does the swindle work? Very
simply-on the writing of a few let
tiers by the swindlers here i'm Spain.
The first letter is usually like the
following:
Dear sir and rela tive: Although I
have not the honor to know YOU per
decea Sed mother. your relative. who
said me belong to your family. and
in this reliance ! implore your pro-
lection for my only daughter. Mary
Rose of - years. being a. present in
a boarding college, because ! am
widower. and for this rea son ] want
your aid and protection to recover the
Nm of 1855 900 of my property. which
sic 'unt I have deposited in your coun-'
try in two banks. only known to me.
Al the same time 7 wish TO name you
my daughter tutor. send her to your
home to be under your care and pro
tection. being I in prison for noble
nd just. cause. If you accept the
scored mission I intrust you. as
Just reward I will yield you the fourth
part of the aforesaid sum. Ny object
addressing you is TO assure under
YOUR help the honest patrimony of
my dearest daughter. AS my health
state is grievouS ] am imploring you
soon reply. and then | will write
YOU my secret with every details
Second Letter Plea for Sympathy.
Usually second letter follows soon
after the first, for the prisoners
health is supposed to he failing rap
idly and he hastens to confide his
secret, which I intrust TO your hon
story is that he is in prison for po-
litical reasons. The prisoner had
fled abroad. where he transferred his
fortune. My wife and daughter
made themselves ready by stealth to
come and consort with me-" but. alas.
my unhap pily wife fell sick. receiving
the painful news of her death. Mad
for grief and seeing my daughter
without help. 7 reduced all my cap
ital in bank notes and resolved 70 set
out to Spain 10 take my daughter.
so again to Spain with so important
sum of money. and finding in the
midst of my sIddiness none sure
means to leave my capital, / resolved
to deposit 100000 in two good banks
and the remainder of $4,000 | re
solved to conceal in very artful
secret Of my trunk. made in Paris
and with the security that nobody
would imagine where I had my
money. I returned to SPAIN
Chaplain" Is introduced.
Enlucky and unfortunate man. A
wretch enemy" recognized and sc
cused him. Court martial and Span
ish prison followed. The prisoners
ha ggage including the trunk, was
seized and help by the judicial au-
thorities. The daughter pinned in
convent. while the father pinned in
prison.
However. explained the painful
future of my daughter to the reverend
chaplain of this prison, he beca me
affected for my state and under
standing my life would be auenchins
on account Of the deep chronic suffer
ing wearing me away he offer me
al h ha1n no ri II
] can communicate with YOU.
After this confidence comes the first
demand for pecuniary~ assist nee: Il
form the plan OF sending my daughter
to you. escorted by the reverend chap
lain. and with the trunk but for TO
release my baggage from the tribunal
] must pay the expenses Of the
process OUTLAWS. amounting TO $50.
For this sum have nobody to ap-
peal in Spain for fear of being be-
wretchedlv betrayed again. The ven
cradle priest is ignorant of the place
and manner my fortune is lodged.
Only God. you and me knows the
secret AS my wish is that you be
guardian of my daughter. | will name
you her tutor and her fortune trustee
until her full age and as right
reward ! WELD you the fourth part
of all my fortune, S46 .25O."
Married MARY Of Your Family"
II this epistle fails to draw the
money solicited. or IL doubts are ex-
pressed to the relationship claimed.
answers are ready as follows: with
regard my relationship with you. |
say that my father, being a COM
mandant of the Spa nish army. he
VS. trusted to study in your country
army's organiza ton. and married
there with Mary of your family
shortly afterward coming to Spain.
where. by some unknown disgusts.
wat cut off the correspondence with
my mother family"
This by no means eXhausts the
swindler's resources. If the victim
sends the first sum asked he Is caught
in 2 whirl. Profuse thanks and the
information that the precious equip
ages" were rescued just in time is ca
Con1panied by the sad information
that there Is not cent for the travel
ing expenses of the priest and the
daughter, heiress-w ward. Happily. the
artful secret trunk Is safe in the
hands Of the worthy ecclesiastic. But
the falling health of the prisoner
warns him that his end Is not far off.
II the money is sent for the travel
ing expenses, renewed gratitude. but
another hitch. The nuns where Mary
Rose is at school claim payment for
her expenses. a year in arrears. If
the dear relative" proves obdura te
a shock is reserved for him-the
prisoner dies. The sad news is con
veyed in letter from the cha plain,
accompa MED by an imposing death
certificate from the governor Of the
prison.
Generally this sad climax decides
strings. Sometimes 1t prompts him to