A BIG MEXICAN SWINDLE.

Hot Lakes Chronicle, Volume 3, Issue 151, 23 October 1895, Page 4

A BIG MEXICAN SWINDLE.

Bogus claim to 17,000 squabe iIILES. The Ticbbome Claimant lias been out done by a clever forger, who lost his case in at Santa Fe, New Mexico. He bad hid claim to a tract of land in Arizon, 225 miles long by 75 wide, of great natural wealth, with -40,000 inhabitants, and valued to-day at 75.000,000d015. This man, named Keavis, had been a tram conductor, and had a face that spoke a character of guileless simplicity and honesty. But for twenty years he had been at work forging the necessary attestations of bis claim. It was based on a grant made in 1748 by Ferdinand Y1 of Spain to Don Miguel de Peralta de la Cordova, etc., with whosedescendant the claimant had also contracted marriage. The documents in his possesion deceived the ablest la.vyers. To prepare them he had mastered the Spanish language as used in the eighteenth century. He had so perfectly imitated the seals, signets and deviations of the Spanish court as to convince experts in arelwology. The Commercial Telegraph Company assisted him. The Southern Pacific Railroad advanced him 50,000d015. It is said that he spent a million dollar* in his preparations. A noted lawyer cf St Louis was to have a fee of half a million in the eventof success. All promised well, till a ISew Y<rk lawyer, Mr S. Mallet-Paovost, an expert in Spanish and Mexican litigation, was employed by the Government. He explored th'* archives at the city of Mexico, and then at Madrid. His discovery was astonishing. The whole thing was a myth ; not only was there no such grant, but no such person as Don Miguel. Riavis'H able lawyers suddenly ratted. The case collapsed at once.