«THE SPANISH PRISONER."

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 12897, 31 August 1907, Page 9

«THE SPANISH PRISONER."

A PROFITABLE SWINDLE. United Presi Electric T-l-graph-Oopyr lght. (Received August 30th, 9.27 p.m.) LONDON, August 80. The "Daily Chronicle" reports that the Spanish police have captured seven conductors of the Spanish treasure frauds, which havo had ramifications in every European country. The promoters in fifteen months netted £14.G00.

The "Spanish Prisoner," as tbistype of fraud has oomo to be called, is au old acquaintance. It has been worked all over the world with suocese. London "Truth" gives th© following account of it in its cautionary list:— "Ono of tho most popular and successful of these swindles. Worked by innumerable thieves, of various degrees of intelligence and cleverness, in.different Spanish towns. A letter is written, ostensibly from a prison, tho writer claiming some knowledge of, or relationship to, the party, he addressee, and frequently using tho same family namo. Ho explains that through some complicated circumstances (generally connected with tho Cuban insurrection), ho has had to bury a large sum of money in some part of England, or deposit it in some English bank. A plan of the hiding place, or the receipt note from tho bank, as the case may be, is concealed- in iiis portmanteau, which is deposited outside the prison. He desires the party he addrosses to assist him in tne recovery of his treasure, in return for a large share in it. A youthful daughter is usually one of his properties, arid is to be adopted by his friend, who is to hold tho rest of tho money for her. Innumerable dodges nro employed to givo verisimilitude to the tale, which always ends, when 'confidence' his been established, with a request for a substantial sum of money to release the portmanteau, that article having been seized by a creditor, or detained by tho Cus-tom-house authorities, at the critical moment when it is wanted." Naturally, victims of the fraud aro unwilling to take proceedings, and so confess thoir foolishness to the world, and the swindlers are well aware of this. A couple of years ago, a gang was caught in Madrid, and it was thought by some that the swindle had been rooted out. The chances are that in spite of the capture reported above it will still go on merrily.