"SPANISH SWINDLE."

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 49, 23 March 1909, Page 3

"SPANISH SWINDLE."

A TIME-HON W3RED FRAUD STILL PR &C3XSED.

The British Am *»«»*»» ,n writes as follows i\ The U*", ™£j date January 22n'f-"/ «1»»M " grateful if you won, '<» a»°w «n* to « ' attention in your colu wns to the so-call-ed 'Spanish Swindle.' .TW* time-honored fraud continues to be practised upon the unwary in the United Kingdom and other large countries by a fifing of ingenious swradlets established "' .tadrid and other large Spanish towns, assisted, no doubt, by accomplices >* England, thev single out their victims and extract from them thousand* of pounds every year bv means ofl a concocted storv, which is generally to the following «ffect:—A -Spanish pnnonor dying hv a military prison desires to provide forihis only daughter. He possesses a large, fortune, deposited in England, and offqrs to transfer it to his correspondent if the latter will maintain and educate ihe child. Preliminary expenses to £IOO .-un* he forwarded in bank mites to a given *<M m *> wllm ' the prison) chaplain will rc ce!' Vl ' V le ?,",!" iiml escort the girl to Englai. i t ' fortune will tiien be handed over l.* 1 -, v correspondent; (The story is usuaii. supported by forged documents and newspaper cuttings. I fear that the evil is on the increase, although the Spanish Government is doing what it can at this end to suppress the traffic. I hope to put some of the intended victims on their guard, and that provincial and colonial journals may copy it, so that it may receive wide publicity. Persons receiving from Spain letters such as I have indicated would do well to communicate with his Majesty's Embassy without delay." t