| Show I Spanish Swindlers Are Busy Again The Spanish swindle which Ii In the past has lured nobody knows how many dollars out of gullible America Ameri Ameri- ca is again being tried this time presumably on a larger scale This celebrated hoax is b based sed on the human weakness for easy money and for tor adventure Many lany peo people le see seo no reason why adventure and great wealth should not wait walt around the corner for them just as in the movies and in magazine fiction Occasional stories in In Inthe the papers also tell of or vast fortunes acquired in hi odd way So So when an honest American citIzen citizen citizen cit cit- izen receives a letter bearing a Spanish Spanish Span Span- Is ish postmark addressed to him In quaint foreign handwriting ho he is intrigued If H he ho knows no one in Spain he opens such a letter curiously curiously curiously curi curi- with all sorts of romantic possibilities pos pos- buzzing through his brain He reads the communication and his I wildest speculation regarding it becomes becomes becomes be be- comes suddenly tame He learns that i he has been selected to help a noble no- no noble noble no no- ble Russian who faces bankruptcy I and is In prison He reads further breathless and learns that a Ita modest modest modest mod mod- est fortune of Is practically practical practical- ly within his grasp The noble Russian has somewhere In American good American II dollars and he is generously willing willingto to reward the person addressed with with third one-third of them l if only he will wUl help helpIn In the recovery of the money The unfortunate Russians Russian's baggage has been s seized and he needs a trI trilling sum sum to reclaim it it ft and to pay the tho registrar of the court for the expenses expenses ex ox- of ot the trial In the portmanteau portmanteau port port- manteau mantea among the Russians Russian's baggage baggage baggage bag bag- gage th there re is a secret secret pocket he says and in the secret pocket he has hidden two checks payable to the bearer for tor that sum that sum that Is la for the The Imprisoned mun man cannot receive receive receive re re- letters in his Spanish prison but he has a trusted friend The rhe American is requested to cable this friend in Barcelona who will instruct Instruct In- In him how to proceed If It tho the chosen benefactor does cable he willbe wIllbe will willbe be told to send the small sum compared compared compared com com- pared to necessary to recover ro- ro re recover cover the v portmanteau When he has cabled the money he finds that the noble Russian and the trusted friend have passed quietly out of his bis life lire The department has begun begun begun be be- gun gun lately to receive complaints regarding re- re regarding regarding re re- garding this new form of ot the oM olti Spanish swindle It is fairly certain that the scheme is being widely worked d the letter that is being sent ou ou ib is The ink Is ink and under a reading glass the writing shows stOW th that t tit it I Is not ordinary i iA Some Som down strokes for fOI instance aro faint almost to Indistinctness in the tho middle middle middle mid mid- dle of the stroke the result of or uneven uneven uneven un un- even printing Spanish swindle e letters 1 go to Lo people people people peo peo- in all parts ot of the country No especial attempt is made to select s millionaires or philanthropists probably bec because use the operators know mow that such persons would be slow to respond to this particular kind of ot bait Judging from cases that gain publicity it seems likely that the names of ot prospective victims aro ro picked out of or at random The rho swindlers no doubt figure that less wealthy persons lead more re re- lives Jives and that they will more eagerly take talo a chance on this bit of oC adventure Tho The thrill of being selected select select- ed cd to correspond with an Imprisoned Russian nobleman and aud to send cables relating to secret pockets and fortunes does not come often to the average American at least no does not realize how often orton this particular particular particular par par- thrill is offered to the pub pub- lic lie Many farmers in outlying sections of the country receive the Spanish swindle letters How many fall for forthe forthe forthe the hoax no one except the tho Spanish swindler knows The sum asked for tor when the correspondence correspondence correspondence cor cor- gets to the tho critical stage may depend upon the tho person to bo be fleeced Tho impersonators of the noble Russian can estimate closely from Crom tho the replies of the American how much money may bo ho asked for safely and aud obtained Tho The Spanish swindle Is a very old game but it never seems to lose Its alluring possibilities It must be profitable Otherwise It would not bo be attempted now by presumably ono one of the same operators who worked it In 1913 That the tho same perso persons persona are still at nt it is Indicated by sample letters Same Sarno Swindle In tOtS 1013 The postoffice department has haa a sample of the latest swindle letter and it has letters of the 1913 series The 1913 version contained the story of an imprisoned Russian banker and his beautiful daughter whose fortune must be recovered From that point the story progressed progress progress- ed as in the latest letter tho the climax being the hidden pocket in the portmanteau where the papers pavers necessary necessary essary to the tho recovery of the fortune were concealed 1913 letters are written on the same kind of paper that is being used for the letters now The sheets are large and printed In tiny Uny blocks with blue ink The Tho letters aro are In similar handwriting That the 1913 letter Is the basis of the up to bankrupt Russian letter of 1922 can bo be seen readily from the phrasing of the two types Tho The same foreign expressions occur in both Since the Spanish swindle started years ago it has changed very little This method of taking money away from Americans Is obviously a systematic business A comparison of two of the letters sent out in 1913 shows that both contain the tho samo same f story except- except the Russian bankers banker's name Dame Is Is Iv in one case and in the other othe Each letter is accompanied by a newspaper clipping which confirms the story of the well-known well Russian bankers banker's being imprisoned in Spain and tells how it occurred The fact that the banker banke was supposed to have hidden funds and also that the baggage was searched are cunningly cunning cunning- ly referred to in the new story These clippings presumably are from some Borne English newspaper and are supposed to satisfy the recipient of the letter as to the existence of tho the Russian banker and the truth of hi story The interesting thing about them themis is that on one of the clippings the tho story is printed with the name namo Ivanovich Ivanovich Ivan- Ivan to correspond with one letter while the other clipping cUpping gives the name as Except for this difference the news items are identical identical identical iden iden- and the tho same reading matter ison is ison ison on the reverse side of both This proves as might be expected that the swindlers had the clippings faked fak falc- aked ed to look exactly like extracts from froma a newspaper If It the two letters lotters were not sent to the same neighborhood there was little danger of two victims comparIng comparing comparing ing notes or at least not until after th the money was sent or positively re re- re fused Tho The victim who has parted with his money to these swindlers is helpless helpless helpless help help- less so far tar as recovery ry is concerned The department has printed ed cd a warning against this form or of fraud in the tho 1922 postal guide It is a l strange fact that this fraud is almost exclusively a Spanish ar- ar fair A A Afew few letters have come from Mexico but Spain with Its atmosphere atmosphere atmosphere atmos atmos- phere of ot romance makes makes an imprisoned Imprisoned imprisoned Russian and his beautiful daughter pining for a fortune seem more plausible I If such things can happen anywhere they would happen happen happen hap hap- pen in Spain the American victim reasons Tho Spanish swindlers counting their American Ican dollar bills no doubt think that America and not Spain Is the true land of romantic romantic romantic roman roman- tic fortune o 0 o INCULCATING TRUTH IN INTHE INTHE INTIlE THE TIlE CHILD First Be De truthful yourself Do not cherish the tho delusion that tha you can tell a child anything and and be believed For you cannot At first the child will believe but bu after after repeated misrepresentations one will find that the thing told will wil willbe wilbe be taken with a grain or salt saIto As Aa an Illustration If It you have promised thee hild a visit somewhere on a certain day and then feel teel too tired after a hard mornings morning's work how are you going to make him understand understand understand un un- Why mother you sal said you'd take me this afternoon cried surprised Bobble Bobbie Yes I know Impatiently but bu you will have to amuse yourself a ahome at home today Im I'm too tired to o walk that far tar A very grieved and disappointed child Is left to his own devices with witha a prodigious problem to 10 be worked out as aa to why his playtime hour hanot has ha not been realized If It a promise be made to a child keep it If It as sometimes happens it is la impossible to o carry out that tha promise explain care carefully tully Just why it cannot be fulfilled at that time To To- questions asked asked and and and they are ar legion legion answer answer truthfully explain carefully It may take time away from other duties duties but one will be bewell bewell bewell well repaid by the contented happy spirit born in the child when the information sought is gladly given Trust will be fostered also trust also trus in the one one- who one who enlightens ignorance with knowledge then will come trust trus trustIn In the world at large The fountainhead fountainhead foun- foun of knowledge for the children children children chil chil- dren is centered in you who have the shaping of these young lives in your hands Let truthfulness be the basic test teat of your capability |
