Boo53
07-03-2014, 2:02am
Just doing a bit of browsing on the National Library site for family history items.
In an article in the Albury Banner & Wodonga Express of 15th May 1908 there was a snippet about the marriage of a relative
Anyway, that why I was looking, not the subject of this post.
In the same article there was this text
http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc103/soils1111/ac/spanishprisoner_zps3ea42d90.jpg (http://s215.photobucket.com/user/soils1111/media/ac/spanishprisoner_zps3ea42d90.jpg.html)
The text is
That clumsiest of clumsy frauds, the Spanish Prisoner swindle, has turned up again.
There is a slight variation in the details of the romance, but the main planks of what may
be termed the Spanish pri soner's 'platform' remain pretty much in statu quo. He is still
confined in the castle of Barcelona, cut off from all communication with the outside world,
deprived of hit) 'equipage' — whatever that may be — and his only friend and confidante is the
gaol chap lain, through whom he addresses his ap peals to possible Australian clients; As usual,
he wants the person addressed to take charge of his young and lovely daugh ter, and to accept
by way of reward a trifle of £9000, which the Spanish prisoner pro poses to devise by will.
It is, of course, impolite to suggest questions abo\it a lady's age. Then, again, the Spanish
prisoner may during the past decade have had a consid erable family of daughters. The suggestion,
however, that crops up in this connection is undoubtedly a delicate one. If this is the same
daughter witli which or with whom, the Spanish prisoner commenced his busi ness career in the
early nineties, sho must nowadays be a pretty elderly party. This, however, is diverging from
the point, at is sue. Of course, there is a little pecuniary condition attached to the proposal.
A man would, indeed, be unreasonable if he expec ted a lovely bride aud a fortune of £9000 for
nothing. The Australian must send a little cash to Barcelona, for the redemption of the 'equipage.'
As soon as the money is forthcoming the lovely daughter will be forwarded (presumably post paid)
together with the chaplain. What has to W done with the chaplain is not stated; but one can't expect
exhaustive details irj a first ' letter. A notable feature of. this remarkable communication
is the evidence it af fords of the writer's faith in Australian gullibility. It would seem that
the Australian news in Spanish, newspapers must be rigidly confined to reports of the achievements
of 'confidence men.' On no other assumption, indeed, is it possible to account for the belief that
so transparent, so clumsy, so stupid a swindle could find victims in the Commonwealth of Australia.
So the Nigerians aren't even original :)
In an article in the Albury Banner & Wodonga Express of 15th May 1908 there was a snippet about the marriage of a relative
Anyway, that why I was looking, not the subject of this post.
In the same article there was this text
http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc103/soils1111/ac/spanishprisoner_zps3ea42d90.jpg (http://s215.photobucket.com/user/soils1111/media/ac/spanishprisoner_zps3ea42d90.jpg.html)
The text is
That clumsiest of clumsy frauds, the Spanish Prisoner swindle, has turned up again.
There is a slight variation in the details of the romance, but the main planks of what may
be termed the Spanish pri soner's 'platform' remain pretty much in statu quo. He is still
confined in the castle of Barcelona, cut off from all communication with the outside world,
deprived of hit) 'equipage' — whatever that may be — and his only friend and confidante is the
gaol chap lain, through whom he addresses his ap peals to possible Australian clients; As usual,
he wants the person addressed to take charge of his young and lovely daugh ter, and to accept
by way of reward a trifle of £9000, which the Spanish prisoner pro poses to devise by will.
It is, of course, impolite to suggest questions abo\it a lady's age. Then, again, the Spanish
prisoner may during the past decade have had a consid erable family of daughters. The suggestion,
however, that crops up in this connection is undoubtedly a delicate one. If this is the same
daughter witli which or with whom, the Spanish prisoner commenced his busi ness career in the
early nineties, sho must nowadays be a pretty elderly party. This, however, is diverging from
the point, at is sue. Of course, there is a little pecuniary condition attached to the proposal.
A man would, indeed, be unreasonable if he expec ted a lovely bride aud a fortune of £9000 for
nothing. The Australian must send a little cash to Barcelona, for the redemption of the 'equipage.'
As soon as the money is forthcoming the lovely daughter will be forwarded (presumably post paid)
together with the chaplain. What has to W done with the chaplain is not stated; but one can't expect
exhaustive details irj a first ' letter. A notable feature of. this remarkable communication
is the evidence it af fords of the writer's faith in Australian gullibility. It would seem that
the Australian news in Spanish, newspapers must be rigidly confined to reports of the achievements
of 'confidence men.' On no other assumption, indeed, is it possible to account for the belief that
so transparent, so clumsy, so stupid a swindle could find victims in the Commonwealth of Australia.
So the Nigerians aren't even original :)