Yesterday, Captain B. J. Venegas, well known aviator was arrested for swindling, on a warrant obtained through the court of Judge Borrelli.

In 1931 a young man by the name of Benigno A. Dezas, a native of Colombia, single, and 23 years of age, came to this city. He had been attracted to this city by an advertisement which he saw in his homeland and which offered a course in aviation. It was his idea to study it so that he might secure a license to fly and then return to his native land to serve his country. Once here he made inquiry as to merits of the school which had advertised in his homeland. He learned that the school had an extremely bad reputation. Thereupon the young man decided not to enter this school. It was then that he met Captain Venegas, who was giving private lessons on the theory and practice of aviation. Young Dezas' interest was aroused to the point where he decided to take the courses offered by Captain Venegas.

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He paid the Captain one hundred and fifty dollars for the theory course of flying lessons which were given in groups for a period of several weeks. At this time the Captain conducted the classes at 1826 South Michigan Avenue, where young Dezas lived together with Enrique Moncayo and Libardo Rodriguez, both also from Colombia.

In as much as instructor Venegas had fulfilled his contract by carrying the aviation theory course to a successful end the classes were terminated. In the meantime only one of the students was financially able to make arrangements to pursue the practical end of the study, and this student was Benigno A. Dezas.

On the 21st of last March young Dezas gave two hundred and seventy five dollars to instructor Venegas as his contribution toward the purchase of a plane to be used in taking flying lessons. Captain Venegas had told his pupil that he already had obtained money from two Mexican and one American students which together with his and that of Dezas' would be sufficient to obtain the flying machine.

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The young man was pleased with this arrangement and in the presence of one of the students, Enrique Moncayo, Captain Venegas gave him a receipt which indicated that the money was to be used for the purchase of a plane.

Several weeks passed by and no machine was secured. Day after day the student inquired as to what was holding up the acquisition of the machine.

Captain Venegas finally stated that he had lost the initial payment put up with a company towards the purchase of the machine because he could not get enough money to complete the purchase. He promised the young man that he would make restitution.

However, in the face of continuous evasions on the part of the Captain, the young man obtained the services of an attorney of great reputation, Mr. Julio I. Puente, who started action against the Captain immediately.

One of our reporters tried to interview instructor Venegas but he did not succeed in seeing him before this edition went to press.

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However, in our next issue we will inform our readers of what defense the Captain made.

Because Captain Venegas was so well known in our social circles the notice of his plight has caused great consternation in the Mexican Colony.