1823. Carta assinada sob o pseudónimo de António Chuço e enviada a João Farinha Relvas, lavrador.

Extortion letter, signed with the alias Antonio Chuço (Antonio, the Pike), sent to João Farinha Relvas, farmer.

The author threatens the recipient with death if the latter doesn't deliver 15 coins to liberate a man from the Limoeiro jail.

In the first quarter of the 19th century, extorsion letters became a very typical practice in the Limoeiro jail, near Lisbon. Prisoners, pretending to be highwaymen, contacted people outside jail, threatening them with all sorts of ruinous events in the case they didn't hand in a certain amount of money. The frequentness of this practice was possible also because of the political and social turmoil associated with these first years of Liberalism.

«Friend.

As soon as you receive this one, you will send someone to Lisbon, to Limoeiro, the City Jail, to hand in to the prisoner Andrade, who is my companion, and you will send 15 coins for his release. I guarantee you will recover them in the end of January. I'm António Chuço, from Trancoso, captain of gangs and [robbers] rings. Beware of what you're unnecessarily getting into if you uncover this business, for I swear to set fire and burn down everything you own, and to kill all your cattle, and you and your family will pay for it, whether in my hands or in the ones of my fill-in, Captain Taborda, and my fellows. Now, pay attention to your safety, for I'm counting on you, without fail. Don't you dare to fail me, because my companion who asked for it is in danger. You won't lose with me. Don't send anyone on Friday and whoever goes to the jail to deliver the money to the prisoner must go at six o'clock in the afternoon and, as soon as he enters in the Limoeiro square, he must sit down on one of the guard stones which are linked to the Limoeiro stairs and must not get up before the prisoner yells twice "Hey, José!". Then he will get up and hand in the money to the prisoner. And as soon as prisoner the receives the money at the grille, it will be retained, because I'm not a man to fail a payment when I say I'll pay. Don't complain about your life afterwards and don't call for God, for it's useless. Now see what you prefer: to lose your house, to be killed, and your family, or to serve me in what I ask you, as you won't lose nothing. Your servant, the Captain of gangs,

António Chuço

15 December, 1823»