[1823]. Carta assinada sob o pseudónimo de António Chuço e enviada a João Figueiredo, prior.

Extortion letter, signed with the alias Antonio Chuço (Antonio, the Pike), sent to João Figueiredo, prior.

The author threatens the recipient with death if the latter doesn't deliver 50 "mil réis" 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.

«Dear Sir Prior João Figueiredo.

You will send, until the 23rd this month, to Limoeiro, Lisbon, fifty thousand "réis", to hand in to the prisoner Andrade, who is imprisoned in the dungeon of the City Jail. He is my companion and fellow. I'm António Chuço, from the village of Trancoso, captain of gangs and rings. Beware that, if you fail me, I'll set fire and burn down everything you own in Galveias and I'll torn everything into pieces and you will pay for it in my hands or in those of my second captain, Taborda, and other fellows. Beware that we will cut you into slices. Your house will be devastated for many years. This will happen to you in case you reveal this secret. Therefore, send this amount to the prisoner, to the jail, and whoever goes there must go at 6 o'clock in the afternoon and as soon as he enters the Limoeiro square, he must sit on one [...], which is in the Limoeiro stairs, next to the guard's house, where 1 woman roasts chestnuts and sells fruit, and he must not stand up before the prisoner yells twice "Hey, José!". Then, at this yell, he shall hand in the money to the prisoner in the grille and, before he does so, he must tell him "Give me the password!", which is exactly the one I send you. And be sure that nevermore [...] And I promise you'll be paid in January. Don't complain afterwards for whatever happens to you. I've been avoiding hurting you, because I've been preserving you for a cause such as this one, since my companion is at risk and this money is necessary to set him free. I'm counting on you. Don't complain about your life afterwards.

Your servant, the captain of the gangs,

António Chuço»