The FBI investigated and announced that Drake's wife had duly inherited his estate in 1597. That information did not stop the donations. When Ed Smith, Iowa Secretary of State, tried to convince the state legislature to act, the public and Hartzell's supporters protested, saying they could donate to whomever they wanted so the legislature did nothing. After the Wall Street Crash of 1929 and during the Great Depression, Hartzell's followers seemed to become even more desperate and continued to send him money. On October 11, 1930, John Maynard Keynes, arguing in an article for deficit spending to alleviate the Depression, mentioned that Queen Elizabeth had invested Drake's loot—which Drake had given to the crown—for the benefit of the country. Hartzell seized this as a proof of his claims and his agents in the USA spread copies of the article to his followers. Eventually United States Postal Service inspector John Sparks, with help from the British police, seized some of Hartzell's agents and forced them to reveal the scam. At the same time, Scotland Yard arrested some of Hartzell's British associates. Britain deported Hartzell to USA and he was sent to Iowa for trial in 1933. By this time, according to U.S. officials, Hartzell had collected $800,000 from the scam. Hartzell was tried in Sioux City, Iowa in 1933. His followers sent him a total of $68,000 for his defence. He was convicted of fraud in November 1933, sentenced to ten years in prison, and fined $2,000. By that time, he had run his scam for over 15 years. He was sent to Leavenworth Penitentiary. Even after his sentencing, some of his agents collected more donations—$500,000 for the next year. Hartzell was eventually judged to be insane, and was transferred to the Medical Center for Federal Prisoners. He died there in 1943. Books References 1876 births 1943 deaths American confidence tricksters People from Madison County, Iowa Impostors Hoaxes in the United States American people who died in prison custody Prisoners who died in United States federal government detention American people convicted of fraud 1910s hoaxes