Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1884-01-25
THAT GOLD BRICK.
The Austin victi ~ In This CITY Hunsnns mp
Evidence Against he swindi.r,-

Evidence Against ne s"th""'-
The full particulars OF the gold brick
swindle In Austin y few days since
came to light esterdsy. The victim
Of the swindle, MIR. J. &. McTyre,
proprietor If the Southern hotel IN
Austin, came to Fort Worth yesterday,
accom- panied by Sheriff HOrnshy, To
investigate the matter. II seems that
Frank Mooney who was arrested here
IN Tuesday had been boarding at Me
TYRES hotel for several months. He
had his wife with him, and one day
in the early part Of last week lett
Austin for several days. On his re-
turn he had two men with him who
were the possessors uf the counterfeit
gold brick. Upon Moneys represen-
ta,ious McTyrc purchased the brick,
paying the two men 50 $40 in cash for
II and promising to pay 81 e1o mere to
the men when he sold 1t, and 81 give
Mooney $40, 900 on the same condition.
The men requested tina 1.-THE sale he
keep private. and said that they were
afraid for IL 10 be known that they had
su much money in their possession.
his was the reason they had not gone
to - jeweler to sell II. Prior 10 Me-
Tyres purchasing the brick lie had
three holes bored in II, and the dust
thus secured was pronounced Is Karat
gold by an Austin jeSeler The swim
dlers probably changed the dust on
him aud substituted genuine gold
The sale occurr d on 5 ,turday night
In the money paid 10y Mcryre wer.
three 500 bills. Shortly after the
sale the two strangers, whose name
the GAZETTE mau could not learn
LIT, aud on Sunday Mooney came to
Fort Worth.
Since Moneys arrival here he was
seen with several SlU1 bills On Mon
day Mooney was Joined IN this city 10y
his wife.
On Tuesday Jack Duncan, detec-
tive from ID ,lias, arrived in this city
and assi-t,d by Officer James Court
risht arrested Mooney. When Dun.
can had arrested Mooney and talked
with him, he subsequently,, accord
ing 20 Moneys statement released
him, but COPYRIGHT fearrested him
and took him toihe county jnil. Now
pIicable part of the story. When
MOoney was first arrested Duncan tele
graphed McTyre in Austin that he
ilt'l caught lllt iilatl w llO Ilutl Hh ltiuItNl
him with the gold brick.
MrTyre was thuuder-struck on the re-
ceipl of this telegram as he had told
no one Of his purpose and WAS resting.
quietly In the possession Of what he
Ueiieved 10 be u bonanza, the bogus
gold brick. This was the first iutimu-
ti2p he had that the brick was spu
ridAs. which 1t proved to be ON inves-
LEGATION. He Informed Sheriff Horns.
by and together they came to Fort
Worth to investigate.
Detective Duncan had gone back To
Dallas. Mooney was in Jail but there
was no money on his person except
few dollar. They found that Mooney
had had plenty OF money about him
when he tirst arrived in this city, but
could find no trace of what he had
done with It,
Mo n US wife, who was interro rated
on The subject says she luanrd her hus-
band S575 previous to his leaving
Austin, tut this story is doubted bS
the officers. Mooney says that he
knows nothing about the affair what.
ever. Late yesterday evening. Me.
Tyre applied for SEA, ell warrant to
search "A trunk belonging TO Mrs
Mooney which was ut the Union
depot, but no money WAS found in il
Mrs. Mooney WAS arrested. Duncan.
who had left the city TO hunt up HE
other two men concerned in the
swindling, was in Dallas last night bur
/. not known if he has any trace of
the swiudlers.
n GAHkrTE man tried to Interview
MIR. McIyre on the subject, but thai
gentleman refused to be interviewed
aud tn above facts were obtained from
the officers of this city. Detective
Duncan was the central figure i'm the
affair yesterday and there were many
conJectures rs TO where he first obtain |
ed khowledge OF the swlndle,as Met, r.
mad told no one Of hi purchase ana |
was not aMar, of 1t until the telegram |
came from Duncan nti'ylng him of |
Moonley's arrest No doubt the detec.
i've can explain this, but the fact of
us not doing so caused much comment
in all circles yesterday.