The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1891-02-21
THREE
They Represent Themselves ~ Montana
Capitalists.

They Represent Themselves rs Montans
Capitalists.
The police have been successful il
nipping In the bud the operations Of
trio of of very clever and enterprisine
icon" men, who had secured commod
ious quarters in the Webb block, corner
Third street and Hennepin avenue, and
who were just getting down to work
when their plans we're discovered. The
three geniuses who were thus ruthlessly
interfered with had a little session with
Supt. H~endersonsand are now en- route tc
fresher fields. OThey gave their IN az
Charles Reed, Gus Williams and William
Davis. These are probably fictitious
names, although it Is thought Reed is in
the true name Of one of the members OF
he triumvirate.
They arrived in Minneapolis about a
week ago, and, after furnishing up apart
ments, advertised in the local papers to
this effect: "Wanted-Men, to whom we
will give an easy birth and easy paw"
People who are looking for this sort of a
snap were asked to cali ut the offices in
the Webb block. As the result showed,
there were a gooG many men with an
eye open for this sort Of a thing. The
sharpers' Offices were a very popular
place. The superintendent of police de-
tailed Detectives Howard and DOYLE to
look after the matter. They found
the offices filed along. The three
men were at their posts, pleasantly
receiving their prospective visitors and
explaining in detail the modus operandl.
They were a plausible set. They seemed
to be constantly on the alert, however,
evidently fearing the authorities would
soon get "Onto their racket" The plan
was to represent themselves as represent
Ing moneyed men In Montana who were
anxious to get control of certain valuable
government timber land. The idea was
to have the victims act as mediums
through which the land could be secured.
All they wanted of visitors was $25 each.
This would he sent, so the swindlers rep
resented, to certain parties in Montana,
and would 60 to defraylng the expense of
making the filing, ETC., upon the property
which was not only described, but upon
which an estimate was given as to the
amount of timber IN the land. Then
the victim 81 middleman, so the sharks
represented, was to he taken on to Mon
tana, and shown the land. He was tn n
to be furnished with $500 with which
to "prOve up" on the land. When
this was done parties would come to
the front and pay the middle man 5000 as
a premium and take the land Gauzy as
this scheme would appear, there were a
good many who were seriously consider
ing the plan. 1t is supposed several
victims were secured, but they could not
be found. In the absence of straight and
positive evidence such as would come
from an actual transaction, it was impos-
sible to prosecute the gang. The de-
t~ectives brought the men down to police
headquarters yesterday afternoon. In a
private conversation with Supt. Hend.r-
son, Reed practically admitted the whole
scheme. The men were given until 5
to get out of the city. They i'm
proved the chance, and were seen of by
the officers. They had evidently come to
stay. They had an immense amount of
baggage-so extensive that it looked like
a theatrical troupe's utat.-Pioneer
Press.