St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-04-10
Wires We're Tapped and
Money Placed, but 1t Did
Not Work.
Sharps Were Beaten and the
Operators Worked Out a
Stake.

good story in the same connection, locat-
ing the scene here, but so changing
several matters, as to make them I'M
recognizable. Its story starts out with
Jack Mason, one of the best operators
in New York, who had gone broke on
the horses. and overheard three book
makers putting up scheme to 90 to st.
Paul and, by tapping the wires, wreck
the pool room. Mason Immediately
took in lot of friends and raised a sum
of money, with which he proposed to
follow the boOkmakers to st. Paul,
block their game and, at the same time,
make nice thing for himself and his
friends. Tod Jones, another expert
telegraph operator, was chosen to ac-
company him and assist in working the
little affair. The story then goes on to
say:
Arrived in St Paul.
1t was o'clock Wednesday morning
when Jack and Tod arrived in st. Paul.
After engaging quarters at the new
Hotel Richelieu, located on Third and
Minnesota streets, within block OF the
fremont Exchange, they went out on a
tour of inspection. 1t was soon learned
that the fremont was the only pool
room running, and that the proprietor
was comparatively new man in the
city, having arrived from Omaha some
two months previous and purchased the
place from Frank Shaw, who was de-
voting his entire energies to the coming
meeting of the Twin City Jockey club.
The name of the new proprietor of the
place was John Risen. but he was
known to the turf as Soap" He was
we'll liked by the betting fraternity of
St.Paul, being Qulte as reckless IN raising
the odds on all the horses i'll occasional
races as was his predecessor. He had
plenty of money, and big bets did not
brighten him unless the bang-tailS he
personally fancied were the particular
targets of the plungers. ''SOap" had
monopoly of the business in st. Paul
and Minneapolis, the pool rooms Of the
latter city having been closed by new
ordinance of the board of aldermen, the
validity of which had not yet been test
ed in the courts. Only one set of races
were taken daily, business being so
lively that eleven separate books were
kept "humping," each with a long line
of spectators for every event. "Soap"
was doing business by the aid of the
Morris Park events, and. commencing
with the following Saturday, had an
nounced that the Coney Island daily
card would be the attraction.
Jack found everything in accord with
his expectations thus far, and at once
proceeded to make his preliminary ar
rangements. il part of the necessary
details to be carried out was for Tod to
engage work on the night force OF the
+o,Io Tod onoIinH n
place that same day, and he found that
there was shortage of good men, but
all overplus of "hams." Tod was not
long in convincing the chief operator
that he was one of the finest, and he
was Informed that he could go to work
at once. He agreed to report for duty
the next evening.
Almost the first man Jack saw when
he and his companion went to the Ire
mont that afternoon was Mike Cleary,
Of Cleary d Co. Mike, of course, did
not know him, or he might have OBJ
served look of eXultatiOn pass over the
features of the new arrival, as he called
Tod to another corner of the room and
pointed out the eX-book maker. 1t was
not long before Jack observed another
member of the New York firm. but he
could find 10 trace of the man called
Ben, or of the one whom he had picked
out as the Telegram her. 1t was not until
the next afternoon that the last-named
pair of the quaFtette put i'll an appear
ance.
Jack devoted the remainder of the
week to close
Study of the Situation.
The main flee of the telegraph CON-
pany was located in the tweve-story
block recently erected by the CONNER
cial club on the corner of Sixth and
Cedar streets. This was over four
blocks from the fremont exchange.
The pool room was connected with the
NUN Office by single loop and cut in
ON the race wire through the switch
board. The wire connec ting with the
pool room was strung over the tops of
some of the buildings. and at a point on
Fifth street passed from the front to the
rear Of all old stone building, the in
sulatOrS being attached to the cornice.
1t was here that Jack found the head
quarters OF Cleary Il Co. in a room on
the top floor. The place was fitted up as
a cheap-lookIng office, and a sign on the
door announced 1t as the place of bust
ness of "Dlckey u Johnson, Employ
ment Agency"
w IlCII lOu at Tic aS6HCN| Oh
Saturday afternoon, he observed that a
wire was Topped through tile window
and connected with a messenger call
box that was screwed to the wall. Fitted
up directly to the edge of the call box
was q screen behind which the observer
would suppose wash stand was To-
Gated. but, in reality, where the tele-
graph instruments and switches of
Cleary d Co. were to carry on a two
days business of repeating race-track
reports. By closely inspecting the two
wires that were brought through the
window to the call box, Tod discovered
that each side Of the loop was made up
of two fine insulated wires, so that in-
stead of there being single loop, there
were two separate loops. Tod at once
concluded that the plan of the wire-tap-
per was to work short circuit between
the Office Of Dickey Il Johnson and the
Fremont, and cut the main race wire,
in and out, whenever it was desired.
All of these details Tod reported to
Jack, and also informed his brother
" Irker that he had succeeded in Guilt
yating the acquaintance of the wire
chief of the main Office. so that he could
hang around the switchboard as often
as he desired. TCd at once developed
liking for the race wire, and obtained
permission 10 cut i'll on it with one of the
testing instruments every Afternoon
when he reported for duty an hour or
two ahead OF time.
The Coney island races opened on
Saturday, and Jack, by close obServ-
ance. ascertained that Cleary & Co. in
tended to commence operations OH the
following Monday.
Monday afternoon found Jack close to
the railing which surrounded the oper-
atUr's desk III the far corner of the IRE
N mt. Nothing OF an unusual character
was observed when the betting an re
ports OF
Eae First z sce Came Oyer
the wire ana Were eaii,i out III lie up
rriItur. Wnen the betting Tor the SECOND