The Portland daily press., 1894-08-29
THE BUNCO ROBBERS.
Cook & Whitby's Circus Chased From
Sanford to Manchester.


yer-No Such People as Cook & Whit
by-A Large Force of sheriffs and
Police Prepared to Fight the Circus
Men-Manager Boynton Gets Down and
Pays the Money Back
A special to the Boston journal from San
ford, Maine. tells most interesting story,
as follows:
1t was on Friday morning that Cook s.
Whitby's circus arrived in Springvale,a
part of Sanford. and in short time the
circus lot was covered with canvas Along
in the forenoon farmer who had disposed
OF load of garden truck strolIed on to the
ciIous ground. He had not been there long
before he was approached by an individual
connected with 1.-The circus who asked the
farmer If he would not like to go into the
| side show. at the same time giving him a
ticket. The farmer said he guessed he
| would.
| Just then confidence man made up to
represent farmer, made his appear ance.
| He was given a ticket to the side show,
and together the two "rubes'' entered the
tent, looked at the tatooed woman, snakes,
| etc.
| HOW THE "SUCkERS'' WERE BUN
COED.
| A few minutes later fellow approached
farmer No and asked to see the number
| OF his ticket. The fellow glanced at the
| pasteboard and SAID, why, you've won a
prize" Farmer No. l then 10 oked.at his
ticket and said. Mine Is 25.'' why"
said the sharper, you're in luck: your tick
ct draws the first prize-$50' Then he ex-
| planned that he represented Portland
watch company. and that the company was
giving prizes to advertise the business.
| He took them into the little booth and
told Farmer No. 2 to put up dollar and
| shake the dice for the prize, which he did,
| and got 500. Farmer No. then tried it
| and got another $50. Then he was Undue ed
| to Juggle the box again, and got another
500, making $780, Farmer No. 2 had, in
the meantime, raised his pile to 800. The
| sharper then said I'VE want to give this
money to responsible people only. Now, if
you will prove TO me by putting down an
| other Sl5O that you are responsible, the
| whole of il is yours Farmer No. 2 said he
| guessed he was responsible, and produced
| a check for $500; but this did not satisfy
| the sharper, who said he mu st see the cold
cash. Both said they thought they could
raise it.
| Now
| FARMER NO. 2 RAISED THE CASH.
Farmer No. l went up into the village and
| borrowed S150 of friend, saying he would
be back in twenty minutes. but he would
not tell his friend what he wanted.of the
money. Going back to the tent he planked
down his borrowed money beside the other.
| The sharper then grabbed both piles,
| lodged under the canavs and left the far
mer to realize that he had been robbed It
| is minated that $1,000 was stolen in this
way from people who visited the circus, As
| soon as the duped farmer could collect his
| scattered senses he placed the matter in
| the hands of Lawyer Allen and at ocloc k
in the afternoon Allen had half dozen
| clients whose claims amounted to $500.
| Young Allen went at once to the circus
| grounds, having armed himself with the
necessary warrants and writs of attach
ment. and informed Sheriffs Reid and
Murra that their services might be re-
CURED later. Allen then went to work
| picking up evidence and soon found man
who had left the circus that day.
| little questioning disclosed the fact
| that there were no such men as Cook and
| Whitby connected with the circus, that it
is in reality the old Wallace circus and was
satisfied that gambling and robbery was the
| chief aim and object of the managers and
men. This man was held as witness. He
| attached the property of the circus and the
/ sheriff and officers were in attendance.
| but by show of force .the circus people
managed to escape and reached Manches-
ter, where they were followed by the law
yer..The marshal was appealed to.and every
officer in the city was then notified, and
| told to hold himself in readiness for a call
to the circus grounds. Messrs Allen and
Haley then visited the city marshal and dis
closed the object of their visit.
At their request the marshal stated that
he would place the whole militia in readi-
ness in case of an emergency, saying: 81
| can send you 500 men Unless than ten min
| utes." The two lawyers and the three
officers then repaired to the circus grounds.
The afternoon performancewas in progress.
The policemen on the grounds were told to
hold themselves in readiness. By this time
the big tent was reached. Now" said
Allen, when l raise the canvas jump in
and seize everyshorse.you can find.'' The
| canvas was raised and the burly officers en-
tered. In one ring was a-magnificent animal
One of the officers approached him as if to
place his hand on the bride when fell NV
| standing near advanced with a club and
told him not to dare touch that horse The
officer drew his revolver and said: 'Dror
that halter and club or off goes your head, -
and the fellow dropped them. Col. Boynton
then appeared OF the scene.
He blew his whistle, and from every direc-
ton came the roushs, armed with clubs and
with murder in their eyes. In an instant
the three officers and the two lawyers were
surrounded. Then, as they continued tc
approach, the biggest of the officers, who
by the way. is the county sheriff. drew two
revolvers, and each officer did likewise.
1t was then that Boynton offered to set.
tie. Lawyer Allen then said: "Mr. Boyn
ton, ..your circus can go on and the sheriff
here and myself accompany you to your
quarters, and if in fifteen minutes from
this time youshave not settled these claims
then down comes your tents.''
He then told the officers to let the cir
Gus performance proceed, but if in fifteen
minutes he had not returned, to take down
every tent, remove the horses to the