The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-05-17
HUNDREDS ARE FLEECED.
Victims Found by Wholesale
and SWindled by a Dar-
ing Device.
ONE OF THE LEADERS CAUGHT.
But There Still Remains in Chicago
a Ring of Expert Manipu-
iators.

CHICAGO, ILL, May 16.-The arrest of
Walter Marshall Cowell of Kenosha in the
Texas swindling case was the result of an in
vestigation begun by Governor Culbertson
of Texas, his Land Commissioner, Andrew
J. Baker, and Governor Altgeld of Illinois.
SO far as known to the authorities here there
are now six victims of the swindle, whose
aggregate losses are nearly $50, 900. From
reports received from the Texas Land Com
missioner it is believed that these are but
the beginning of the losses, as he says that
there have been individual cases where
sums as high as SAC, 900 have been involved.
About the middle of April William
Briggs of 6019 Green street, Chicago, was
in the Westinghouse street real estate Office
of Jackson Taylor. They were discussing
real estate deal whereby Mr.. Briggs had
traded property in Chicago for land in
Texas. Mr.. Taylor said that his client had
more OF the land and desired to obtain
more Chicago property. The next day
Mr.. Briggs introduced Colonel Slough
of COOS Halstead street, and as result of
the introduction Colonel Slough traded
property at COOL Morgan street and at 1881
Elizabeth street for Texas land The
amount involved was $4,000. Mr.. Briggs
received an abstract and warranty deed.
The name in the deed was "Thomas M.
Bell' of Denver, Colo. The papers We're
certified to by Attorney Cowell of Keno
sha, who claimed to have power of attor-
ney from Bell, and Cowell's seal as
notary public was affixed.
Colonel Slough wished to inform him
anIf raOar6jno thu bic
acquired property and wrote to the au-
thorities of the county where the land was
located-Pecos, Presidio and Tom Green
counties. In reply he learned not only
that he had no title to the described prop
erty, bat that Thomas M. Bell never had
title to it.
Colonel Slough applied to Governor
Culbertson of Texas. Governor Cul bertson:
placed the matter in the hands of Land
Commissioner Baker for investigation.
Mr.. Baker then looked up the records and
found on file hundreds of letters complain
ing of the swindle that Slough had dis
covered. He wrote Governor Cuibertson a
long letter in which he explained that the
land traded purported to be In the counties
named by virtue of survey certificates
issued to the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe
Railroad Company and was mythical.
The town Of Dunton, near which the al
legged farms were located, was not on the
map, he said, and James Slater, the pat
entee, as well as James Ruffner OF Austin,
whose name as Notary Public had been
affixed to some of the abstracts of convey.
ance, were mythical persons. Commits
sioner Baker located the Headquarters of
the swindlers In Chicago, but the victims,
he said, came from every State in the
Union.
Governor Culbertson forwarded Bakers
letter to Governor Altgeld, and the latter,
after personal investigation, forwarded it
with number of the names of victims to
Chief of Police Badenoch of Chicago. All
the papers were given to Detectives Elliott
and Alexander to make thorough inyes-
tigation. Meanwhile Slough had seen
Mr.. Briggs, who introduced him to Jack
son Taylor, through whom the transfer
was made of his property. Briggs had
made second deal and acquired, as he
thought, more Texas property. s'Have
you looked up the title ?" asked Slough.
Briggs replied that he had not. Mr.. Briggs
then discovered that he had been swindled
twice, and that he was out on property in
OulCdSO, hduSdS Olby aHu LII UIaHge,.
Wyo., SIS. 900. Jackson Taylor was found,
and he paved the way for the arrest of
Cow ell, who the police say is the mythical
Thomas M. Bell of Denver.
An inquiry for further Chicago victims,
who it is believed exist in hundreds, will
be prosecuted until the time for Cowell's
second arraignment.
Topeka, Kans.," said Detective Alex
ander, twill furnish Sic, 600 victim and
man on West Washington street, Chicago,
will swell the aggregate at least $1O,O
more"
In connection with the land swindles it
is believed Cowell had to DO with but q
small portion of them. The police assert
that the big swindlers live and maintain
richly furnished offices in Chicago, and
while the Cowell continuance is pending
an effort will be made to locate them.
jackson Taylor is entirely innocent Of
any violation of the law for the part he
had in the transaction by which Slough
and Briggs were swindled," said Detective
Alexander. "He was taken in by Cowell
with his references and official documents
the same as were Slough and Briggs and
several attorneys to whom submitted the
abstracts and deeds of title furnished by
Cowell. As soon as he learned that fraud
had been committed he was foremost in
assisting us to discover the man for whom
Vyo xx,or enc rob; r,