The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-06-19
BY A NOVEL BUNCO GAME
TWO MEN CHARGED A FARMER
WITH SELLING AN OFFICE.
Extortel n Note from Him-A Man
-Dupes Punished Too.

A peculiar and at times very amusing
story of a swindling operation came out in
the Federal Court yesterday afternoon
when W. S. Robbins, of Matthews, pleaded
guilty 10 the charge of impersonating a
federal officer. The arrest had been made
by Major Carter of the secret service, to
whom the affair had been tipped off, by
one d. w. Simons. Robbins was put on
the stand and told rather straight story
Simons had come to him and asked him to
pretend to be q United States marshal and
arrest farmer in the eastern part of Ran
dolph county on a charge of selling his
Office as township assessor. This farmer
was James Mcfarland. He had hestated
long about it, but Simons had come to him
two or three times about it, and had as
sured him that they could squeeze McFar-
land for lot Of money, and had finally
brought bogus warrant for the arrest.
he then consented to the scheme, and told
the court with much detail how he had
driven to the home of the farmer in a
buggy and waited for him until he came
home. He made the arrest and declared
that Mcfarland began to shake all over
And SO did l." he added Mcfarland
wanted to know if the thing could not be
liked without coming to Indianapolis, and
the upshot of the conference was that he
took the farmers note for 5000, which he
turned over to Simons, the same note that
Simons had turned over to Major Carter
Mcfarland was put on the stand and told
his version of the story, beginning with his
return home on June 10 last year and see
ing this stranger waiting for him near the
oarn He went to meet him, but the
stranger avoided him and led his horse to
tue watering trough. fOllored him
tfere said the farmer, land begun talk
IN TO him l thought he was kind O.
Sneakln IKE and was bad man. He held
ms mead down most of the time and turned
[ ms horse like he was gon' to git in his
slapped his hand on my shoulder and sez
You're my pris'ner! Well, / amt never
done no harm, but this made me feel kind
O shaky. | asked him what | d done, and
he SEE, IN show you, and pulled out and
read his warrant
What did he charge you with?" asked
the court.
Why, with selling my Office / was
township assessor"
you had not sold it?''
You resigned before qualifying, did you
notG asked one Of the attorneys.
on received no consideration for re-
signing" asked the court.
NO, Sir-not at that time
Did you afterwards"
We'll, the Teller said he'd give me some
thlng FOR my trouble jist to pay me for
my trouble" And everybody giggled.
Farmer Netherlands story differed from
that of Robbins as to who first preached
the subject of a compromise. He declared
that Robbins said he hated to take him to
indianapolis, and that the matter could
be settled for $500. The farmer protested
that he did not have that much, and after
hagglng, they cut it down to 5000 and he
gave his note for the amount. Robbins
made him swear, that he would keep it Sc
cret, and as soon as he was gone the
farmer Union (NitU ha he
surrounding banks notified not to accept
the note.
Simons was present and was very active
in assisting the prosecution, and several
witnesses that he had called to prove the
bad character of Robbins testified also TO
his implication in shady transactions.
Robbins was given a lecture worth two
years in prison by the court, and wept con-
vulsively when reference was made to
branding his children as the children of
convict. He was allowed to go with a Jail
sentence of five months. SimOns was very
much surprised to find himself under ar
rest as an accomplice in the swindle just as
he was starting to leave the courtroom