The herald., 1898-02-24
WIGGIN'S SORE FOOT
CONFIDENCE MAN IN THE CHAM
BER OF COMMERCE.
TOO WARM FOR BuNco MEN
The Intended Victim Texas Rancher'
A Mine in the Middle Of the
San Gabriel River

bunco steerers who have been infesting thi
city for months In defiance OF the poic
yesterday invaded the heretofore qu!e
precincts of the exhibit hall of the chambe
of commerce. BY way of proving to then
that Frank Virgins domain Is not saf
place in which to try to hook suckers. thu
member OF the gang who tried 1t ther'
Yesterday is now in the city jail suffering
| from numerous bruises and the disappoint
ment at not having landed his victim. il
| the reception given the first MI who tried
| the game there is any precedent, the hal
of the chamber of commerce will not here
after be a popular place for the operations
of the Poker" Davis gang.
The prisoner s name Is ]. c. Montgomery
or at least that is the name he gave at the
police station. He had been under police
surveillance for several days and, had the
climax been deferred twenty-four hours
it is probable that he would be under arrest
on a felony charge. for he was after big
game and the detectives knew all about
his graft. Montgomery has been lounging
around the hall for several days and the
suspicion of the attendants was attracted
toward him. Yesterday he entered the
place as usual and was seen to leave soon
afterward with an unknown stranger. The
latter had entered the hall with his wife
and daughter The ladies, when they dis
covered the absence of the pair, at once
went to Secretary Virgins and reported
that their husband and father had been
enticed away by confidence sharp"
With tears streaming down their cheeks
the women told of the fact that the wife
had all the money. but that the missing
victim had checks which he could sign,
and probably would sign, If the confidence
man induced him to do so. The two
women weepingly declared that they never
expected to see their relative again. but
while they were talking the missing couple
reappeared.
At sight of Montgomery, Secretary Wig
gins grabbed him and led him to his office.
There he accused him of being a conf
dence man. to which Montgomery did not
demur. The bouncing process then began,
for Mr.. Virgins was mad. very mad, for
had not one Of the women asked him IL he
allowed confidence men to work there?
He started with Montgomery toward the
stairway, slugging him at every step. AS
final compliment he kicked him, and as
he stated afterward the man must have
had the seat of his trousers plated with
steel, for Mr.. Virgins. as a result of that
kick, is suffering from a sore foot. The
kick only had the result of sending Mont
gomery down two steps, and before he
could get further new combatant ap-
peared upon the scene. From behind the
man, who. upon recognizing Montgom-
cry, shouted: "That's my man. I want
him. Let me at him.
Before Montgomery could escape the
old man seized him by the collar and
bodily hurled him up the steps to the floor
What followed no one can adequately
describe. There was mixture of legs
and arms. and also of yelIs and curses.
from all of which emerged the old man
with Montgomery fast held by the coat
Then the old man explained that he was
M. I. Jones, president of the South Texas
National bank, of Houston, Texas. Mont
gomery had had several conferences with
Jones, in which the bunco man had tried
to sell him valuable gold and silver mine
in the center of the San Gabriel valley!
The deal was to have been consummated
today in the presence of the detectives,
who had been watching Montgomery for
weeks. The plan was for Jones to pay
over his money while the detectives re-
mained in the background. Montgomery
was then to have been arrested, and the
case of obtaining money under false pre-
lenses would have been complete. The
whole plan was spoiled, however, by Jones
nasty action in taking the law and Mont
gomery into his own hands.
Montgomery was arrested, one of the |
chamber of commerce attendants having |
telephoned for the police, and Patrolman |
Singleton responding. He was taken to |
he police station and turned over to the |
detectives. Naicho Bilderrain, who is |
Poker Davis first lieutenant, followed him |
here and fumed and swore about the ar |
est until he was threatened with arrest |
himself. AS Montgomery did not get any
money from either of his intended victims, |
he officers will be unable to make case
against him. He will be "mugged," how
'ver. and will continue to be watched by |
he police