Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-08-31
BIG THEFT UNCOVERED
Iowa Men Attempt to Perpetrate
q Big Fraud in South
Dakota.
Herd Of Seven Hundred Steers
Shipped Out Of the
State.
Part OF Them Found in the VII
entity Of Belle
Plaine.

entity Of Belle
Plaine.
Cedar Rapids, Aug. 31.-Constable p.
B. Martin Of Marion Is credited with
having unraveled one of the best laid
and most gigantic swindling plots that
ever involved q western commissionI
house-the theft and sale of 700 head of
cattle belonging to Becker & began and
Trauerman & Co., of Sioux City, by an
Organization Of young men formerly
residents Of this county and now under
arrest at Ipswich, S. d. Over 100 head Of
the cattle bought on credit from the
two firms mentioned We're shipped to
Iowa, and have been located.
As the story was told by Constable
Martin and representatives of the COM
mission firms to reporter at Belle
PLANE it Is deeply interesting, for it in
wolves persons against whom breath
of suspicion had never been heard be-
fore.
About year ago j. w. Grandle, bet
ter known as "Bob" Grandle, son OF one
of the best known farmers in Marion
township, and John Bowman, son of an
other pioneer in that neighborhood,
went to Ipswich, S. D., and bought al
large ranch They had little money,
and last spring they visited Sioux City
and made arrangements for taking big
punch of cattle on contract from the two
firms above mentioned. 1t was virtual
purchase of the cattle, for small cash
payment was made and mortgage CIV
en- to cover the balance of the purchase
price. Two hundred head were sold
Messrs. Grandle and Bowman by Trau-
erman & Co. under these terms, and
Becker & began furnished 500 head.
4 The cattle were shipped out to the
ranch at Ipswich and everything went
along smoothly, to all appearances. 1t
Is the usual custom of commission firms
4 selling cattle under such conditions to
not only have their cattle branded and
the brand recorded and mentioned in the
4 mortgage, but as precautionary meas
ure to send out an Inspector every nine
/ ty days to count the cattle over, exam
Inc the brands. If necessary, and see
that the ranchman is keeping up his end
OF the contract
1t is alleged that on or about July
4 10 representative of the two Sioux
City companies visited Ipswich and the
Il Grandle & Bowman ranch. He reported
to the firms that he had counted the cat
tie, which seemed to be thriving finely,
and that everything was all right
Just few days later Constable Mar
tin got tip. How it came to him he is
/. not telling the public but he was 50
J strongly convinced that he had valua-
; Bile pointer that he visited Sioux City,
called upon the commission firms and
told them his story. advising them to
send representative to Ipswich at once
to re-check the cattle. The commission
men were inclined to laughs ac Mr.. Mar
tin at first, but he talked SO seriously
that they agreed to send man out.
4 The inspector started without misgiy-
ines. for it didn't seem possible that
Z anything could have gone wrong in such
a few days, and he still had in mind the
4 statements alleged to have been made to
him at the ranch only July 49, to the eff
4 feet that Grandle & Bowman had cut
an unusually large amount of hay over
in neighboring valley and had every
thing in fine shape for the fall feeding.
The inspector arrived at Ipswich in
due time, found Grandle & Bowman and
could see nothing wrong at first Then
he began to get the cattle in and count
them, and this operation, it is said.
made the ranchmen very nervous. The
count showed over 100 head of the best
cattle gone. No satisfactory explana-
ton was given. The inspector reported
to Nfessrs. Becker & began and Trauer-
man & Co., who sent men out to assist
in locating the missing cattle and
straighten things out 1t required some
| days to find the first clue. and then II
| was found that the ranchmen had driven
the cattle forty-five miles across the
country to the Northwestern. shipped
two car loads to Belle PLANE and one to
/ Alburnette. Iowa. 1t was also found
that seven more cars had been ordered
and We're waiting for further shipments,
1t appearing, SO the commission firms
charge. that it was the plot to ship the
700 head out of the country between the
regular visits of the inspector, which
We're ninety days apart.
Further investigation revealed the
fact. it is alleged, that Messrs. Grandle
& Bowman had sold their ranch and all
their personal property to young man
named Haas, who was also formerly a
resident of Marion township. A young
man named White. employed on the
ranch, was interviewed and from him
an admission is said to have been Sc
cured involving number Of parties.
White. it is alleged. helped to drive the
cattle off, and on the charge OF compli-
city in the crime he was placed under
arrest, as was Haas. Bowman, when in
terviewed, is said to have claimed that
he had sold all his interest in the ranch
and cattle to Grandle. Without arrest
ing either of the principals in the deal
the commission firms set out to locate
the missing cattle, and Constable Mar
tin visited Belle PLANE a few days ago
learned what date the cattle arrived
there. who had been employed to help
dispose of them and the name of the
farmer to whom the sale had been
made. The siXty-six head of fine steers
We're found on the farm of Joseph Share,
who lives just over the Iowa county
Il 1--------- 49, --------