Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-04-09
Alleged Gold Brick Swindler I'M
der Arrest.
FARMER NEAR ALBA WAS THE VICTIM
SwindIe Was Perpetrated in ottumwa
BY Which the Monroe County Man
Was Separated From His Money -
Suspect Held in North Carolina.
[ From Mondays Daily

u
After necessarily working on the
this city believe they have under ar
legged, swindled Thomas Daugherty,
means of gold brick, in this city,
County Attorney Emery received a
telegram from John T. Norris at
Greensboro, North Carolina, saying he
had Snearley in Jail there. Norris is
detective who has been working on
the case. and who was in Ottumwa
last January, and was instrumental in
having Snearley indicted by the grand
jury at that term.
One of the Men.
j. d. Snearly is supposed to be one
of the alleged swindlers, he, however,
giving the name of Samuel Black
when he was in Ottumwa and and
before the time of the alleged swindle,
it having been learned he was around
Ottumwa for some time previous to
the swindle, and evidently making this
city his headquarters. Sheriff SHUTS
started to Des Moines this morning to
secure requisition papers for the re.
turn of the man and got as far as Al
bia when another telegram was re.
ceived from Norris, saying Snearley
was being held by the authorities IN
| Greensboro for crime committed
there and would not surrender him.
| The telegram also said a letter was
coming by first mail which would ex-
plain the matter. Sheriff Suits upon
the receipt of this message returned
1 home and will await the letter from
Norris before he takes any further &C.
ton.
Think He Is Right Man.
| The officers think there is no mis-
take about them having the right man
in the person of Snearley and are very
anxious to know what the trouble is
in North Carolina. Snearley has q
prison record, having been confined il
! the penitentiary at Chester, ILL.,, fol
working confidence game, and is out
on parole from there.
Did the Work Here.
The story of the swindle is fresh il
the minds of Ottumwans. Thomas
Daugherty, a well-to-do Irish farmer
residing six miles south of Abba, was
the victim. The beginning of tn,
story runs back to October 3 of las
4 year, on which day stranger VISITED
the Daugherty farm and represented
that he was looking for a long-lost I'm
Gle named Thomas Daugherty, and tina
if the old man could be found he woul,
come into possession of property t.
4 the amount of several thousands O
dollars. His story was good one an,
he persuaded Mr.. Daugherty to com
to this city with him, and they mex
turned up at the Park Hotel.
The SwindIe.
The work was done we'll. Thu
sharper, who gave the name of Moore
worked on Mr.. Daugherty's feeling
and finally the old gentleman advane
ed him $1,000 with which to pursu
his search for his uncle, taking as sc
. curity two immense bars which mi
Moore" said came from one of the Ar
IONA claims which would be the prop
erty of the uncle for which the hun
was being made.
The deal was consummated, altho
government assayer" was called i
to attest to the genuineness of tn
gold bars" The old scheme, whic
has been worn by long usage, bu
which seems to work all the bette
for the wear, had again been worke
upon confiding farmer, and the ma
in search of the uncle and his frient
the government assayer" were S
sure of their game that, after havin
sent Mr.. Daugherty home with hi
: bricks, they sent him letter, tellin
> him how he had been fooled.