The sun., 1902-03-14
BROKER KOLSTEDE LEARNS a.
BIT AROUT WIRE-TAPPJNG.
Knows Now That Only the Victim u Tapped
Weck-Long Investigation with Two
RoEues' Gallery Ceiebrities Before He
Found Out Ana They Go Out, Free.

This is the account kept by Alfred q.
Kolstede, young broker Of II Front street,
OF his transactions with a gang OF alleged
wire-tappers who fooled him with the old,
old story that they could beat the handbook
men by tapping the Western Union wires
from the racetracks. Apparently he did
not know that no handbook man takes
bet after a race has been started. Nor
did he know that the wires that woro 10 do
the tapping were just twenty feet long,
reaching from the middle Of a cheap fur
nished room TO the outside Of the nearest
window sill. But he knows now.
II all came out before Magistrate Olmsted
in the jefferson Market police court yester-
day through the arrest OF James Davis,
alias Brooks, alias Mccormick. alias No.
5,s47 r. O., and Charles j. Toppin, alias
Chris Tracy, alias No. 4,2s6 r. g., whom
Kolstede charged with being chiefly In
strumental in 'swindling him. They we're
arrested yesterday afternoon in tho brokers'
Office by Detective Sergeants Burns and
Barnett.
Kolstede said that an advertisement in
the Herald Offering a man with 81 900 an
opportunity Of making $40, 900 quickly
first brought him in contact with the
prisoners. He replied, and Davis on March
went to his Office by invitation. He took
Kolstede TO a rear room on the third floor
of furnished room house at 1872 West
Thrty-second street. where Toppin was
ticking away at a set of genuine telegraph
instruments. The situation, as explained
to Kolstede on the spot, was that not only
had the connection been made with the
| Western Union wires, but Davis had also a
| in ha
| of the telegraph company who was in the
game ready to help by holding up the
| ticker reports for four or five minutes.
| Thus they got the returns fifteen minutes
! ahead of the handbook men.
Just then a series OF frantic tick-t ticks
| were heard from the instrument and Top
pin announced that they had a chance to
get in a TO shot on horse he named
| Davis said that he knew OF good handbook
man at the Hotel Gerard. For that place
he and Kolstede started on the run. When
| they got there Kolstede bet $25. A few min-
utes later the handbook man announced
to him that he had won and handed him
$50. That settled Kolstede.
| Next day he bet $500 on the tip fur
nished by Davis and Toppin. The came
| accommodating handbook man received the
money That was the last Kolstede saw OF
it, The gang said a mistake had been made
| somewhere Kolstede thought so, toe, Yet
his faith was not gone He let himself be
persuaded on the day after, which was
last Saturday to risk $500 more.
Evidently the gang thought IL better to
humor him in order to pave the way for
grand coup. He won $500. But at the
same time Davis declared that certain
linemen as well as his own brother had
to be "oiled' IL they were to stay in the
game. For such purpose Kolstede handed
out $500, so that in spite OF his good fort
une the day ended in a loss OF 5000. On
Monday and Tuesday this week he bet
again, winning s70o and paying out 81 900
for hush money and improved Instruments.
On Wednesday he bet $3.50, lost everv cent,
and went to Police Headquarters to report
II. He had become suspicious at last
Magistrate Olmsted heard Kolstede's
tale to a finish and then shook his head.
He was so sorry, he said. but there was no
evidence at all that Davis and Toppin ever
had received a cent Of the stolen money.
So he could do nothing but discharge them.
Kolstede said he would try TO have the
men indicted by the Grand Jury He is
the son Of c. A. Kolstede OF 43 West Eighty
fourth street, a member of the New York
Athletic Club