New-York tribune., 1902-07-11
SAYS HE WAS SWINDLED-
oo,,pIAINANT ASSERTS HE Is TEXAS
OIL. L4>-D OWNER.
nrCIAREs PRISONER WORKED WIRE
TAPPINt,~ GAME-LATTER AYERS
WELL. KNOWN BROKER IN
TRODUCED HIM


. well dressed man about fifty years Old who
- his name as John T. Mccarthy, and told
lo+ectiyes Of the Tenderloin station that he
as a wealthy oil land owner of Beaumont,
IT, VAS the complainant in the West Thir-
,ietb-st station last evening in an alleged wire
.onnine scheme whereby, the detectives say,
be was to get advance information of the re-
s,,lts Of the races at Brighton Beach, Chicago
and - Louis The prisoner in the says
he is Charles J. Toppn He gave his address
rs No. IL West Ninetieth-st, and said he was
a saIesman. When he searched at the sta
,son the police say they found a door key for
Room No. - Of the Rossmore Hotel. in Broad
way Mccarthy alleges he was swindled out of
81 100. and says that Toppin did il. Toppn
was arrested complaint of Mccarthy on sus-
picion Of being implicated in the alleged swindle
Each has considerable to say about the other
and Toppn declares that he was introduced to
Mccarthy by a wealthy stockbroker well known
in this city and Chicago. The introduction
Toppin declares took place some ten days ago
at the Gravesend racetrack.
According 10 Mccarthy. Toppin asked him IL
he wanted to be on a good thing" Mccarthy
sgnifed his willingness. and last evening told
Detectives Barnes and Flynn that Toppin took
him to the Western Union Telegraph Building.
No. 1876 Broadway. where, Mccarthy says, he
company. An arrangement was made, Nc
Carhy related TO the detectives whereby Top
pin was TO get information Of the results of
the races at Brighton Beach and one or two out
Of town tracks some ten fifteen minutes in
advance of the announcement of the winning
horses at the poolrooms-
ONE SAYS LOST. THE OTHER WON.
On Wednesday Mccarthy alleges he and Top
pin went to d well known uptown hotel where
he bet S1O0 horse in the third race at
Brighton. Mccarthy asserts he lost this money.
Toppin says Mccarthy won il. The name of the
horse was given as Tom Kenny. but the press
reports on that day did not mention such a
horse in the third race Brighton.
At any rate. Mccarthy says that yesterday he
again met Toppin. Toppin told him. he asserts
that he was having much difficulty in getting
telephone over which TO receive his reports from
the alleged Western Union manager They
met at the same uptown hotel, but left it and
went TO several others, and saloons well, the
latter of which frequented chiefly by sport
ing men. Then they returned TO the uptown
hotel where Mccarthy declares he bet $500 on
a race at Brighton Beach. He lost. Then Nc
Carthy bet $500 on a horse running at Wash
ington Park, Chicago and lost again
At that Mccarthy says. he became suspicious.
He declares he told Toppin he'd had quite
enough" and the two left the hotel together.
Outside Mccarthy according ts the detectives,
said Toppin:
II believe this is skin game I don't be-
lieve there's any wire tapping going on. 1 guess
I'm being tapped myself"
Toppin protested that there wasn't any skin
game and told Mccarthy he would willingly
go with him to investigate.
Then let's go to the station" said Mccarthy
The two walked along together until they
reached Broadway and Fortieth-st. There, Nc
Carthy declares, Toppin appeared to be about to
run away.
Mccarthy asserts that he made a bluff to
draw a revolver, at the same time saying to
Teppin:
II you run I'll blow your brains out"
THOUGHT PooLRooM IN HOTEL.
Mccarthy then called Policeman Walsh, Of
the Broadway squad, and had Toppin arrested.
accusing him Of swindling. a crowd gathered
around the trio and there was some excitement,
Mccarthy denouncing Toppin in strong terms.
Then they all went to the Tenderloin station.
There Sergeant Shiels took the case in hand.
He called in Detectives Barnes and Flynn and
they listened to the story told by Mccarthy
When Mccarthy reached the part Of his mar
rative where he spoke of losing his money in
the uptown hotel, Sergeant Shiels broke in,
saying:
lien tnefe must De a pOOlrOOm IN that motel.
He sent the detectives, accompanied by Nc
Carthy. 10 the hotel, with instructions to in
vestigate thoroughly, and ascertain if there was
anything resembling a poolroom or a handbook
game in the hotel.
And arrest anybody this complainant points
out 10 you," were the sergeants last instruc-
uons.
The detectives and Mccarthy went TO the hotel
where the complainant said he had lost his
money Not a soul was visible that looked at
all suspicious and Mccarthy said he had seen
none of the men around there with Toppin while
in the hotel. The hotel clerks said that the
men who had been around when they saw Nc
carthy and TOppin together had vanished as
those two left the house. Together the detec-
tves and Mccarthy visited all the places the
complainant had gone to with Toppn, but in
none OF them any Of the men Mccarthy
said he had seen before TO be found.
Then they went back to the station. In the
mean time Toppin sat in the back room of the
station. closely guarded by Policeman Walsh.
He had a group of reporters around him, and
was telling them his side of the story. He said
Mccarthy what he said he was, adding that
he had made several million dollars in the Texas
oil fields
DECLARES THERE WAS NO swINDLE.
Toppin declared that there had been no at
wise 10 a good thing the races and had
advised Mccarthy 10 play it. He declared he
mad advised Mccarthy to bet $500 on a certain
horse al Washington Park. Chicago, for place"
but that Mccarthy had bet straight" and con-
sequently lost
ioppin said that Mccarthy of a 'suspi-
'l'us nature" and he supposed really thought