The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-08-10
GREATEST Of
b(|HCO GAMES
Vast Sum Cleaned Up by Foot
Race SwindIerS in the East.
ARE NOW UNDER ARREST
One Man Who Was BiIked
Goes After Them.

7
liam Matthews. Major stnIson, Thoma.
Brewer and = man named Corners a
Springfield, Ill. followed by the arrest
OF Horace Y. Carey, clerk Of the Hamil-
ton county circuit court. and the re-
nanding TO jail OF Tyler Cruthers. has
led to the development OF the biggest
swindles Of its kind that ever was car
ried on by the sporting element Of the
two states OF which the arrested men
are citizens, and by actual calculations
he gang has cleaned up $s2 600 within the
last year. One OF the victims who has
caused the arrest of the parties. is a
well known business man OF Greensburg,
another, who is now lending his aid 10
the prosecution, is an intelligent farmer
Of Hamilton county. but neither appears
TO have mad the least suspicion that they
were TO be the victims of a skin game
till the money was in the pockets OF the
gang. which was doing so successful a
business.
Carey, it seems, was induced to bet on
a foot race something over q year ago.
and lost 5000. He had just graduated
at Earlham college, and was lover OF
athletics and when he met some Of the
| Springfield gang he was easily induced
to risk his money. Tyler Cruthers, the
man on whom he bet. though living at
Nobiesville, was a member of the Spring
field gang and threw the race against
I Carey. The latter did not realize the
swindle until he had lost 500 more. John
/ Corners, a Springfield expire fighter
and saloon-keeper. then offered 20 take
+ Carey into the combine OF syndicate il
he would furnish another victim and
/ give him a chance TO win his money
back.
1t is charged that Carey went 10 LII
cius B. Stout. weIl-tO-do farmer who
had unbounded condence in him. and IN
folded the scheme by which be could
make a sure thing. Cruthers was TO
run in the race, and Stout went to the
bank OF NoblesvilIe. borrowed S1e0. with
his mother as security and went over TO
Springfield Cruthers threw the race
against him as ne had against Carey,
and Stout had TO borrow money from
some Of the members OF the gang 70
get back home. He believed he had been
swindied, and his suspicion eliminated in
the arrest Of Carey and Cruthers on
charges Of bunco-steering and conspiracy
to defrand
While this investigation was going on
in Hamilton county and the gang had
no idea that its methods were being in
quired into. Donacker approached Rob-
EFT C Shoffner. young hardware mer-
chant Of Greensburg. with a scheme
whereby they could make s20o00. They
went to the hotel and Donacker introduce
ed SchofTner TO a man named Kent. who,
he represented. held the world recor4
as runner for fifty-seven yards. Kent
explained that he wanted a race with
Billy Matthews, a hanger-on at John
Corners saloon at Springfield but he
had no hackers. He explained that II
Shoffner would pretend TO back him.
Corners would put UP the money. Mat
thews would throw the race and lot Of
Springheid's sports would be losers. II
was proposed that Shonner take &, so
TO Springfield. not TO bet on the race.
but merely TO show that he had money
and make It appear that he was Kents
hacker.
shoTner put $3.50 in his pocket and
went over TO Springfield with Donacker
and Kent and registered at the Leland
Hotel He was introduced 10 Colonel /
Roberts" a Board OF Trade man: Gus (
Montgomery. the owner of a number 1
Of coal mines: Major Stilson "a turf /
man ard owner OF several stock farms. /.
all OF whom were represented 10 him as 4
hackers OF Matthews According 70 the /
ARRANGEMENT between Corners. D0naker. I
Kent and Matthews the latter was TO get 4
but $. 500 Kent and Corners the same (
amount and Donaker and Shonner 81 - I
each. Shofner was wined and cined. I
and every now and then Counors gave
him { roll OF money which he ct on
Kent IN one day Shofner placed $500
OF Connor's money on Kent and L was
promptly covered BY Colonel Roberts and
others At this stage OF the game ShoT-
ner lost his head and put up his $3.50
on Kent TIE great race was then
run on July Il. and Kent fell. and the
money passed TO the possession q Col
onel Roberts
Connors was terribly put ont over the
race feeling sure that KeaJ could have
won bur for his Fan. and Il vas agreed
rat Kent should Try Il again.
shonner went 10 sullivan. borrowed Sz.57o
from his hrother-in-iaw and went back
10 SPRINGFIELD 10 Try IL again Corners
put I'D another sT5a and ShoGner s -
ard Kent lost the race Il row daw1ed CT
SAcnner that he had been suindled.
but he concealed his suspicious tn he
vas sure q the ground He then an
lounce6 that Re vas onto the game and
should Re allowed &c furnish the sucker
or another race
This was readily agreed q and hs I
vent 70 Terre Haute and employed !. s
hughes q the ia~ firm q HUGHES &
-aIawe1. and took him u Springfield.
where he introduced hin 70 wealth.
,cvcis eszser who loved a square rare
hughes get in With the gang szd b.
ore he left town he had al q his zen
.76sr the eves q experienced detectives
,oio1es Roberts provd q Re Ton Brew
?. a gambler By profession MAJOR Stili-
OF was Z barber. and Gus Montgomery
rsS one oscar Maxon. who vas ~ one 2
ire employed ~ the Standard OF con-
any az Springfield Sho1rsr caused TIE 2
rest Of tie rsn ard al gave bozt n 5
I'm OF yseao. conrors making the hozSS- =
len safe. sfxxoz. though. escaped from Z
Re city ard cannot b foEzd {
As 5000 as the ue1 zere arrested Z
heir agents approached shonasr ard o.
=red hin =. ooe 70 drop the prosecutions
I'd vheu Re refused Re zas sskes to :
anne his sun and be would b pad "a 4
be <pot Re s~ore a nillsoz would z0s i