Omaha daily bee., 1903-03-14
FOOT.RACE DEAL IS AIRED
Charles Gregory Tells How he and Barker
Were Worked for Sucker.
STAKEHOLDER DISAPPEARS WITH FUNDS
Defense II That Two Were Looking
For n sure Thing" and Thai
the other Fellow Beat
Them to II.

Them to II.
Charles Gregory and william Barker OF
this city related on the witness stand in
the district court yesterday to a large and
Interested audience the story Of how they
we're played for suckers and induced TO
part with nearly $4,000 of their wealth
on an alleged fake foot race at Webb City,
Mo, in January Of last year. They were
the star witnesses for the state in the
trial OF Leon Lozier, a professional Splinter,
and cd Moore, also a resident Of Council
Bluffs, who stand charged with conspiring
to defraud Gregory and Barker out OF their
money. John Grimm, known to the sport
ing fraternity as Cash" Grimm, another
professional foot racer, was indicted with
Lozier and Moore, but his sprinting pro-
c~livities have up to date enabled him to
keep clear Of the officers and evade ar
rest.
The witnesses sworn for the state ara
Frank Harris, J. w. Scott. Charles Gregory.
Charles Gregory jr, Alderman c. II. Huber,
Charles Nicholson, William Barker and
Charles Morse. The defense stated 1t would
introduce no witnesses except the two De-
PENDANTS. The morning was occupied IN
selecting a jury and the taking OF evidence
commenced after the noon recess. The
case has attracted much attention and the
courtroom was filled with an interested
audience.
Counsel for the defendants in his open
ing statement to the jury said he would
show that Gregory and Barker were not
unsophisticated ~greenhorns; that in fact
Gregory, at least, was well known to be q
hacker OF sporting events and that he would
prove that both Gregory and Barker went
- ". - u. vEN tIn tnsAntNnn ~ haotfno
someone else on what they believed was a
sure thing but that instead they we're
the ones who got the worst of the deal.
Explaining how It was that Lozier won
the race instead OF Grimm, as Gregory and
Barker had been led to believe would have
been the case, counsel for the defendants
told the jury that the day Of the race was
snowy and the track was slushy. Lozier,
a veteran in the business, had the fore
sight 20 take the ~precaution TO grease his
running shoes, which precaution Grimm
failed to take, and the failure on his part
lost him the race. Grimm's shoes hot
'balled" with the snow, while L~ozier's,
owing to their being creased, did not.
! Gregory Tells story.
Charles Gregory, who in private life fol-
lows the occupation of a blacksmith and
has made considerable money at his trade,
was the first witness introduced by the
State. His story of how he was induced
to go to Webb City and part with his
wealth was substantially as follows:
"one day Lozier, Moore and Grimm came
to my blacksmith shop and began talking
about the wealthy men who comprised the
( membership OF the Webb City Athletic
club and how ready they were at all times
20 play their money on 8 footrace. Then
| fhay told mo that q rara had bnan hXed
between Lozier and Grimm and hat the
Webb City men were willing to put their
money on Lozier. Moore said he had
tried out the two men at the Driving
park aud 1t was a dead sure thing for
Grimm, and that Grimm would win even
IL Lozier had to walk They wanted me to
go to Webb City with themi Sut / de-
clfned. telling them l would not bet on a
footrace, and especially on one in which
Lozier was mixed up, as l knew him.
Then they told me that they did not want
me to bet my own money, but that they
needed some responsible person, one OF
financial standing, to represent them and
bet the money they could get to put on the
race. Barker happened to come into the
shop and l introduced him. Well, to make
a long story short, after several inter-
views Barker and l consented to go, We
| WtuI anu NGIo IuON 4 ~ loORON. ~ "
City by Lozier. who told us to go on tn
the next town and stop at the hotel there.
We did as directed, and the next morning
went back to Webb City by the street car.
Well, we we're given money to bet and the
Webb City fellows, who were backing Lo-
zier, kept doubling their bets. until sud
denly It was said that the stakeholder was
short and had to make a showing. l had
about $500 with me and Barker had some-
thing over 81 1000. We we're induced by
Moore to place this money with the stake
holder on the understanding that 1t was to
be returned to us after the race. When
the race came OF Grimm fell and Lozier
won. Then there was a commotion and
the men who had backed Lozier said that
they were willing to have the race run
again, as they did not want to take adj
vantage OF an accident.
Barker and l returned home TO get more
money to recover what we had lost. We
went back to Webb City with $1,000 and
the second race resulted much the same
as the first did. Lozier won. When we
asked for the return OF our money the
stakeholder was not to be found. Suisse
quent events made us believe that we had
been victims OF a big swindle."
Bankers testimony was much the same
as Gregory's, but on REORGANIZATION he
said he went to Webb City simply to obllge
Gregory and hat he did not bet any money
himself. He placed his money with
Gregory. When asked II he had ever gone
by the name OF William Willard the wit
ness said ne might have used that name
in some transaction. a
Gravel roofing. A.. H. Read, 1ss Main st.
"
Returns 10 Pen.