Omaha daily bee., 1903-02-14
CHICAGO TURF MEN RAIDED
Police Round Up Alleged Fraudulent Bet
ting Operators in Windy City.
DAVENPORT MAN AMONG HEAVY LOSERS
Patrons CIamor for Payment, but
Managers Either VIII Not or Cam
not Refund Money Placed
with Them.

arrested The head Of a fourth concern, |
warned Of the proposed movement, made !
bis escape before the detectives arrived.
The firms visited by the police we're:
The H. Brolaski company, SO6 Dearborn I
street.
Benedict Co, room 7Os 225 Dearborn
street.
The Mid-Continent Investment company,
A. j. Demorest & Co., on the eighth floor |
of the Temple Court building Dearborn and
Quincy streets.
When the detectives reached the Dem
crest place the president Of the company.
A. ]. Demorest, could not be found though
a number of patrons we're beating at the
locked doors clamoring for payment.
Police Round Up All Omces.
The raids followed a general police order
to close all fraudulent turf exchanges in
Chicago. Three squads Of detectives started
out simultaneously to round up the alleged
offenders
The first place visited was the Offices of
Brolaskl & Co., where Brolaski and FIVE
other persons we're taken in charge. In
the office at the time were two women,
who said they had made investments, but
had been unable to get their money back
when they demanded it.
George II. Vincent Of Davenport. Ia, also
! appeared at Brolaski's office while the raid
was in progress and declared that he had
lost $1,1O0. He said he had invested his
money on. the promise of big gains, but had
| not received a cent in dividends.
During the raid at Benedict G. Co.'s Office
number of men called to ask that the
money they had intrusted to the company
| be refunded. One man said he had 81, 900
with the company, but was unable to get
| 1t out. Collectors of the American Ex-
| press company and the Continental Ma
| tional bank called. Each had claims aggre-
| eating several thousands Of dollars, most
of which had been made by out-of-town
| patrons.
The letterheads of the company gave the
name of John w Benedict as secretary and
treasurer and w. Curtis as manager.
All persons at work in the ofice said
they had never seen Benedict. but that he
was probably at the main ONCE at South
| Bend Ind.
At the office of the Mid Continent In
vestment company the stenographer,
woman, was taken in custody, but the man
ager could not be found The desks were
broken open and the certificates of stock.
proprietorship and lists of investors taken.
Just how much money Demorest took
away with him when he left his office today
| is not known, but the place was besieged
eli the afternoon by dozens Of patrons who
claimed they were heavy investors.
Arnold Disappears EnrOute.
ST. LOUIS, Feb. 13.-The grand jury to-
day resumed it's investigation into the
methods of the Turf Investment company.
e. j. Arnold, head of the company which
bears his name, left Hot Springs Ark, last
night, ostensibly for st. Louis, but he could
not be found for an interview this fore
noon, and deputy sheriffs are out looking
for him to serve grand Jury summons.
Crowds OF anxious people still beslege
the Offices Of the various investment com
panies, though none are paying out money
today.
: A police guard was placed at Arnold &
Co.'s ofices today to prevent the removal
Of any Of the books or papers that might
be Of value in the investigation sub
poenae duces teeum was issued early and
every effort made to locate E. j. Arnold
with papers and books bearing on his
method of doing business. bat he cannot be
found.
John j. Ryan and the looks OF his con-
cern will also be brought before the grand
Jury today. On his return from New York
} Circuit Attorney Folk at once took per-
sonal charge of the grand jury investiga-
| tion OF the get-rich-Q nick concerns
Speaking Of the present state of affairs
MI. FOLK Salus Ihe laws OF missouri dnC
! the federal laws are deficient in this line Of
cases. The federal authorities attempted
to reach these people some time ago, bu
could not ordered this investigation two
weeks ago and placed it in charge Of Johr
NJ. Fickeissen. ! was not expecting the
collapse so soch.
q "Just what charges we will make will
e depend upon this investigation, which viii
. last several days. Ono thing is certain
n the get-ricf.-quick concerns must be driver
a from Missouri. They can operate no longe
in St. Lovis."
: Receive sI25,O0O Each Week.
An ernpIove. who for obvious reasons re
t fused 20 make her name public, states tha
4 at present the E. ]. Arnold company sha
: 100000 investors-SO, 900 in st. Louis an
g the remainder scattered over the country
: The average receipts Of this company, tn
c EN- pLoye says averaged $125. 900 a week.
All books and records in the ONCE O
i F., ]. Arnold & Co. were seized by deput
fheriis under orders of the grand jur
today and carried to the circuit attorney
D ONCE They will be examined by the gran
Jury.
u John ]. Ryan's books we're produced o
subpoena.
The grand jury has dropped all othe
work in order to rush this particular in
quiry. The Investigation is being con
at Quoted under the statutes which provid
on Jail sentences and heavy fines for fraud
C. perpetrated through the medium OF prom
H. Use of profits on investments which are i'm
n possible OF fulhllment.
Subpoenas have been issued by the leglI
NJ lative investigating committee on the rel
,et resentatives of all the turf investneI
III companies operating here and the follow
IT'S ing nrms as "ell' Frlce commission Won
nv pany, Cleage Commission company, BrOol
es. Grain & Commission company, Rialto Grai
n company, North American Investmen
ms Donovan Commission company.
NEW ORLEANS, Feb. 13.-On the appl
cation Of Clarence c. Walters. one of Il
n employees Of the New Orleans house OF
j. Arnold & Co., William ]. Gayle has be,