The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1904-07-21
Daring KenOsha Insurance Operator is
Arrested in Milwaukee on CHARGE
OF Misuse OF Mails
BABCOCK SAVED BY EMPLOYER.
Jacobs and Shanklin of Chicago -SqueaI''
to Federal Authorities and Declare that
Cowell Was Leader of wild Cat Gang


States Post Office Ketcham Inspector
on a charge Of using the United States
mails to defraud. He appeared before
United States Court Commissioner
Bloodgood in Milwaukee Yesterday
and was released pending the action
of the Federal grand jury on bonds of
FIVE thousand dollars. AS Cowe1l was
admitted to practice law in the United
States Court Commissioner Bloodgood
consented to release him, on a recog-
nizance bond in the above named
amount.
Fred G. Babcock, who has been
closely connected with Cowe11 in his
insurance deals, has not been arrested
as Cowe11 refused to allow Babcock to
suffer for the things alleged to have
been done by the Wisconsin Insurance
Agency company and stated to the
Federal authorities that Babcock was
simply a clerk and that he had abso1-
utely nothing to do with the business
of the company.
Cowe1l stated this morning in speak
ing of the arrest that he thought that
there was little doubt, but that he
would be indicted by the Federal
grand jury and that it was possible
that he would be fined. He is, how
ever, making preparations to make
the fight Of his life against the
charges and it is possible that he will
be able to slip out from under the
charges without being forced to dis
gorge.
The arrest of Cowe11 has been ex-
pected ever since the arrest of E. A.
Shanklin and DR.. Stephen Jacobs in
Chicago who were held to the Federal
grand jury in Chicago yesterday. 1t
was known that Cowe1l had been
closely related to these men in bust
ness way and it was supposed that his
arrest would surely follow. The work
of Commissioner of Insurance Host
while of very half hearted nature
hurried the arrest of Cowe11 and the
kenosha man seeing that the coil was
Tightening about him went to Mi1wau-
kee and submitted to arrest.
Cowe1l was deserted by his former
friends and Jacobs and Shank1in have
already turned over to the authorities
all the letters passing between Cowe11
and themselves so that they can clean
their skirts of guilt and throw..it all
on the Kenosha man. In an affidavit
which both of these men have signed
they declare that Cowe11 was the ring
leader in the great gang of insurance
sharks which has been doing bust
ness in and about Chicago. They
claim that they were working simply
as the agent of Cowe11 and that he
was alone to blame for the doings of
the Wisconsin Insurance Agency COM
pany.
This action on the part of, Jacobs
and Shanklin has caused Cowe11 to
desert the gang and when Inspector
Ketcham came to Kenosha today the
Kenosha man opened up his vaults to
the inspector and made public all the
letters that had been written in regard
to the alleged crooked insurance
deals. Several grip loads of CORE
spondence were turned over to the in
spector and it will be used in convict
ing Shank1in and Jacobs of fraudu-
lent use of the mails.
Cowell when seen this morning had
little to say in regard to the arrest and
bonds. He stated that the attorneys
at Milwaukee as we'll as the news
paper men had consented to hold the
matter as a secret until he had been
indicted by the Federal grand Jury.
He was in no way disconnected and
the splendid nerve which he has dis
played for years was in no way shaken.
He claimed that he was being made
the tool of blessed gang in Chicago
and that he was ready to turn the
tables and show the officials of the
government where the blame should
be placed.
Cowel1 claims that he will be able
to show in court that his actions in
connection with the Wisconsin Insur-
ance Company were wholly within the
keeping of the law and that if he is
brought to answer for the crime he
will be the sacrifcia1 lamb for the
Chicago band of swindlers.
The arrest of Cowe11 caused quite
little sensation in Kenosha, but most
of his friends seem to think that he
will be equal to the occasion. The
charge against Cowe11 is writing
"Wi1d Cat" insurance and using the
United States mails for the purpose of
promoting his schemes. The specific
charge is that he wrote insurance on
an educated cllimpanzee Consult
which died in Berlin and the former
owners of it claim that they have not
been able to collect on the loss.
The charge againse Cowe11 will be
taken up at the next session of the
Federal grand jury which meets in
Milwaukee in August.