The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1905-06-05
OF GREENE PASS
AWAY WITHOUT KNoWL-
EDGE OF POLICE.
Benjamin F. Royse Was Buncoed
Near Dixie.

tOriOuS criminals who nave ever trOu-
bled the authorities in this country, an
nounced a few days ago in the New
York newspapers, recalls a famous
bunco trick turned at Walla Walla five
years ago by John r. Greene, John F.
Gray and John Jordan, in which Ben
jamin F. Royse was swindled out Of
$4,000 on the gold brick sale.
Greene, Gray and Jordan were in a
way connected with O'Brien and Kurtz
through Annie Gray, who associated
herself with both Gray and O'Brien.
The two men are said to have almost
come to the point Of fighting duel
over the woman in Seattle.
Greene, Gray and Jordan came to
Walla Walla five years ago and repre-
scented themselves as Eastern capital
lists. They became acquainted with
Royse near Walla Walla and told him
they wanted to buy his farm. While
the negotiations were going on they
succeeded in selling Royse a gold brick,
receiving $4,000 for the worthless brick.
The bunco men lost no time in get
ting away from Walla Walla. The
next heard Of Greene was at Philadel-
phia, where he had turned another
gold brick trick.
A. F. KEGS, then sheriff of Walla
Walla county, accompanied by ]. w.
Mackay went to Philadelphia with the
hope of getting their clutches on
Greene and bringing him back to Walla
Walla. After several legal fights the
officials of Philadelphia refused to let
Greene go and the Walla Walla Off
GERS were compelled to return home
without their man. Greene managed
10 escape conviction in Philadelphia,
but later was arrested in Alabama and
ne is now serving a sentence in the
state penitentiary at Atlanta.
Royse shortly after was killed by his
grandson Frank Royse, who is now
serving a term in the Walla Walla
prison.
Greene and Gray served time in
Salem, Or for bunco tricks and Gray
did time in Walla Walla
Tom O'Bren died in South America.
Michael Kurtz breathed his last in New
York The New York police learned
IF the deaths but a few days ago.
Served Time for Murder.
News of O'Briens death came from
the American consul in French Guiana
in which penal colony OBrien was
serving a life sentence for the murder
of Kid Waddell, Partisan gambler.
O'Brien, the message stated, died on
September "a, 1904 Kurtz, who was
better known under his alias, "Sheeny
Mike" died in Bellevue hospital on No
vember 10 of last year. Although reg
istered under his correct name, his
death was not chronicled at the time,
probably because he was rated as
peddler on the hospital books.
O'Brien, whose swindles accrued for
him a fortune of 100000 was prob
ably one of the most picturesque of
criminals. known as the Prince of
Crossroaders," because of his gigantic
gold brick swindles which he perpe-
trated in rural districts, O'Brien con-
1ucted crooked games simultaneously
in the East and Middle West. Though
sentenced several times he managed to
flee from this country to Europe. Once
sentenced to ten years in the state
prison. With the aid of Annie Gray,
VINO was Thomas Gray's wife, he sue
ceeding in drugging his captor and
again sailed for France.
Woman Tries to Release Lover.
While there he killed Waddell, who
had been connected with him in certain
bookmaking deals. For this crime he
was sentenced to serve a life's term in
the French penal colony. The Gray
woman sold her New York property
and went to France in an endeavor to
procure O'Brien's pardon, but in vain
He was 6S years old at the time of his
death.
Michael Kurtz was so years old wnen
he died. He was for many years con-
nected with the George Howard band
of bank burglars. Although often ar
rested, he was many times discharged
because of lack of evidence against
him.
In the sos Kurtz was a leader in big
diamond and jewelry robberies in the
eastern part Of the United States. 1t
is also said that at one time he man
aged to smuggle into this country $780,
900 worth of diamonds. Kurtz was
connected with the notorious Madame
Mandelbaum of Seattle
It is said that Kurtz several years