The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-06-02
HE'S AN EASY ONE
How Farmer William GOrdanier
Lost His $4,000.
Jewell County Man Loaned It
to a Friend.
ALL IN A FOOT RACE.
Was Taken to Missouri to SsHold
Stakes"
Took Own Money With Him for
a Bluff.
LII IN A FOOT RACE.

William Gordanier, township trustee
and prominent farmer of Jewell county,.
Is certainly an easy mark. He did not
come to Topeka yesterday to tell his
story to Governor Hoch in support Of
his application for the right to take Ren
f. Jacobs to Missouri and prosecuting
him for gold-brick game Perhaps he
was ashamed to come. Perhaps he was
afraid he would again fall into the
hands of the mighty confidence men.
Perhaps he didn't have none. enough
left after his plucking to get him this
far on the railroad
Nevertheless, Governor Hoch decided
that he would honor the requisition Of
the governor of Missouri, and Ben
Jacobs, who is now being held in Jail
at Mankato, viii be taken to Kansas
City and tried in the Jackson county
court for stealing $1,000 from the inno-
cent gentleman from the Kansas
prairies
Jacobs seems to be a professional foot
race faker. According to the story he
went to AIankato some time ago. and
put in several months working up his
case" with Mr.. Gordanier The manip-
ulation was done through a mutual
friend, and was timed so that Gordanier
should sell his cattle and get his money
just at the time the trap should be
sprung. The mutual friend came to
Gordanier and told him that Jacobs was
going to run a footrace at Kansas City,
and that a lot of Mankato people were
going to put up money on therace. They
wanted Gordanier to take their money
and represent them in the betting; OF
course he didn't have to bet any OF his
own money unless he wanted to do 50.
but 1t was sure thing, as the deal
had been made for the Kansas City foot
racer to fall down and lose the race.
They offered to pay Gordanier for his
time in going to Kansas City to handle
| their betting commissions. By some
very smooth work, they persuaded the
victim to take along all his own money
about S3,000-just simply to use It TO
bluff" with, and show himself to be a
man of large resources.
Everything went along all right for
Gordanier until Just as the race was
about to take place. Then Jacobs came
to him, it is claimed, and wanted to
borrow the So, 600 just for a few min
utes, to make good a forfeit of IS 900
which he had posted to run the race.
He had put up $1,000 of his own money
he said, and wanted the remaining So
goo to put up Just as q matter OF Ioflls
that it would not be out of Gordanter5 3
possession more than five minutes
Gordanier swallowed the hook, and let
A1r. BuckfOot Jacobs have the cash.
And that was the last GOrdanter saw
of his s., COO Jacobs, sad to state, trip
ped and fell down, and the other man
won the race. It was the same old
story.
Jacobs. however. has a different tale
to tell, and apparently is a very much
abused man. He says that he and
Gordanier fixed up a deal TO go down
into Missouri and Skin" some OF the
suckers in that state Gordanier was TO
f71r.r7is1 fba 80 000 cash caDital for bet
ting purposes, and Jacobs was to do the
running. Jacobs was to have It all
fixed UP with his competitors to lose the
race After getting this all arranged
to Gordanier'S satisfaction, it is claimed
by Jacobs that Gordanier bet his mon
ey, and that the other fellow won the
race. Jacobs says he didn't get any OF
the money: that he lost all his own
money through his unfortunate acc1-
dent in falling down just as the race
started.
However, Mr.. Jacobs was able to
hire LAWYERS in Topeka, to represent
him in his efforts to keep out Of the
clutches of the Missouri officers. The
Mankato officials arrested Mr.. Jacobs
as soon as he showed up there after the
race and they have been holding hiin
in iail on various pretexts and charges
since the race was run, waiting for
authority to send him to Missouri
I B. Kimbrel. county attorney OF
Jackson county, D. J. Coy, county at
torney of Jewell county. z. P Hotch-
kiss. assistant county attorney Of Jew
ell county and D. T. Stetcheiman, sner-
iff of Jewell county were all present at
the hearing Thursday afternoon. Gov
ernor Hoch wired Mr. William Corr
danier to come too. but he didn't ap-
pear. Hagan & Williams appeared for
Jacobs, who is in Jail
It was first claimed that the requisi-
tion was invalid because it was not pro-
perIy drawn Attorney General Cole
man. however, decided that the papers
were all right.
The merits of the case were then pre-
sented to Governor Hochs and he de-
cided that if Mr.. Jacob Is innocent he
should have no objections to going to
Missouri for trial, and if he is guilty.
he ought to be tried and convicted.
Therefore he decided that the requisi-
ton should be allowed, and an officer
has gone to Mankato to take Jacobs 70
Jackson county.