The daily sentinel. [volume] (Grand Junction, Colo.) 1893-current, 1906-09-13
MANY CAUGHT
FOR THOUSANDS
BIG CONFIDENCE GAME
One of the Largest Ever Worked
in the West Just Exposed "A
Startling Double Crossing
Scheme Of RankeSt Sort.

A story was made public in Ogden,
Utah a few days ago which exposes
one of the largest confidence games
ever worked in the West
The game has been carried on at
Seattle and along the coast since |
last December. 1t is claimed that |
prominent men there and elsewhere
have been victimized to the extent
of s125,000 to $4,000. Among the |
nlleged victims ara Charles Cum
bingham of Pendleton, Oregon who |
danced to the tune of $4,000: w.
T. Owen, Anaconda. Montana, s2O,-l
900. Thomas Norton, Sacramento.
$4,000; Harry Lang. San Francisco
$4,000 and many others, One of the
latest victims was Louis Saville. of
Ogden whose purse was tapped for
the snug sum of $4,000.
The game was fake wrestling and
fighting. The victims were induced
to put their money on what they
thought was a sure thing and then
would be given the double cross"
For the most part the bouts We're
pulled of in an obscure arena on the
shore of Lake Washington. John
Willie. the wrestler, was one of the
chief figures in the game, but when
he figured that he could dump the
Ogden sports on the wrestling match
Monday night he labored for his own
downfall. For this reason, when
Wille's name was mentioned it was
rejected and the information given
out that the police were wise to the
confidence game caused Willie to
leave Oregon for other parts.
Saville's experience as related in
Ogden Tuesday is to the effect that
he was approached by some of these
in the game and informed that there
was chance to make n bunch of
money on the coast dead easy, that
there was a wrestler up there whom
Willie could throw who was backed
by lot of millionaires. Saville was
invited to go and Sc, the match, but
1t was not to cost hin cent. He was
further told if he cared to venture
there would be a piece of money in it
AOl w lllc WI S ~ dCI us pllOl
and pay the expenses on the going
trip. When they landed in Seat
tie he was introduced to the social
ed millionaires and a bout between
their world heater and Willie was ar
ranged. Some one in the party show
ed few thousands and asked him
to lay 1t on Willie. This was repeated
several times until there was about
$4,000 bet on the match including
the $4,000 belonging to Saville.
The match was pulled off at the
obscure arena. Willie secured the
first fall in short order and lost the
next two in a much shorter time.
Likewise the money placed on him
went. One of the men who had been
dealing out money to Saville to bet
then came up with another game and
told Saville that the money he had
used was the same money used over
and over again, He said he feared ex-
posture and as he was a stakeholder
he agreed to meet at Portland and
divide the whole purse. Saville and
a man named Mccoy started for
Portland. during the night Mccoy dis
appeared and Saville arrived in
Portland only to learn that he was
buncoed and they had adopted that
means of getting him out of Seattle.
The names of the instigators of the
fight and bouts are Russell B Harri-
man alias Russ Barrett; F. B
Brown, an eastern confidence man,
and Mathew Rier. a well-known
horseman.
Both the Ogden and Salt Lake po-
lice were notified of the game and
aid arranged to arrest the entire |
gang had they arrived to work their
game in either city. The cat got out |
of the bag however. and they have |
kept away from that section.
1t was learned yesterday from
Chief of Police Sheets that the Nc
Coy referred to was none other than
Ed Mccoy of Gunnison. Colorado.
Mccoy was a fighter some time ago
and came to Salt Lake to fight Den
yer Ed Smith five years ago. Chief
of Police Sheets acknowledged that
he was looking for Willie.