The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-03-02

Scotland. where he had been engaged in
the bakery business for several years He
| left there last August to come to New
York as a delegate to the international
master bakers convention. He was ac-
companied on mis- trip by his brother, VIII
liam.
After the convention they decided to go
I to the Pacific coast to locate in the bak-
cry business They reached Salt Lake
en- route to Los Angeles on Sept Is, and
registered at the Cullen hotel In the
afternoon while walking around town
they met a stranger. who, il has since
developed was Larry O'Brien, on the Ma
tional Bank of the Republic corner at
Second South and Main streets He asked
them the way to Warm Springs and Al
exander McWhirter told the man that he
was q stranger in the city and did not
know the location of any places of in
terest.
The Confidence Game.
The affahle stranger said that he was
also a tourist passing through Salt Lake.
but that an old friend of his father's.
whom he designated as the Colonel"
mad been kind enough to show him about
town on the day before. and that if the
McWhirter brothers were agreeable ne
would be glad to show them the points
Of interest that the Colonel had showed
him The McWhirters were agreeable ami
the young man showed them the temple,
the tabernacle. the homes of Brigham
Young and other places usually sought
Lake At the close of their walk the
stranger made an appointment to meet
them the rext day at the Cullen hotel
The next day the McWhirters grew sus-
pieious, and instead of meeting the
stranger who was so ingratiating the day
before they left a note at the hotel say
ing they had decided to go out to Fort
Douglas and would be unable to meet
him A little later, however, they met
him in front of the Royal cafe. He IN
dueed them to go with him to room in
the Antler roOming house. which the
stranger said was the office of the Colo
ne! i"
There they were introduced to Jack
o Brien and Jim" Donaldson, the former
posing as a mining expert and the latter
as a doctor. After a little desultOry coll
versatiOn on mining and the resources and
scenery of Utah, a card game was pro-
posed. Jim Donaldson and Larry and
Jack O'Brien played. Larry won $50 and
then presented the chips to Alexander
McW.hirter and told him he would in
struc him how TO play the game.
Falls in the Trap.
The game proceeded faster than Alex
chips were all in the center of the table
and he was told to put up so He did so
and was told to put down $500. He had
nothing smaller than a Sl,O00 bill. He put
that down and no one objected. On tine
next call he was told to bet another $1.0oG,
which he did, whereupon DIR" Jim Dom
oldson, with the announcement that he
had won, gathered in McWhirter's money.
McWhirter shouted that he had been
swindled. Larry O'Brien agreed with
him and said he would call the police
Two men who afterwards said their
names were Bell and Davis, rushed into
the room. exhibited stars and said they
were police officers. Davis had q gun,
which he held in his hand The men i'm
personating policemen said that everyone
must be searched. From Alexander Nc
Whirter they took his remaining SS,3l3
They were then ordered TO be taken to
the police station The gang OF bunco
men were taken charge of by Davis and
Bell looked after the two McWhirteTs.
He took them on a circuitOus journey
saying he was taking them to jail FL
nally they got on car going east on
started when Bell leaDed from the car.
McWhirter jumped off and fol-
lowed him and William stayed on the car.
Calls Up Chief Sheets.
Bell then took Alexander McWhirter to
the Sun drug store, where he went to
telephone and called uD number 20, the
number OF Chief Sheets private office.
The witness said he did not hear anything
else that was said by Bell over the teie-
phone as he was asking the drug clerk
at that time whether or not Bell was i
police officer.
Finally Bell and McWhirter went to the
police station and into the office of
Chief Sheets The witness started TO
tell the chief of the robbery, but he SAID
that William McWhirter had been in and
told him about it. In the course of the
Bell said he could get A,VO
of the money back and the chief said he
would send detective out with him
While Bell was gone William McNhlrter
came in after having been out searching
for the robbers.
and another man driving away in buggy
and was told that II was probably Bel
nd Of
Chief is Pessimistic.
He asked the chief if there was any
likelihood that the men would be caught,
and Sheets replied:
Very little"
The chief asked them if Bell took the
money and Alexander replied that he
did not but that he was one of the gang.
''If he didn't take your money what has
he to do with it2
To this Mewhirter says he replied:
He is one Of the confederates and
helped in the robbery
He said he asked the chief if the man
whom mis- brother had seen driving with
Bell was a detective the chief had sent
with him, and the chief replied that I
The Return of the 900.
About half-past ten Bell returned, say
ne that he had been unable to negotiate
checks for as much as he thought he
would and could only get $3.50. This Nc
,Vhirter said he took out of his pocket
md placed on the chiefs desk. On cross
examination however, he corrected him
elf and said after Bell had gone out the
,bief followed him and brought back the
$50.
McNVhirter said that the $3.50 was a
small amount to start business with and
2eu said ne would try and get him some
more. Half an hour later ne returned
With $3.50 more, which he gave to Alex
,nder McWhirter Shortly afterwards
hey went TO the railway station and took
/, train for Los Angeles. Bell accompany
ng them to the depot and staying on the
rain until il started away
At the close OF the direct examination !
he witness said that the stranger whom |
70 met on the street he now knew to be |
AIRY O'Rrien. the doctor to be Jim DON |
lIdscn. the mining expert, Jack o. Brien. !
md the bogus policeman, Davis, W. H. |
Parent.
Defense Scores Point.
The witness was then cross-examined by |
nudge Thurman for the defense only On |
he part of the testimony which related |
800 rr