The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-02-15
AN EASY VICTIM.
Pratt County Farmer Loses
So, 500 to Wichita Sharpers.
Induced Him to Back a Fake
Wrestling Match.
MORTGAGED HIS FARM
Edward Stefnbaugh Bites on an
Old, Old Game.
Confidence Men Tell the Police
the Deal Was Legal.
HIS FARM

Wichita, Feb. 15.-The Beacon
says: Edward Steinbaugh. who is
stopping in this city, lost $4,000 on a
fake wrestling match, which was
worked quietly in Riverside park yes
terday afternoon.
Four men were arrested today
charged with being the main persons
| interested in the DEAL and the police
are necessary.
The men under arrest are Porter
| Strickland OF this city. a man who
gives the name Of Mack Connolly, an
other who gives the name of Duke
| Bishop, and still another who is called
| Stanbury.
Edward Steinbaugh. the man who
| lost the money, says one of the men
approached him a few days ago, and
in conversation told him that he
the name OF Coleman" but he had
found another wrestler here who
could throw Coleman" easy and he
wanted revenge. He declared that
he had but little money and wanted
someone who had some money to bet
on his man.
Steinbaugh told Chief voss today
! that he was finally induced to go to
/ Pratt county. where he owns farm
and where his family lives. and mort
gage his farm for $4,000, to bet on
the man who passed by the name of
| Coleman
| Yesterday afternoon the men got
| into a hack and drove out to River
side park, where the "wrestlers'' were
| to decide which was the best man.
Steinbaugh says he put UP his
| $4,000. which was covered by Porter
| Strickland, who represented himself
! to be j. w. Bishop, wealthy Kansas
City man, and who was backing
known to the police by the name of
| Stanbury
1 Coleman" is said to have told
Steinbaugh that In order to tire
| Brooks a little, he would let Brooks
| throw him the first time and then he
| the money, which was to be divided
| among the three.
The first fall was won by Brooks,
and when the men got together again
| for the second fall, coleman" Is said
to have got strangle hold on Brooks,
| who grew red in the face, groaned
and wriggled to get away, and finally
| commenced to gasp, while blood
seemed to squirt out of his mouth.
At this, Steinbaugh says Strickland
grabbed all the money, saying he had
won trend telling the others to get
out quick before they were arrested
for killing Brooks. Strickland ran
away, taking the money with him.
Steinbaugh also hurried from the
place, but soon realized that he had
been swindled After waiting till
about 1880 o'clock today. he reports
ed the matter to the police. Chief
Voss at once sent Detective REM
spear to the rooms of Duke Bishop,
416 East Douglas avenue, where he
found not only Bishop, but Mack
1 Connolly, alias Coleman, and the third
man named Stanbury, alias Brooks.
Porter Strickland was also taken in
custody, and within an hour and a
half from the time the swindle was
reported, all the men were in charge
Of the police.
The blood which spurted from
Brooks mouth, is believed by the po-
lice to have been nothing but some
sort of red liquid held in capsule in
his mouth until such time as it was
needed to create the impression that
he had been hurt.
Duke Bishop is the man who claims
that he lost the 5000 which two little
girls found on the street last week. He
Is a stranger in the city.
Mack Connolly has been here about
three weeks He said when he came
that he was the representative of
George w. Turner, Of Turner, Iowa,
a wrestler, and that he came to ar
range a match between Turner and
Delivuk, the wichita wrestler.
Strickland admitted to the police
this afternoon that they "won" Stein
baugh's money. He was defiant and
as much as asked the police what
they could do about 1t.
II Late in the afternoon the county
attorney was called into the case. A
course of action had not been decided
| on that hour