Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-02-15
Story of a Series Of Iowa Swind-
ling Operations That Chal-
lenges Credulity
BIG GAME ALL THE TIME
"Bis Store" Confidence Mon at coun-
Gil Bluffs Stop at Nothing, From
Horse Race Graft to Murder-Pay
no Attention to Deals Of Less Than
$1o,ooo-victims Fear Exposure.
Special to Tinnes-Republican.

! Special to nnes-Republican.
| Council Bluffs, Feb. 15--If you don't
| look out you will be buncoed by the
big store" gang Of confidence men and
swindlers, the greatest bunch Of top
| notch sure thing men" this country
ever saw, who make their headquarters
in Council Bluffs and operate in doz-
en- different cities of the country. There
are more than forty men in the gang,
and they are prepared to work any
scheme, from selling skyscraper
which they do not own, to running a
fake horse race, putting up prize
fight, phony footrace, bank rob-
berry. or committing murder. So expert
are the men of the "big store" that
they have in the last two years buncoed
victims out of not less than $1,000 900.
And these victims are not the old coun-
try farmers, with wheat straw in their
whiskers. either. They are bank presx
dents, real estate dealers. and men II
affairs in general.
The latest deal pulled off by the big
store gang that has come to light was
one in which T. w. Ballou. president
of a Princeton, Mo, bank, was bllncoed
out of 100000 on a fake horse race
Ballou made a 'holler," and as a re-
suit John r. Dobbins was on Tuesday
indicted by the Council Bluffs grand
jury on a charge of robbery. Dobbins
got wind of the court investigation. and
Skipped" He was captured In New
York on Saturday and will be returned
to Council Bluffs for trial An officer
from Iowa with a requisition for Dob
bins has gone to New York for the
prisoner. Despite the numerous games
the big store" gang has pulled Off,
the one which resulted in Dobbins' ar
rest is the only one in which an arrest
has been made.
But the public hears few of the
"squeals" of the victims of this gang
So smooth are the confidence men that
the victims are as anxious to keep the
matter quiet as are the swindlers
themselves.
The list of cities in which the gang
operates includes Omaha, Denver. Kan
'sas City, Springfield, Mo-. Chicago,
Indianapolis, Cleveland, Seattle, Spo-
kane, San francisco. Los Angeles.
Houston, Minneapolis, and, in fact, any
city in the country where the come
ons" can be found with money. But
money the victim must have, and. that
in large sums. This is no paddock"
swindle gang, and nothing goes but in
thousands
SCI !, =
in Council Bluffs. but not all Of them
Paraphernalia for all sorts of Skin
games" are kept in this city, and these
are shipped to the point selected when
ever 1t is not convenient to toll" the
victim in Iowa. Half a dozen race
horses, several prize fighters, foot rae
ers, and other accessories" to first
class bunco layout are kept on hand
at headquarters in Council Bluffs at all
times.
Race Never Came of.
Recently prominent hotel and cafe
man from Duluth, Mimi, was decoyad
to Council Bluffs He brought with him
$4,000 in cash, with which he expected
to purchase saloon here. In the place
he met, casually, Of course the pres
ident of the American bank of Omaha,
the vice president of the Union Pacific
railroad, and a big railroad contractor.
At least these men said they occupied
those position and were believed. The
Duluth man finally got into a horse
race, and when he went back to Du-
luth the bank president kept his 5000
as bet on the race, which was post
poned for week When the Duluth
man returned here for the race the
stakeholder had gone, taking the stakes
with him. 1t is a penitentiary offense
in Iowa to bet on horse race. and
the Duluth man preferred to let the
money go and keep his mouth shut
rather than risk prison and be the
laughing stock of his friends at home.
So there was no complaint filed with
the police.
A Seattle banker was fleeced out Of
100000 by the big store" gang on a
similar scheme, and for two weeks kept
himself hidden from an imaginary
pursuing detective force on the belief
that he would be sent to jail Finally
he became convinced that he had been
bunkoed, but was afraid to "holler"
even then for fear Of losing caste
among the business men Of his home
town. He was decoyed to Council
Bluffs to take part in big real estate
and railroad deal which. so he was told
could not be worked by the local bank
ers because of the desire to keep the
deal under cover until all the property
had been bought up. With a bunch of
Omaha and Council Bluffs real estate
men Cat least they claimed to be such)
the Seattle man got into a horse race
as stakeholder, and at one time actual
~ had 100000 of the gangs cash in his
possession. He was induced to bet this,
and became so excited that he then
bet his own roll of 100000.
Loses Money and Flees.
His horse lost, there was fight, and
one of the big real estate men fell with
dangerous wound from bullet
fired by another member of the gang.
The Seattle man was hurriedly gotten
into an automobile, and, with two other
members of the gang, rushed across
the country to a railroad station. where
he. was shipped out of the state. For
two weeks the banker hid. until finally
convinced that he had been bunkoed.
Then he returned home, but made no
complaint And the wounded real
estate man recovered just as soon as
the banker was out of sight
Last fail a wealthy man from Fort
Worth, Tex, came to Council Bluffs
and brought with him $4,000 to in
vest in what looked to him like a good
He had. however, brought