Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1909-11-25
Clever Capture OF Man Wanted
In Omaha for Participation
In Swindling Game.
BAIL FIXED AT TEN THOUSAND
United States Officers Aided by Sheriff
Sharp Get Ed Mccoy on
Description.


keeper, ana now charged with being
member of the famous Maybray gang
OF swindlcrs who are said to have
indicted over S2.OOO.oo0 from easy
victims throughout the western part Of
the United States in the four years
ending in 1908 was arrested Wednes-
day afternoon by United states Of
ncers The Importance OF the capture
is related in the fact that the United
States court at Council Bluffs, Ia, has
fixed McCoy's bail at $4,000
The arrest Of Mccoy was effected by
Lucien II. smith. chief deputy to
United States Marshal j. II. Ander-
son: {. ID. Lowe. postofticc inspector
and Sheriff Joseph Z sharp For over
a week the members Of the marshals
stan nave been looking for Mccoy
after Information had been received
that he was wanted In Council BUNS
ana Omaha anu that he was supposed
to be IN salt Lake. Mccoy had form
erly conducted saloon in Commercial
street and was well known In certain
circles in the city. IL was finally as
Certained that he was living with mis-
wife. under the name OF Ferguson,
near Eighth East and Seventh South
streets.
marshals stan. nor 10 Inspector Lowe,
but a very good description had been
furnished. on Wednesday Inspector
Lowe happened upon a man who
answered the description accompanied
by anotheT man and woman. They
went into a place on Third South and
the Inspector got into communication
with the marshars office. Deputy
Smyth Immediately Joined Sir. Lowe.
SHARP FURNISHES IDENTICAL
TON.
In a short time the two men came
out OF the place and walked east on
Third South. They were followed BY
the two officers who were chaiy about
making the arrest not being any too
sure Of their man The men turned
down Seventh East ana shortly after
ward the pursuers came upon sheriff
Sharp who knaw Mccoy aud told
game The arrest was then made. and
Mccoy was taken to the county jail
where he VIII be held pending ad-
vicee from Council Bluffs.
The specific charge against Mccoy
is that on April s. 1907, at Omaha,
Mccoy conspired with John c, May
bray and Ernest Fenby IN a scheme
10 defraud certain persons. Among
the list are II. j. Hallister. A. A.
Nauchover, Joseph w. Leissn. L. r.
Marts. DR. +. y. Nenderbeck, I'D
Jones. James Weber and George A.
Quimby. Mccoy is said to have fed
from Omaha about oct. 10 and is sup
posed To have been In Salt Lake ever
since that time.
The salt Lake police records show
that Mccoy has been mixed up in a
number OF shady transactions I'M this
city. He has been under arrest three
times during the past two years once
for battery once for swindling, and
once for vagrancy. He was arrested
last spring by Chief Of Police Barlow
under suspicion Of having been connect
ed In a swindling game al the race
track Want Of evidence caused the
charge TO be reduced 10 vagrancy and
he was chased out OF the city on a
"foater' sentence. Mccoy WAS also ar
rested In Pocatello some time ago on a
sWindling charge.
The history o. the Maybray gang Is
unique I'm the cOuntrys criminal an
nails. The gang was close corpora
ton operating throughout ihe entire
country west Of the Mississippi river.
rs particular graft being fake wrestling
matches, foot races and prize fights
But the members would also take
chances on almost any sort OF a bunco
game. There We're "a number OF gam
hlers In the OUTFIT who furnished an al
most unlimited working capital
PULLED OFF BIG THINGS.
The members Of the gang comprised
some Of the most experienced confidence
mon In the world. men who drifted 20
new fields when The eastern centors OF
population became too hot for them. old
prize fighters and foot racers. wres;lers.
ard on color sports OF every descrip-
ton. They worked mothOdically and
never descended 10 cheap game. II vas
| always thousands with them and they
"puued orr some 90 tke finest sWind-
liue games the country has ever seen.
| one OF their greatest assets was The
fact that The majority OF tho men whom
| thcy sNindlcd were too much ashamed
| 10 aoueaw and this brought them
safety for "A long time. kut their grcat
and uninterrupted success made them
| very bold and after time there were
number OF disclosures which aroused
/ public attention.
The beginning of the end came when
Uncle sam made up his mind thai ne
would inyest,gate. tie placed his best
men on the case and In a short time
! evidence was secured which bcougnt
wholesale arrests From Los Angeles
/ 20 Chicago. ana from seattle 20 New
Orleans came tha news of somebody
| known in tle sporting world being
called upon 10 put up bis bond and
/ OF the gang and a cessation of opera
| lions.
The headqulItors Of tine sang Was at
| Council BluffF La This is just across
| the river from Omaha and ,s what Is
/ called wide OPEN town. here gam
| bling in an ne fo,r;s goes on, every
thing from stud poker 10 faro ~ 81
center Tor thc gamblers ~ tno middle
west aud here Il was mat tho great
/ Maybray gang was formed The prin-
cipal charge against the members 0f
/ the EanG Ia that of using the mails for
I anindiing purposes but this b. only Tor
the purpose % arrest. 10 d said that
dozens u others will be made when the
4 real trials begin.
A number OF the men under arrest
have furnished $4,000 bail but the
| arrests became so Ereat In number that
/ the gang treasury Was depicted, the
bankers frightened. ana now dozen
| nrs hfhlnd the bars awaiting trial