Omaha daily bee., 1909-02-28
Council Bluffs
BUNCONAy'S LETTER ESIRAY
Gives Postal Officials the First Clue
to the Swindlers.
COMPLETE RECORDS OF TRICKS
over Hundred Envelopes Found, Each
COntaining Details of sOme
Of Their SwindliRE
Operations.

4 letter addressed by one Of the members
Of the bunco gang. which is charged with
relieving Banker Ballew OF Princeton. Mo-
Of 5000, and other wealthy suckers Of
large sums OF money. 10 II. c. Smith. 1Es
Golden Gate avenue. San Francisco. but
which was delivered by mistake to E. c
Smith al INs Golden Gate venue. in thet
city. and was subsequently returned TO
Council Bluffs. was said yesterday BY Post
office Inspector Swenson to have given the
federal authorities the first real clue TO the
alleged band o. swindlers and started the
Investigation which resulted in the arrest
Of J. c. Maybray and his supposed asso-
eiates at Little Rock. Arr, a few days
ago.
The letter. which follows, shows that the
gang changed its base OF operation from
New Orleans TO Council Bluffs as early as
March OF last year:
NEW ORLEANS. March /. lss-Friend
- Owing to change IN administrator
here. we have moved 10 Council Bluffs. Ia.
where conditions are perfect Drop US q
Inc and keep Us posted as TO your where
abouts. With best wishes. rs.
P A-WiH be ready for business March
ID Address mail to box 4 and all telfgrams
TO A c. Craft. Council Bluffs. Ia
Craft was the name given by the man
who conducted the negotiations with Mr..
Pierce when renting the offices in the Mer-
Ram block for the Southern Land and
Timber company. which Craft said ne and
MIR. Mason the latter believed to be J.
c. May bray. represented.
This letter on being returned 70 Council
Bluffs was turned over to Inspector Sven
son, who said yesterday that this was the
first information that the federal authori-
ties had Of the operations OF the gang
Memorandum of BaIIew Case.
Books and papers found by the officers at
Little Rock in a trunk belonging to May
bray show that the gaRs kept detailed ac-
counts Of all the tricks they turned. Among
these papers was the following memoranda
relating TO the Banew case:
October 10. W. II. Martin 90 and Becky
Dobbins' arrived from Kansas City with
Ballew Cbanker) OF Princeton, No. Inter
viewed b. George WilsonCA) for horse race.
First National bank Of Council Bluffs re-
fused to handle so large ar amount for
him. Mike made arrangements in omaha
with two different banks for $4,000. octo-
Der Il showed 'Miksr Red Loe. owned by
w. H Martin and ridden by Charles Bar
rett Qo2).
made match between Red Lee and Abbie
L. owned and ridden by Tom Rodgers 90.
W. Hemingway p1D. J. c. Gordon CB) and
Afternoon. Mike" vent to Omaha in
auto with Martin and Dobbins and drew
out all his money as suggested by Wilson
TO help out Bet Il all on horse race. Race
held in field by Msnawa. Gore run off.
Round up fine. Party said would make all
money good If George was caught. Mike
left with Dobbins for Kansas City at Sos
p. m.
October "A. wired Banew from st. Louis
from Moore hotel, Got away all G. k.
To come this way. VIII meet yo0N Al
Princeton. George, Wired later. George in
custody. All lost
Reference to the books and other mem
oranda of the gang seized at Little Rock
show that the victim in each trick turned
or attempted was invariably designated as
Nike"
Lat on Victims.
Memoranda OF each swindle carried out
by the gang was kept in a separate en-
velope. over a 100 Of which are in possession
Of Postofnce Inspector swenson and other
federal Officers. These victims lost their
wealth on horse races, boxing matches,
wrestling bouts and foot races.
The victims during 1905, as shown by
the memoranda, including the following:
p. N. Whalen and james Servais, PORT
Arthur, Conn. horse race.
=. g. Aulspaugh. Terre Haute. Ind.
Wrestle.
Adolph Yeske. Hardin. Mont; horse race
Thomas Gale, Fond du Lac. Wis: wrestle
George l. Brown. Norton. kan; hors,
race.
John Corbin. Chicago; fight
r w. c. ShuIl. Minneapolis. fight.
william n. slime. Chicago. horse race.
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