Omaha daily bee., 1909-03-02
Council Bluffs
BUNCO VICTIMS HANG BACH
Attempt to Identify Three Members
of Alleged Gang May Fail.
PRELIMINARY HEARING TUESDAY
P~OstonHce Inspector swenson Finds
Colorado Farmer and saloon
Keeper who Lost LnrEe
Sans In BIuTs.

81 do not know anything more than what
I learned from the press dispatches de-
clared Postoffice Inspector j. S. sven
son yesterday in reply to a question as to
how soon he expected j. C. Maybray and
the other alleged members of the bunco
gang, now under arrest in Little Rock
would be brought to Council Bluffs.
This dispatch, l must say continued
MIR. Swenson. "is not entirely clear to me
/ can readily understand Maybray being
willing to waive a preliminary hearing
before the United States commissioner at
Little Rock, but l cannot see why the
other three under arrest were. Up TO
the time l left Little Rock last week /
have not heard anything to the contrary.
AS yet none of the gangs victims nave
so far been able to identify ]. s. Johnson,
F. NJ. Clarke and l. ]. Warner as any OF
the men connected with the frame-up
which resulted in their being parted from
their bank rolls. / was expecting that
IL these three men were not identlfied oy
some one of the alleged victims OF the
gangs operations that they would be dis
charged at the preliminary hearing, which
was set for Tuesday of this week. Tnat
is why 1 have been so anxious to try TO
secure some evidence against these three
men. As far as l have been able to learn
so far they were apparently not con-
nected with any Of the deals OF Whlch
we have evidence"
Several victims in Denver
Inspector Swenson arrived home early
Yesterday morning from Denver, where he
went to secure additional evidence against
Maybray and his alleged accomplices. The
bunco gang is credited with having reaped
a rich harvest from a number of wealthy
Colorado suckers, and while In denver
Mr.. Swenson obtained evidence showing
that this was the case and that the mem
oranda of the tricks turned by the gang
found in Maybray's trunk, are faithful
records of the proceeds of the swindlers
operations so far as they go.
While in Denver Mr.. Swenson saw ana
interviewed ]. P. Walker, a saloonkeeper or
that city. who, according to the data
found in the memorable trunk, dropped
SIS. 900 on a fake horse race in this city
On Julv z Of last year. From Walker
Mr.. Swenson learned that the saloon man.
besides losing his bank roll of $4,000 was
deliberately robbed of a diamond STUD
valued at $3.50. According to walker 5
story. Rayn, one of Maybray's accom-
plices, deliberately unscrewed the stuu
g. from the owners shirt front and pocketeo
the Jewel. Walker, however, did not eA-
plasn to Mr.. Swenson why he did not at
tempt to, If he did, regain the Valuaple
diamond. Maybray's memoranda reiauFe
to the Walker deal makes no mention VI
the diamond stud. After hearing ms story
Mr.. syenson secured an affidavit form
Walker.
walkers story shows that Maybray and
his gang had complete confidence in their
ability to shake down" any victim once
thew started after him. Walker told MT
swenson that when he came to Councl
Bluffs first, on invitation of one of the
gangs steerers, to make a little piece oil
easv money on a horse race, he talled &c
bring any considerable amount OF cash "ltr
him. So sure was that gang that II mad
him. that Walker was told to go home ano
get his representation" The representa-
ion meant money with which Walker was
to give evidence that he was a man oil
, means and accustomed TO handle large
4 sums of money. Walker obeyed the instruc'
$ tjons of Maybray and his associates, wen
home, drew 5000 from the bank, returned
to Council Bluffs and, like the other vic
Tins soon was parted from the money II
a fake horse race.
3 walker Goes to Little Rock.
: Walker, at the solicitation of Inspector
Swenson, left Saturday for Little Rock t.
: see II he could Identity either of the three
= men arrested with Maybray as being con
; nected with the gang which buncoed him.
= While in Denver Inspector swenson haC
an interview also with George S. Bedford
? a wealthy farmer of Greeley, Colo, wht
: dropped $12, $50 on a fake horse race In thi
: city on October /. Bedford was induced Il
come to Council Bluffs on September 10 o
last year, but the horse race was no
N puIIad off until October I In the iDterVa
between Bedford's arrival in Council Bluff
q and the date of the race the victim from
Greeley visited some relatives In Nebraska
Bedford came here ostensibly on a Ian,
deal. but. according to the memoranda
= found in Maybray's trunk, he wa
switched" from the land proposition to tn
horse race deal.
MemOranda ON BEDFORD.
The memoranda relating to the Bedfor
case is very similar to that In the case o
Banker Ballew of Princeton, Mo-. who wa
induced to part with $50, 900. The followin
n Is a copy of the memoranda relating to tn
Bedford case, which Is now In possesslo
OF Inspector Swenson:
September 25-1Os and J.. H. Edwards al
arrived from Greeley, Colo. with Georg
proposition by George Adams CA), cousin q
lie n. Mike drew draft on Greeley bank 10
$1,000 through First National bank here,
20 September 26-Mike went down in Ne
braska TO visit sister or niece or som re-
attVes.
le September MIX returned from visr
Switched him to horse race. Showed hIr
horse in afternoon.
October MET in room 5os, Grand hoter
matched race between Red Leo, owned an
- rode by Charles Barrett Q02), and Abb
90 I. owned and rode by Tom Rodgers 40
w. Hemingway, ia. ]. C. Gordon Oh. =
- Crawford Cd, George Adams CA purse
Of holder.
S, Afternoon-Bedford drew money fro,
bank on Adams suggestion, went TO hors
race. Mike bet Gordon $3.50 at track. Cor,
." Run off. Parties went to Paxton hote
Omaha, to await Adams. Tom Rodgs,
Of took note to L. II. Edwards, telling los an
nj Bedford to go to Kearney. Neb., and ava
- there. Edwards to stay and help Barrel
le Business 81. 30. ~
re October from Kansas CITY a N
be kearney. Neb., care Midway hotel Cauel
tn George, Took everything from hin. All
lost (signed) EDWARDS.
a Auto and Horses Attached.
M Mr.. Swenson said he had no knoWleds
~ OF the contents of the express packas
an shipped by some women alleged to be col
nected with the men under arrest fro
10 Little Rock to Davenport, where II "a,
- attached m, heka1F - -