The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1909-11-25
BALLEW TELLS HOW HE WAS
SWINDLED.
Princeton Lumberman Testifies in
Dobbins Trial at Council Bluffs.


count of how he was swindled out of
$4,000 by the Maybray gang at
Council Bluffs on fake horse race,
during the trial of John R. Dobbins,
we'll known gambler, who lived at
Princeton, and some years ago was
frequent visitor in Leon, who was
arrested in New York City, as one of
the gang who swindled Ballew. The
trial of Dobbins was held at Council
Bluffs last week and has attracted
considerable attention. During the
hours that Ballew was on the witness
stand the court room was crowded.
There have been number of reports
circulated as to how Ballew was
swindled, but this is the first time the
details have been made public.
Ballew said that he had known the
defendant, John R. Dobbins, all his
life as Dobbins was born in Prince
ton. He also knew Dobbins' parents,
whom he met soon after going to
Princeton from Muscatine. Continu
ing, Ballew related how he was in
weighed into the fake horse race:
Il met Dobbins in Kansas City in
the summer of 1908, when Dobbins
told me he was living in Kansas City.
In October, 1908, gentleman called
at my department store in Princeton.
He represented himself to be Mr..
Walter H. Martin. He handed me a
letter from Dobbins introducing Mar
tin. The letter referred to a horse
race He asked me to come to Kan
sas City and said that Dobbins would
explain it all. l told him l never bet
cent in my life Martin said that
would not have to furnish any mon
ey, but just represent Martin and
Dobbins. ! told him l had an Office
in Kansas City and would be there in
few days.
ION the evening of October Z,
went to Kansas City. Martin and
Dobbins came to my room in the ho-
tel where l was staying. They began
to explain about horse race and
wanted me to represent them in it
They told me that there were three
Pittsburg millionaires travelling
through the country and that theil
present headquarters were in Coun
Gil Bluffs. These millionaires, they
= said, stopped in Omaha, Des Nome:
: and other cities and travelled in {
special car. They were all business
men, one of the two said, and would
not talk to you if they thought 20,
were gambling man. But they carr.
race horse to have little quiet fun
but they don't want anyone to know
that they bet anything. They jus
have a little private fun once in
while.
Martin said the horse had been
!. world beaten, but Martin says he ha
gone to California and got hors
and had tried him on long and shor
races with the millionaires' hors
and had timed him and they knew h
could beat the millionaires' horse.
told them | didn't know a thin
about gambling. We talked quit
awhile. They told me wouldn't hav
to furnish any money. Just get on tn
train and go to Council Bluffs an
represent them. Dobbins wanted m
to go into it. This was in the for'
noon l said l didn't want thing I
{. away Dobbins came to me in tt
: afternoon and wanted me to he
r Martin out. He said Martin ha
"a promised him that if he would flu
. nish man of means to represel
= them he would give Dobbins shal
y of the money. Dobbins said he Wou
q be able to pay me about $500
: owed me and he could redeem son
= diamonds worth about $500 that
Z had pawned at Charlton, Iowa.
: asked him, do you know this NJ
= Martin? Is he all right? Is he
{ good, honest fellow"
: "Dobbins said that he had know
z Martin for fifteen years and that
{ was straight, square fellow. In t
> meantime Martin came in. l to
Z them l would have to charge the
8 $4,000 if l had to go up to Coun
> Bluffs and fool around for week
Z ten days. l told them l would Il
& know how to bet if they did furni
! the money. They kept assuring l
Z that l wouldn't have to put up a
! money. Well, l told them I wor
have to charge them $4,000. TIL
{ sad, "Why, you won't have to
8 there over two hours. You will {
2 to Omaha about 6 or Z o'clock in
& morning and the race will probal
= be run in a couple of hours afte
2 They said they would buy my sle
81 ing car ticket and railroad ticket a
SW guarantee that l would not have
. stay there over half day. Fina
Martin says
2 I'll tell you further what I'll
, I'll give you ten per cent of wha
, win and pay you, too, for your tin
L IOlu Iucu L uluu alt W
: anything. Finally, as thought D
bins wanted to reform and this wo
J put him on his feet, and Martin s
= he would give me 10 per cent,
that l would get my money which
J owed me, 1 concluded to go.
= Eyes sir, they said l need not t
, any money. l asked them how N
} money they had. After l told tt
= that l would have to charge $2,s
, Martin said, We'll, they couldn't '
, we'll do that He said his brotl
7 in-law Wilson, and he, had m
gagged everything they had to
; $4,000 which they wanted to bet
Z the race" Ballew then related
great length their trip from Kal
; City to Council Bluffs and of his
Z introduction to man named Will
who, Ballew said, represented
J self and was intrOducad to him