The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1909-03-28
FAKE SYNDICATE
IDEALS EXPOSED
Postal Authorities on Trail of
Gang Which Has Robbed
Many Victims.

= ''~>'fI bfVAtfiiOs
The liant swindle syndicate. which
for awhile maintained an agency i'm
san Lake City, obtained via fake sport
events from seventy-three victims
amounts aggregating at least S455, 06O
according to statistics compiled by
lPostoffice Inspector W. S. Swenson, the
syndicate's conqueror, from books and
papers captured by him in the raid. In
spector Swenson has evidence that ad-
ditional persons not named in the
gangs records were fieeced, and also
that some of the named seventy-three
victims contributed to the gang more
than they are credited with in the az
counts tOtaling $455,060.
For instance, only s.. 900 is recorded a :
received from John Corbin of Chicago,
and yet Corbin's loss amounted to s., 600
A report from Steerers Nos. los and 113
on CoFbin, then a prospective victim,
states that Mike has s." which trans
lated means that COrbin has $1,000. But
only $4,000 of this amount could be bet
on the fake prizefight arranged for Cor
pffi at Council Bluffs. Ia. July Is. 1908.
because his steereTs had won the other
$4,000 from him on the train, playing
stud poker
The Jail portraits of the arrested and
indicted leaders of the syndicate may
now be published, the temporary in
Junction obtained by the prisoners law
yer at Little Rock having been dis
solved These photogra phs were taken
at the Little Rock Jail by order of In
spector Swenson. who has permitted
your correspondent to make copies OF
them. One picture, that of ]. 9. John
SON alias J. G. LOvejOy, was spoiled by
the Little Rock photographer in devel-
oping, but the pictures of the other
three captured directors of the syndi-
cate, ]. c. Mabray alias ]. &. Gordon
who appears to have been the presi-
dent; F. NJ. Clarke, alias George Leon
ardf and Isadore J. Warner. alias DR..
James, are considered true to life
Photographs of Dupes.
Inspector Sweuson also permitted
your correspondent to make copies of
photographs showing victims in the act
of being initiated into the Association
of Mixes" as the syndicate's dupes,
when referred to collectively, are popu-
larry known. These photographs are
considered by Inspector SWenson and
by Chief Inspector w. W. Dickson of
st. Louis, to whom SwensOn showed
them in the course of a conference ar
ranged for the purpose of acquainting
Dickson with all of the facts in the ex-
pictures. in many respects, that have
ever officially come to their notice
Il found these pictures among Ma
brays effects" explained Inspector
Swenscn to your correspondent. of
courses-fs- each case the victim was led
TO believe that the photograph was be-
ing taken merely as a souvenir, but l
have reason to believe that the taking
of the photograph was a rather impor-
liant feature of the affair That is to
isay, when the wrestler, or jockey. or
lpTizsfighter was dying or dead and
THE gang were hurrying the. dupe or
Mike as they would call him. away
from the scene for the supposed purpose
of helping him escape arrest, 'they
rvQFld express great regret at the taking
cd a photograph, which, they would
tell Nm, would undoubtedly fall into
the hands of the police and aid the po-
lice in Identifying those present at the
murder of the athlete. Excited by
these and other remarks. the Mike
would be thinking much less about re-
covering his money than about escap-
ing arrest in connection with what he
believed a murder.
Mike is Oouble-Crossed.
Then, too. the Mike was very ant
II be suffering from a guilty conscience
entirely apart from the tragedy" con-
tinued Inspector Swenson. THE steer
er OF capper, or field man, OF guide, or
whatever you may choose to call him,
would usually tell the prospective vic
tim very candidly that the wrestling
match. boxing match. horse race or foot
race was to be a fake, but the Nike
would be led to believe himself on the
side fixed to win. In fact, the usual
plan was for the Mike while being
steered. to be kept under the impress
sion that he would not be expected to
wager any of his own money-that the
money for him TO wager on the fixed
match or race would be handed to him
surTeptitiousy by the private secretary
Of the 'milliOnaires,' the private secre-
tary having decided to fleece his rich
employers and share the spoils with the
Mike the 'steerer' and the athletes
The Mike would be required 10 show
the private secretary some negotiable
paper, merely to prove himself trust
worthy, the steerer would explain In
the midst OF the excitement Of betting.
the Mike would be induced on one pre-
text or another to get the paper cashed.
Then, promptly, would come the contest
and the getaway with the Mikes
money.
Government viii Not Prosecute.
Some of the victims seem TO fear
that the government desires 10 prose-
cute them, and are reluctant about
coming forward 10 testify. But the
government has no such desire. Our
only desire, so far as they are con-
cerpedS is their testimony, 20 help US
seT'd 20 prison the swindlers who duped
them.
While il is amazing how many
usually shrewd business men, including
bankers, are among the victims, il is
equally amazing how many prominent
men are among the three hundred ana
some members of the gang. / can as
sure you that some important arrests
are yet 20 come.
Il have added up the gangs gross re-
ceipts from the forty-seven persons
aeeced at Council Bluffs. and / have
total of S256. 295. The records which l
have here in my suit case show that the
gang got from ten victims in 1906, sos
030; from twenty-seven victims in 1907,
1884, 290; and from thirty-four victims
in - sls2,040 This totals s444, 800.
AID this the $4,000 they got last
mont = from ]. G. Kile Of Cisco. H.,
snd the 500 they got last month from
J. B. Ray of Woodland, Okla. and the
Ar=r