Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-10-23
BRITT VICTIM OF MABRAY GANG
ROASTED OF HIS
clNcH.
ASKED BANK TO PROVIDE
CASH FOR HIS INVESTMENTS"
Wrote That Banker Would Have His
Money Back Inside of Ten Days -
Deal Looked Good, Britt Man Got
Enthusiastic and Mabray Gang Got
the Money.

Council Bluffs, Oct. 23.-1nside his
tory of the swindle OF George +. Castle,
of Britt, Ia, by the A1abray syndicate
is disclosed in dispositions taken in
Britt within the last few days and filed
in the office of the clerk of the district
court in this city. The dispositions were
taken on behalf of the First National
bank of this city and other defend
ants in Castles suit to recover from
them the $4,000 which he claims to
have lost In the hearing before the no.
,tary public in Britt. Senator C. q.
Saunders of this city represented the
defendants. The taking of the depo-
sitions involved an expense of $500.
Castle Swinded on Fake Race.
Castle is said to have been swndied
out of $4,000 on a fake horse race near
Council Bluffs. He is one of the Ma
bray victims who are suing the First
National bank of this city, its pres.-
dent, cashier and others, to recover his
loss, claiming that they had guilty
knowledge of the operations of the Ma
bray gang. The defendants have filed
answers to Castles transaction, ex-
cept that Castles paper was honored
in the usual course of business.
The Britt dispositions include testi-
mony Of DR.. A. j. Cole, physician;
Edward Larsen, cashier OF the First
National bank of Britt, from which
Castle secured the draft for $4,000 on
the strength of supposed business
deal in this city; Lewis Larsen. father
of Edward Larsen and president of
the Britt bank, and a number OF letters
written by Castle to the bank regard
ing the $1,000 draft, which he got after
arriving here.
Two of the letters written by Castle
to the First National bank Of Britt
are particularly interesting in the light
Of subsequent knowledge.
"Dea" Looked Good to Castle.
In one, dated at the Grand Hotel on
Sept. Is. 1905" Castle says:
Gentlemen: Since arriving here and
looking up this deal on both sides.
find it good one. ! have a sure thing
on opening. and closing it inside of ten
days; but I have to put up $1,000 guar
antee on my side and my customer
Will do the same on his, but have to
make the first showing. enclose g
note due in ten days for this amount
and will you kindly send me draft or
Chicago for 1t by first mail. did no
want to use your letter OF credit be-
cause told you when got 1t did no
expect to. draw on you at all. If 20,
can not Accommodate me in this wir
me at once at the Grand Hotel, as
must not let this deal get away.
GEORGE F. CASTLE.
'P. S. You will have the money bac
inside Of ten days"
Would Explain Later.
Two days later Castle wrote to tn
Britt bank:
Yours enclosing draft Of $4,000 re
ceived this morning. If I succeed
putting this deal thru it is going to l.
good one, and I am very niue
obliged to you for standing by me s
promptly when / told you l did not Ell
= pect to draw on you at all. will eS
:. plain when it is over (same as u:
i ually do) Will get home sometime ne.
week"
: The depositors of the Larsens. pre-:
9 ident and cashier of the Britt ban
D. show that Castle did not make any e.
: plantations after his return from Coul
. ell Bluffs.
Edward Larsen testifies to the tran
actions between Castle and the ban
and the deposition of Lewis Lars
shows that Castle talked with hi
]. about going 70 Council Bluffs to ma
IS an investment"
: DR.. A. j. Cole testified in his depos
al ton to his acquaintance, not only wi
Castle, but with William ]. Godfrc
v the man who steered Castle in the de
III DR. Cole told OF knowing Godfrey
'd school as a footracer.