Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-11-30
kABRAY aEU|A RISE.
PosToFFIcE INSPECTOR SVEN.
con, RECOMMENDED FOR De.
SERVED PROMOTION.
GOVERNMENT RECOGNIZES
"sMiLlNo swEpE's" SERVICE
Arrest and Conviction Of Mabray and
Members of His Notorious Gang OF
swindIers Duo in Very Largo Meas.
urs to swenson's Long Chase and
Indsf atigahle Efforts.
Special to Times-Republican.

Special to Times Republican.
Council Bluffs, Nov. 30.-The an
nouncement, Just made from Washing
ton, that Postoffice Inspector John S.
Swensen, of this city. has been rec
commended by his chief for promotion
in recognition of his great work in fer
reting out and running down and con-
victing the members of the Mabray
gang of fake race horse and fake prize
fight swindlers. will be heralded
with pleasure by thousands Of people.
many of whom have never seen Nh.
Swensen but who know him thru news
paper accounts of the part he played
in the prosecution of this big gang
of swindlers.
Is Popular Official.
SwenSen has always enjoyed a WIDE
popularity but by reason of his modesty
and retiring manner has actually never
been seen much in public or hashe, dur
ing the two years and more In which
he was engaged in the work of collect
ing the evidence and running down the
members of the gang, been known to
many outside OF newspaper men and
associates officially.
Two Years on Mabray Case.
Inspector Swensen was engaged all
most entirely for over two years on this
case. 1t was thru him that j. c. Ma
bray and several other leaders, were
located at Little Rock, Ark. and
Swensen was in the front Of the at
lacking party when Mabray and his
pals We're arrested as they We're trying
to escape from the palatial home there.
Then and at several other times Sven
sen faced guns in the hands of various
members of the organization and his
life was repeatedly menaced and
threatened, but THE Smiling Swede,"
as he became to be known, never
flinched or tried to evade duty and
was always ready for every emergency,
his unfailing good nature and even
temperament striking fear to the hearts
of the sWindlers and forcing others to
respect him whether or not.
Subjected to Insults.
The inspector was also forced to en-
duTe numerous Insults from friends Of
the swindlers and from the swindlers
themselves whenever they dared appear
in the open and oppose him. His mo-
tives also were questioned and efforts
were made to put him In bad with his
superiors. all to no purpose unless to
increase the friendship of his admirers
and to add to the faith of his superiors.
Long Quest For Evidence.
Inspector Swensen Travelled hum
dreds Of thousands of miles during the
time that he was engaged in this work.
One week he would be in New York
and the next perhaps he would be in
California, and twice he went into
Alaska to secure evidence that certain
members Of the gang had taken refuge
in that country and where a watch was
put over their movements. He rarely
ever travelled with another government
official, tho occasionally Inspector
Ranger of Sioux City. and inspectors
Of Kansas City and St. Louis accom-
panied him on trips that had Jointly
been planned by them.
Systematic and Efficient.
Not only did Inspector Swensen DEM
onstrate rare courage and fidelity OF
purpose in following and arresting
members Of the organization, but the
manner in which he collected the evil
dence and presented it to the federal
officials delegated with the duty Of Sc
curing convictions has been a matter
of much comment and cause for con-
graduation. Bits Of evidence that in
themselves appeared unimportant and
at the beginning Of the chase would
have been thrown away or cast aside
by many another, were held and scrut-
inized and later placed with corrobor-
alive evidence forming a chain of cir
cumstanttal evidence SO strong that
Judge Smith Mcpherson. in sentencing
various members of the organization.
expressed regret that the laws limi-
tations would not permit him to adj
minister a severer punishment and
characterizing the acts Of the outlaw
organization in scathing terms.
To Leave Bluff City.
Inspector Swcnsen will leave Ccun-
ell Bluffs, much to the regret OF many
friends and the public generally. Coun-
Gil Bluffs people feel that they owe
much to him for Kidding them Of the
gang of outlaws. Had Swensen not
adhered to his first purpose to get the
gang. and had he listened to the sug-
gestions of those who contended there
was nothing in the chase, Mabray and
his pals would have continued to ply
their trade unmolested for an indefinite
time. Swensen knew or was convinced
that the men were operating an I'M
lawful game and he remained on the
job until his suspicious had been con-
Iffrmed and his work ended.
Paralysis Stroke Fatal.
SDecf11 n Times Ronnh1icln.