The San Francisco call., 1910-03-21

MAYBRAY AND IS ,
ASSOCIATES GUILTY
Head of Monumental Swindllng
Combination and Compan-
ions Face Prison
Profits of Gang During the Last
Ten Years Estimated at
S5,0O0,OOO

COUNCIL BLUFFS. ra.. March 20
John c. Mabray and 13 Of his assoel-
ates, who for 10 days have been on
trial in the United States district
court charged with illegal use of the
mails. were found guilty today. The
jury returned verdict shortly before
noon. The jury disagreed in the case
of Robert e. L. Goddard of San An
tonic.
Those found guilty are John c. Ma
bray, Leon Loser. Tom 5. Robinson,
Willard Powell. Clarence Class, Ed
ward Leach, Edward Z. Morris (cOl-
ored). Clarence Forbes, Harry Forbes,
Frank Scott, Ed. Mccoy, Winford S
Harris. Bert r. shores and William
(Ole) Marsh. The latter three entered
plea of nolle contendre when the
trial opened. that in effect, being =
plea of guilty.
Judge Mcpherson announced that the
prisoners would be sentenced Monday
morning al 10 o'clock Mabray shook
hands with several of the jurors after
they were discharged
MABRAY'S WIFE BREAKS DOWN
Mrs Mabray broke down when the
verdict was read and her husband at
tempted to console her. She left the
room, however, stin weeping
Two years Imprisonment and fne
of $4,000 is the maximum penalty that
may be inflicted by the court.
Robert Goddard is under Indictment
in the Nebraska district of the federal
court and will be tried again when
other defendants are brought into that
court.
Colonel Temple. the district attorney,
said today that he would probably
move for the dismissal of the case
against Louis r. Stowe. the Mime
apolis man charged with being MEM
ber of the conspiracy.
With the convictio1 of these de-
PENDANTS the government believes it
has broken up the most monumental
swindling 9combinatiOn that has ever
operated< Statistics have been gath
cred that show the receipts of the
combination since it's organization,
about 10 years ago. exceeded $4,000, 600.
RECORD OF swINDLEs
The success of the government in
bringing the defendants to trial was
largely due TO the capture. when Ma
bray was arrested, of a trunk found in
his home, which. IL was later ascer-
tanned, contained a complete dOcu-
mentary record of the transactions of
the combination for four years. A loose
leaf of the pocket ledger was one of
the documents thus secured. 1t con-
tanned the names and addresses of more
than 200 persons who had acted as go
betweens in various transactions. They
lived in nearly every state in the union.
There were IA branches in various
parts of the country, all operated from
one city. The headquarters were
moved from time TO time as the leaders
came under surveillance of the author
tiles. Foot racing, wrestling. prize
lighting, horse racing and wire tapS
ping were the specialties offered vic \
tins on which to make easy money. -
The victim usually was approached BY
an actual friend. who had been previ-
ousIy solicited by a regular "steereF.
as he was known.
In most instances representations
were made that the "steerer'' had a
cousin who was secretary to a coterie
of men of great wealth, who swere trav-
cling over the country for pleasure.
The victim was told that this 'secFe-
tary" was angry at some alleged i'll
treatment and had undertaken to
swindle his employers out of a large
sum of money The victim was invited
to assist and when he accepted was, in
turn. swindled on a sporting event
which proved TO be fixed against him
instead of in his favor.