Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-10-20
MA6RAY TELLS STARTLING
STORY TO PorrAwAr1AM,E
GRAND JURY.
MARKS PURCHASED PROTECTION
FROM COUNCIL BLUFFS POLICE
M abrayites by Use Of Money Secured
Immunity in Their Crooked Opera.
tions-Mabray's Story Gives State
Evidence Needed to Push Cases
Now Pending.

Council Bluffs. Oct 20 Benjamin
Marks, who was discharged in federal
court a few weeks ago. and was ar
rested "Wednesday morning On two in
dictnents returned Tuesday evening
by the grand jury in the state court is
charged with conspiracy 70 commi;
larceny and with compromising a fell :
ony. He furnished hond for $4,000 on
the TWO charges signed in each case
by S. G. Underwood. and vas released
/! from custody.
F.! The testimony before the grand jury
that indicted Marks is mos; interesting
as shown ny the summary given by the
clerk Of the grand jary and attached
70 the indict ments The story told
~ Mabray. the head of the gang. is
the first time that any member Of that
, famous organization has ever told Of
the inside workings Of the big store
and the statement ~ him makes mos,
! interesting reading.
Dealing in detail with the operations
Of the gang in Council Bluffs. ne tells
, of the arran cement he claims 10 have
maze 9TH Marks for police protection
for his organizations. AT one point III
his enhancing s5o-! he told OF stopping
operations until after the spring cleo
ton could he held
Covers Many Offenses.
The one charge against Marks
charges the offens- OF conspiracy TO
commit larceny continuously from
March 8. 1868 20 Nov. 10, 1898. while
the other charges the offense OF com
pounding felony punishable ny i'm
prtsooInert IN the penitentiarT for
limited term OF years as prescribed ny
section 1890 Of Iht code. This oftense
is alleged n have BEEN committed on
Nov. :, 1908
Six witnesses appeared before the
grand jury on the TWO charges These
included both Ma bray and his wife. Two
mikes" w II. Bedford and Henry
Ruhsert. and the ,wo postotace in
spectOrs J. s. Swarson and Charles s.
Ranger
Five cases Of alleged milking" are
cited in the indictments charging con-
spiracy these being w II. Bedford. said
70 De heeced out of 5000: Henry Rub
sert. $1,000. John HerrnelSrecht. So
600; John Cozlek 5000: and 6. a.
Nelson. $1,000. The bond in this con-
spiracy case was liked by Judge Wood
ruff at 81 000.
! In the section OF the statutes govern
ing the charge of compromising fell
ony, it is made unlawful for any person
| 10 accept money for the failure TO
prosecute or 70 give evidence regard
| ing any felony punishable by tnpris-
J onment in the penitentiary.
Did Marks Buy Protection?
| Ii is charged in the indictment. that
, Marks was guilty of this offense. and in
the testimony Of Mabray before the
grand jury ne declared that Marks
promised TO secure protection for the
members OF the gang in their opera
tions and accepted a percentage Of the
amount received from each mike" IL
return The bond for this charge was
fixed by the court at $1,000
IN his statements before the grand
jury NiaIray stated THAT he was as
E.ea.s Of age. and then the summary Of
! his evidence as signed by him pro-
ceeds:
Being duly sworn on oath state THAI
some time during the early part of 1907, ,
| GAME ~ Nou1'cit 61uiLs 4oi ne pu'
pose oI a'ransias 70 operate So ca.ieo
DIG store nae TAX win Ben Marks
III winch theA eApsiheo 10 MIN the
methods OF operation tha1 wrestling
matches poA!hs matches or 1907 races
"ou!c De pu-ea on 'hal certain men
cai4ed s'eeFe.S "pt!a secure certain
men % come N ana oet 'he1r none!
ana ea=' n" pL.-. WAS 50 arranged tha'
the men "otta ."se iAeF money
'o.d Na!hs ,Aal ! "oo!o f'N neces-
sar! II We operated mere 10 nave po-
nee projection ana proposed 10 give
ann CERTAIN per cent II ne would
guarantee |" lurh!sh ponce protection.
After some negotiations the per cent
vas agreed upon ana ne assured me
..rhs Man was ,ha, ar,er ,bs y.ns