The Mena weekly star., 1911-09-21
GREAT SWINDLER
 LANDED IN JAIL
Federal Officials in Chicago Trap Man Who Is Alleged to Have Taken $1,500,000 From
 Many Victims.

Chicago, Sept. t2.-S. A. Potter, who is said to have garnered more | than Si,500,000 from the unwary of
 two continents in the last few years by means of gold brick swindles and confidence games, was locked in jail here tonight.
 He was arrested by o. F. De- woody division superintendent of the Department of Justice, after being sought for year by United States Secret Service men and the police of almost every city in the country. Scotland Yard men also are said to have sought Potter and his companions, who are credited with having operated in London. Potter, also known as George w. Post, was wanted here on an indict- ment for swindling, returned i'll the United States Court in July, 1910. He and a companion, Edward w. lStarkloil, also are wanted i'll Phila- delphia, where they forfeited a $23,000 bond in the United States court year ago.
 In view of this forfeiture and the report that the confidence men, of whom Potter is said to be the he; q, continually keep large amount | of protection money within easy reach, Chief Dewoody will make every effort to hold his prisoner under lock and key for trial. A cash bond of S50,000 offered by
 Potter was refused by federal of Iicials, who declared nothing less than $i50,000 cash bond would gain
 his temporary freedom. A bond of Si0000 set by the court when the
 prisoner was indicted was cancelled lby United States District Judge G. | A. Carpenter, before whom Potter sought release this afternoon. This
 means when he demands his release
 on bonds the matter will have to
 be argued before a court of juris- diction.
 Starkloff, who is said to have op- erated with Potter under a score
 of names, is in the city, according
 to Dewoody, and all of the secret
 service men and police here are
 searching for him. A ruse to
 catch him at the Potter home failed.
 Starklolf telephoned to Potter, and
 Dewoody answered the telephone.
 When Dewoody failed to answer a lquestion apparently asked in a lsecret code, the man at the other lend became suspicious and left the Instrument.
 At potter's home a great quan- tity of evidence, including what the
 secret service men termed a "suc-
 ker list" was found. The nature
 of the other evidence was withheld.
 The list is long, and contains a lgreat number of names of persons | in many cities.
 | Potter and his men are said to | have appealed to the avarice of lvictims, and according to the de- tectives, one of his most highly
 renumerative ventures made his lvictims equally criminal.
 | After fleeing his $23,000 bond in
 Philadelphia, Potter and Starklofl
 are said to have opened an office here and flooded the country with advertisements of spurious money flor sale at half price.
 The bills, it was advertised, were made from plates stolen from the Limited States mint at Philadelphia land were splendid commercials.
 Being in the position of having sought to defraud the government lthe investor would not dare com Iplain; so the swindle was conducted lwith little risk by the perpetrators Potter was arrested in a hand. s somely furnished home on tn, south side. His wife urged Chic l Dewoody not to arrest her husband : land pnitar asked tn have a fev minutes in private to prepare him self for the street. The officials : however, kept him constantly un 2 der guard until he was placed be l hind the bars.