The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-09-13
ALLEGED KING OF !, CON MEN ARRESTED
s. A. Potter Detained By
 Secret Service Men
IS MUCHLY WANTED
Said to Have Forfeited S23,000 Bond in Philadelphia-Operated on Two Continents-After
 His Partners

Chicago. september l2.-s. A. Pot sl ,ooo. .ooo from the unwary of two con- tinents In the last few years by means of gold brick swindles and confidence games, was locked in jail here to- night
 The man was arrested today by O.. F. Dewoody. division superintendent of the department of justice, after being sought for a year by United States secret service men and the police of almost every city in the country. Scot land Yard men also are said to have sought Potter and his companions, who were credited with having operated in London. ~
 Potter who. also was known as George w Post, was wanted here on an indictment for swindling returned in the United States court in July, 1910 Potter and a companion, Edward Starklof, are also wanted In Phia- delphia, where they forfeited a s23,o00 bond in the United States court year ago.
 In view of the forfeiture and the report that the confidence men of whom Potter is said to be the head contin- ually keep a large amount of protection money within reach, Chief Downey will make every effort to keep his prisoner under lock and key until he is brought to trial. -s
 A cash bond of s5O,OO0 offered by Potter, was refused by federal officers, who declared nothing less than s150, ' 900 cash bond would gain him his tenn porary freedom. A bond of s10,000 set by the court when the prisoner was indicted was cancelled by United States District Judge George A. Carpenter be- fore whom Potter sought release this afternoon.
 This means when he demands his re- lease on bonds the matter will have to be argued before court Of juris- diction.
 Starklof. who is said to have oper- ated with Potter under a score of names, Is in the city according to MT. Dewoody, and all of the secret service men and police here searched for him A ruse to land him at the Potter home failed.
 ysss Trap Fails
 Starklof telephoneds to Potter and Dewoody answered the call. When De- woody failed to answer a question ap- parently asked in a secret code the man at the other end became sus- picious and left the instrument.
 At Potters home a great quantity of evidence, including what the secret service men termed a sucker" list was found. The nature of the other evil dence was withheld.
 The list is long and contains great humber of names of persons from cities and towns. Potter and his men were said to have appealed to the avarice of victims. and. according to detectives. one of his most highly re- munerative ventures made his victims equally criminal in the eyes of the law
 After fleeing his s2S,OOO bond in Phil adelphia, Potter and Starklof were said to have opened an office here and flooded the country with advertise ments of spurious fiat being for sale at half price. The bills advertised were made from plates stolen from the United States mint at Philadelphia and were declared perfect.
 Being in the position of having sought to defraud the government, the investor would not complain and the swindle was condoned Little risk was experienced by the perpetrators. Potter was arrested in a handsomely furnished home on the Southside. His wife urged Chief Dewoody not to arrest her hus- band and Potter likewise asked to have few minutes In private to prepare himself for the street The officials, however, kept him constantly under surveillance until he was placed be- hind iron bars.
 Chief Dewoody tonight said 1t was probable the prisoner would be taken to Philadelphia for trial instead of facing charge of using the malls to defraud here. It was believed there was more evidence in the governmental case and a greater penalty could be imposed.
 Philadelphia, September 12.z-George w. Post, under arrest in Chicago, was arrested here last May on the charge of using the mails to defraud Postal inspectors charged that Post together with E. A. Starklof dealt in gold hines that did not exist and that their cus- toners were Englishmen. When ar rested here Post and Starklof main tained luxurious homes and were con families minglng with the exclusive were each held in $2300O bail and fail- ing to appear for trial the. ball was declared forfeited.