The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1911-06-22
BALlfW GETS ANOTHER

Member OF the mabrdy GANG VINO
SwindIed him Out of 100000
In a Fake Horse Race.
T. w. Ballew, the millionaire lum-
herman of Princeton, Mo-, who owns
a lumber yard in this city, is still
sore over the way he was confidenced
out of $4,000 in a fake horse race
at Council Bluffs a. couple of years
ago by members of the famous Ma
bray gang, part of whom are now
doing time in prison, and according
to the following Associated Press
dispatch from New York City, last
week identified another member of
the gang who worked him for the
cash:
New York, June 14.-Thomas w.
Ballew, merchant of Princeton, Mo-,
wire trappers," but he is also
comeback" as member of the
tapping fraternity found here Mon
day. Mr.. Ballew turned up as
Nemesis to an alleged member of
band which got $4,000 from him
out in his native village nearly
two years ago.
Chief Magistrate McAdoo was con-
| ducting the hearing of James Nor
ton, of 342 West One Hundred and
| Thirty-fifth street, who was arrested
on May 5, for having tried to "tap"
Charles Mcdonald, a prominent con-
tractor of this city and Philadelphia
for $4,000, when a prosperous look
ing stranger, followed by two de-
tectives, walked into the court room.
The stranger took seat in the
front row of benches and gazed keen
| ly at Morton. Then he arose, walk
ed over to within couple of feet of
Morton's chair and took another
good look at him. Returning, he
said to his two companions with
grin:
"At Last! That's one of them.
knew I'd get even sometime"
Story of the Stranger.
To Magistrate McAdoo, who won
dered what all this was about, the
stranger then told his story:
Judge, I'm Thomas w. Ballew,
of Princeton, Mo. In October, 1909,
a man whom I met out there came
to me and said: Mr.. Ballew, there's
going to be grand trimming of
suckers on a fake horse race at a
county fair within the next few days,
and we want you in on it. In fact
we have to have you in.
We've got everything framed up.
We're to run book and lay good
price against the favorite. The suck
l.ers will all bet with us:-and they'll
all lose, as the horse is to be pulled
But we have to have some money
to show them, so we want you to
put up 100000
Mr.. Ballew took a long breath
and went on:
"The man told me, judge, that he
didn't want cash. l could merely
put up two $4,000 notes to show
| the suckers. l did so, believing,
since they did not want the cash,
that they were on the level. In
couple of days the man returned and
said the intended victims wanted
cash. I put it up.
well, the race was run. But the
| horse, against which they had laid
prices, won, instead of lost, and
bang! went my $4,000. we were
"double-crossed," the members of
IAC UnAu IOIu AIS. L uS JOChcy Threw
US down.
Made a Vow to Pursue.
II had met several members of
the band, judge, and l made a VOW
then and there that would pursue
them until l got one at least. So l
read every newspaper that I could,
went to every city where man was
being tried for wire-tapping and
looked at everH prisoner held on
that charge. I've been on the job
for neary two years.
THAT man there (Morton) is one
of the gang that got my $4,000.
He wasn't the leader, but he was one
of them"
"You seem to be a good detective,
Mr.. Ballew," said the magistrate. II
congratulate you.."
Then he ordered the rearrest of
Morton, who will be arraigned to-
morrow on the new charge.
Postoff1ce inspectors present at
Morton's hearing declare he is
member of what is known as the
"Mabray gang" which flooded the
west and south with literature and
got many victims of the Thomas, W.
Ballew type, cleaning up several hun
dred thousands of dollars. There
were eighty in the band originally,
but thirty-fve are now under in
dictment and dozen or more are
in Jail.
Will Establish Cut-OR Trail.