The Topeka state journal., 1911-09-12
John Schaefer Gets Into the
Clutches of Sharpers.
Gives Kansas City Con Men All
His Cash.
DRAWS A BIG CHECK.
Has Presence of Mind to Stop
$4,000 Payment.
Wealthy Farmer Living Just
North of Topeka.

Kansas City, Sept. IA wire tap
ping gang which would furnish ad-
vance information on race track re-
= suits in time for bettor to lay ms
money on the winner without oanger OF
losing, come to the city Friday morn :
ing, and by Friday afternoon had
separated John Schaefer, wealthy
ranchman living near Topeka Kan,
from 10000. One member of the gang,
William Ellis. alias Kid Parker, Wei
lies il the holdover at police headquar-
ters while his suite of rooms at the
Coates house remain unoccupied-
Schaefer, who gave the check for
$4,000 drawn on the Merchants Ma
tionaI bank of Topeka, recovered from
his dream of wealth long enough 20
wire the bank to stop payment, ana
this morning is loser by only 800, whlch
he laid on ttLOnglegs" to place at 10 70
/ and although the horse placed, =
Schaefer said that he did not see the
winnings The $4,000 was a part of d
S35 ono not which Schaefer, Ellis, and
another ICON" man raised with which
to make a cleaning on Royal. morse
supposed to be racing at Minneapolis,
and which was booked at to l. They
played the horse to win
According to Schaefer's story, he was
standing in front of window IN a
jewelers. store on Union avenue, Fri
dav morning. when Ellis came along
a few drinks, horse racing was men
toned, and Ellis. it is said, remarked
that he could pick up several thou
SAND dollars if he could only get some
backing Schaefer became interested
and asked about he scheme. At that
point another man sauntered into the
saloon and Ellis introduced him to
Schaefer. Schaefer does not remem-
Der the mans name.
4 Schaefer says he understood that one
telegram operator
tapping a wire said he could delay the
results of the races long enough for an
other to run to a bookmaking concern
and bet on the horse. Then he would send
in the result and they would win
Schaefer said that he was Interested
and would try it. All the cash ne had
on his person was $35, and he entered
that with Ellis to be bet on "Bonglegs
at 10 to l place. The two men went out
of the saloon, leaving Schaefer there.
Later they returned and told Schaefer
that they had won. Then came the $3o,0 0UJ
pot which was to break the bookies
Schaefer took $4,000 of it, Ellis $4,000
and the other man $4,000. The odds were
two to one. Again the two men went out
together, presumably to tap the wire ana
bet the money This time tney olu not
Schaefer told his troubles to James OK
ford, a city detective, and then wired to
stop payment on the check EIls was
later arrested at the Coates House, where
he was stopping. He had engaged one OF
the most costly two-room suites IN the
hotel and the police believe had come to
town to conduct extensive operations.
1t is supposed that the other man has
gone to Topeka to cash the check and he
probably will be arrested there
John Schaefer is farmer living north
of Topeka on the Kansas avenue road
about mile and half from the Melan
bridge. The $4,000 check he wrote in
Kansas City was drawn on the German
American bank, not the Merchants Ma
tional Mr.. Schaefer, who is an elderly
man of about So years, told his experience
to president Metzger of the German
American bank when he returned to To-
peka and the check has been looked for.
1t has not been presented for payment