Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1911-03-17
THE VARIED DUTIES
OF ENVOY KNOX
ALLEGED EMeEzzLER's PART IN
WRESTLING GAME.
He Said He Was the Co Between in
Frame up"

A strong flash of light was thrown
yesterday in Justice JOhnstone's court
on the carnival of wrestling which
for the last month or more has di-
vided public interest with the state
hood question. The illumination was
r. T. Knox, the young man recently
brought back from FL Paso where
he had been arrested on a charge of
embeZzlement
His story related to the wrestling
on the night OF March between
Johnson the Swede and Dan BalsZ.
II was made the more memorable by
the circumstance that after the match
was over and Johnson had carried
the gate money home. something more
than 800, il was stolen from his
room while he went out to pour out
libation TO the gods who had given
him the victory
Ii turned out the next morning that
was not all that Johnson had lost
and also, that BalsZ had lost some
thing beside the match. Each had
given Knox money to bet on john
son though il was reported at first
that the Balsz money had been given
to bet on Balsz.
Knox and a companion. Charles
Belcher could not be found after the
match. In fact they could not be
found during the match for II was
observed that now and then when
Johnson the Swede had secured
half nelson on his opponent. so that
he would know where TO find him,
he cast anxious glances over the
audience as though someone he eX-
pected had not come.
1t turned out the next morning that
Knox had twenty-five dollars of John
sons money and seventy of Balsz's
coin.
While Knox and Belcher We're be-
ing sought that night here. they We're
in Tempe where Belcher was ar
rested for some trifling Offense and
was brought back to Phoenix the
next day Knox had also been taken
into custody but there was nothing
against him and he was turned loose.
He made his way to Maricopa on foot
and there all trace of him was lost.
He was located a week later at FL
Paso by letter he had written to
lPhoenix giving directions for the for
warding of his trunk to him. The
of the sheriff. =
1t was a little later found that Bel
cher had really had nothing to do
with the affair and he was discharg-
ed Knox was held in Jail for sew
eral days pending an arrangement
with his father in Chicago for the
reimbursement of the plundered wres-
tiers. The money was received on
Wednesday and BalsZ and Johnson
were given the amounts due them.
Their interest in the prosecution
was naturally abated and both We're
preparing TO leave for new fields. But
the district attorneys office had as
much interest in the case as IL had
when il directed the warrant for
Knox and the matter was brought
before Justice tombstone for hearing
yesterday afternoon.
The prosecuting witnesses might be
described as unwilling. They told
only what was already known. Both
admitted having received the amounts
OF money they had given Knox and each
admitted that in consideration he had
assented to the proposition of getting
out of town with as little delay as
possible.
But their stories were far less in
teresting to local sportsmen than that
of Knox who said that he had first
met Balsz at Yuma had known him
for four years and had assisted him
in various wrestling enterprises.
When they heard of Johnson. Balsz
decided to come to Phoenix and ii
was arranged that if there were signs
OF good money" here Knox should