The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1914-11-05
HUMESTON MAN SAVES HIS
$4,000.
Samuel McVey Goes to Market to
Buy Cattle and Gets Picked Up
by Smooth Confidence Man.


z. +,N
The following clipping from the
Kansas City Journal tells of the re-
cent experience Of well known
Humeston farmer with confidence
men in Kansas City, but fortunately
he did not lose his money, owing to
the interference of the police:
While Samuel McVey, wealthy
farmer and stakeholder in bank at
Humeston, Iowa, still retains cash
ier's check for $4,000, G. Halberson,
who is alleged to have tried to get 1t,
is in the holdover at the police head
quarters awaiting investigation.
McVey and Halberson met in Des
Moines. McVey explained he was
going to St. Joe to buy cattle for a
ranch. Halberson represented him
self to be a wealthy ranch owner of
near Greeley, Colorado. He said he
wanted to sell his cattle and McVey
was interested. They went to st.
Joe together and talked about cat
tie. Occasionally Halberson dropped
remark about making money con-
siderably faster than going to all the
trouble of raising cattle. He enter
tanned McVey with tales of wire-tap-
ping and other ways of Fleeing the
unwary He told how easy it was to
make a fortune in few minutes If
you were only on the inside All
the time he knew McVey had So
900 check in his pocket.
McVey did not find the cattle he
wanted at st. Joe and decided to
come to Kansas City. Halberson
said he had nothing to do and would
go along. McVey said he liked COM
pany and told him to accompany him.
Then Halberson suggested that as
it was such nice weather they make
the trip in a motor car, offering to
pay the bill. McVey agreed, and they
came to Kansas City on Thursday
afternoon.
In the meantime, the Humeston
State bank, of which McVey is a
stakeholder, was informed of the as
ISOLATION OF their wealthy member
with the man who is said to have a
record as a confidence man, and the
police were notified. Detectives Da-
vid Oldham and Robert Phelan made
search for Halberson. They found
him near the postoffice at $3.50 yes
terday morning, and followed him to
Twelfth and Oak streets, where he
was arrested Victor letters, who
was seen with Halberson at the post
office, was also arrested, and both are
being held for investigation.
Halberson said he lived in Greeley
Colorado, and letters gave his ad-
dress at the Centropolis hotel.
S. w. Lewis, cashier of the bank al
Humeston, Iowa, came to Kansas
City last night and telegraphed tt
the bank officials last night tina
"Sam is all right At the New Mid
land hotel where McVey stopped, h
could not be seen yesterday after
noon or last night. According to tn
hotel clerk, at late hour last night
Mr.. McVey had not returned to hi
room after leaving at noon.
Halberson has Bertillion record
He is known as "Swede" Anderson
the big Swede" and by other names
Ten years ago he was arreAted il
Denver on charge of swindling sim
liar to the one he is alleged to hav
attempted here.
! j. A. Clausen, chief of police of st
Joe, came to Kansas City last nigh
with suit cases belonging to Halber
son. He was after the man becaus
he had not paid his hotel bill in ST
Joe, and because he believed he wa
trying to rob McVey.