Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1920-02-14
BIG SYNDICATE
OF SWINDLERS
AFTER TOURISTS
Florida Legislature Is Asked
to Appropriate Fund to
Combat Gang.
REAP ROE HARVEST

JACKSONVILLE, Fla, Feb. 14.-As
wolves on the western plains watched the
buffalo herds in the old days, marking
down the laggards for their prey, so
keen-eyed scouts Of a great swindling
syndicate stationed here tag their victims
among the tourist hordes pouring
through Jacksonville on their way to the
east and west coast resort regions.
This seasons surpasses all others in
the volume of southbound migrants, and
| it is the richest harvest the confidence
men have ever known.
Attorney General Van c. Swearingen
has asked the Florida Legislature to ap-
propriate fund for the employment OF
special state detectives to combat the
crooks. Warning notices are posted In
stores and hotels, newspapers have
printed full pages Of pictures and de
scriptiors of some Of the most prominent
Of the plausible rascals.
HEADQUARTERS OF
SYNDICATE IN DENVER.
The headquarters Of the syndicate are
in Denver, with branches in Chicago ana
New York. Its operators are financed
from a treasury containing hundreds Of
thousands Of dollars. Strict business
rules govern the activities Of the various
gangs
The toll levied on this seasons tour
/ lists will amount to several millions OF
dollars 1t is estimated by Chief Of Pc
lice Reach.
| Efforts to check the cheaters are only
| partially successful. In the first place
the victims are enticed into game by
which they hope to make big money
through crooked methods. When they
are stung they seldom complain. Many
Of them would be ruined In their nome
communities If 1t became known that
I they had become involved in gambling
/ project.
+ In the second place the crooks caught
in raids quickly give whatever Is re-
quired in the way Of cash bonds and
disappear.
Four men are under arrest in Tampa.
They were caught as they were about TO
take" J.. E. Starr. a retired Nebraska
farmer for sos 900. Starr recalls that he
was spotted before he started south; that
artful smoking car ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
ing real estate seduced him into reveal
ing the fact that he sold his property
and had a comfortable fortune.
DESCRIPTION FLASHED
AHEAD TO STEERER.
His description was flashed ahead until,
when he arrived in Jacksonville, the
Steerer Of the gang made his aoquaint-
ance and proved to be the ideal sort OF
companion for a middle-aged man, trav-
cling alone. They made side trips to-
gether and Starr was convinced that his
new friend was absolutely reliable.
Then they met the slick stranger, who
Starts friend knew. This was the sue
aessful gambler who, by means of
L. d on
race betting. He generously let Stairs
friend In on the goo dthing and Starr
saw many thousands Of easy money de-
'vered.
Finally he was taken to the fake pool
room in residence on the outskirts Of
Tampa.
a small machine operated by a pedal
realistically produced the CHATTER of tele-
graph instruments and terse messages
from the tracks were being received over
telephones whose wires went no further
than the desks they stood on.
POLICE RAID
SAVES Ills ROLL.
Packages ostensibly containing thou
sands in bank notes were visible. The
Tampa police descended just IN time to
save STAIRS $4,000 The books of this
gang showed that they had taken S165 600
in nine days
The sWlndlers are capably aided by
their women associates. These are by no
means OF the stage vampire type. They
ire gracious. quietly dressed ladies' who
do not directly attempt the allurement of
susceptible men. but use their charms in
winning the confidence OF the wives and
children OF tourists.
a few days ago the police Of Tampa
rescued from the clutches OF a confidence
woman the ex-chief Of police of one OF
the largest cities on the Pacific coast.
The astute veteran in crime prevention
would not believe that the matron who
had been so kind to his wife would be
the accomplish OF wire tappers
He continued the acquaintance and was
not convinced until a Tampa detective
pointed her out ia conference with some
| OF the men in the mob"
Business men and lawyers OF Florida
are much aroused by present conditions
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