Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1920-02-16
BIG SYNDICATE
OF SWINDLERS
AFTER TOURISTS
Florida Legislature Is Asked
to Appropriate Fund to
Combat Gang.
REAP RICH HARVEST

JACKSONVILLE, Fla, Feb. 16.-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
I it is the richest harvest the confidence
men have ever known.
/ Attorney General Van c. Swearingen
/ has asked the Florida legislature to APP
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-
scriptions 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, it is estimated by Chief Of Po-
/ 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
D rrh they
are stung they seldom complain. Many
! Of them would be ruined in their home
communities II 1t became known that
/ 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 10
{ take" J. L. Starr. retired Nebraska
/ farmer, for $4,000. Starr recalls that he
was spotted before he started south; that
artfuI smoking car conversation regard
! ing real estate seduced him into reveal
/ ing the fact that he sold his property
and had a comfortable fortune.
His description YVES flashed ahead until,
when he arrived in Jacksonville, the
steerer Of the gang made his acquaint-
ance and proved TO be the ideal sort OF
companion for a middle-aged man, tray
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
ceSsful gambler who, by means OF
tapped wire. was making big killing on
race betting. He generously let STAIRS
friend In on the goo dthing and Starr
saw many thousands of easy money de-
nvered.
Finally he was taken TO the fake pool
room in a residence on the outskirts Of
Tampa.
A small machine operated by a pedal
realistically produced the clatter 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 HIS ROLL.
Packages ostensibly containing thou
sands In bank notes were visible. The
Tampa police descended just in time 10
save STAINS $4,000. The books OF this
gang showed that they had taken s165 900
/ in nine days
The swindlers 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 cha rms in
winning the confidence Of the wives and
children Of tourists.
few days ago the police OF Tampa
rescued from the clutches OF a confidence
woman the ex-chlef 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 2 Tampa detective
pointed her out in conference with some
OF the men in the mob"
Business men and lawyers OF Florida
are much aroused by present conditions.