The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1921-04-17
Florida State News
VICTIMS OF BUNCO
men KEEP SILENT
Wait Too Long for Authorities TO Be
Able TO Help Victims.

OCALA, April 16-The ways of the
wire Taper and bunco man are strange
and effective. II one cares TO investi-
gate the swindling of winter visitors in
Florida during the last three seasons.
often the victim never reports he has
been fleeced and the authorities are
unanimous In the belief that the number
OF those who have appealed for aid in an
attempt TO recover their money represent
only small part OF those who have been
bilked. Occasionally a victim reports his
loss weeks later. too late for the authorl-
ties 10 do anything, and such an in
stance occurred here this winter. II has
been learned within the last few days.
p. ]. and'H. r. Pointer. OF Kersey, Pa,
stopping In Washington few hours on
February Is last, while on their way
home told the police OF that city that
they had been buncoed out OF $25.5o0 ia
Ocala The story was not taken serious
~ here because no one apparently ever
heard OF the Pointers and newspaper
men were unable tS develop anything that
would Indicate they ever had visited
Ocala Until few days ago the public
rad believed that mention OF Ocala In
the dispatch from Washington resulted
from the confusion OF this place with
some other Florida city. Now it is known
that the story told by the two men was
true but the authorities declare they
waited too long before reporting their
loss for the bunco men were far away
when they did so,
Sometime after the report Of the swim
do was published here, the authorities
received a letter from the Pointers Civ
irf, the details and asking II there were
any means by which their money might
he recovered. Officers did their best 70
find the thieves but could discover NJ
trace OF them and only few days ago,
when all hope Of success had been aban-
doned, did they announce that the Pont-
Ger story was true and make public the
details.
The Pointers. father and son, came to
Florida on a pleasure trip and in Or
Iando met young man OF pleasing man
ner who introduced them to several of
his friends. who IL now appears, We're
members OF a gang of confidence men
TIE party visited Tampa and st. Peters
burg. and came here from the latter
place. They had not been in Ocala very
long before they met another man whom
the Pointers friends asked to help them
make some money In stock deals. The
rev found acquaintance said he was en-
, Logged by a member Of the New York
stock exchange and escorted the party toI
hotel where two rooms were camo-
fiaEed as a stock brokers' office.
Here the Pointers invested in stocks
which Immediately rose in value" and
they we're given $4,000 each as earnings
Then they invested heavily in Mexican
re roleum which also went up. They
fold out and were told they had made
800. 900. When they attempted TO col
lect their money they were told they
must establish" themselves by showing
they could have met their obligations
had they lost the same amount
Regarding this as a reasonable request
the Pointers got together what money
they had with them and telegraphed
home for more. When II arrived they
sgain. attempted to collect their winnings
only TO become involved in another tech
r lcality. While this was being straight
eled out one of their friends invested"
the entire amount in another stock,
> hich dropped Immediately. wiping out
the entire margin.
The Ponezers, the authorities say, evil |
Gently thought they had lost their money
in n legitimate business deal and their
failure 10 report the swindle is attributed
TO the fact that they did not realize they
} ad been swindled until some time later.