Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-04-16
TEXAN FURNISHES
BIGGEST SENSATION
At 'BUNCO' PROBE

hi UUIHUU IHUUL
w. r. Manning, youthful cattle
rancher of Dallas, Texas, furnished
sensational testimony Tuesday night
and Wednesday afternoon to the
committee probing the
alleged connivance of hte Atlanta po-
lice. and detective departments with
the bunco ring that operated in the
city for several years.
Wednesday nights audience was
the largest that yet has attended
session of the investigation, and dis
played intense interest in Manning's
testimony. All of the people in the
back rows got up on the tops of
council members desks and on top of
chairs, to see and hear over the
heads of those in front. Time after
time the audience broke into Man
ning's testimony with applause when
he scored a point against the detec-
tive department. Once there we've
Kisses when Attorney Robert P.
Jones asked a question in language
which cast aspersion upon Solicitor
Boykin. The chairman of the inves-
tigating committee, Councilman Wal
ter A. Sims, maintained order with
considerable difficulty. He finally
threatened to exclude all spectators
unless the audience refrained from
applause, Kisses or other demonstra-
tions.
Manning's testimony on direct ex-
animation was decidedly more dam
aging to the detective department
than the testimony of any other wit
ness up to date, but on cross-exam-
ination by Attorney Jones, represent
ing Detective Shaw, he damaged the
effect of his own testimony by get
ting frustrated and embarrassed over
letter purporting to have been writ
ten by him, offering to compromise
his case and withdraw prosecution
if the bunco ring would make a set
Element of his losses.
How Manning was Robbed
Manning is a young man, appar-
emily about thirty years old, of boy
,ish appearance, delicate features and
blue eyes with long lashes. He is
engaged in the cattle ranching bust
ness in Texas, he told the committee,
and owns, or did own, several
ranches, but has had to sell one
ranch of 1000 acres to pay the eX-
penses of his long continued efforts
to run down the members Of the bun
CO ring who robbed him of $4,000 in
Atlanta.
The details of his robbery were
in substance the same as the other
cases. He met a man on a train
coming down from New York, the
man won his confidence, steered him
into a "sieler" of the ring, and Man
ming was induced to put UP $4,000
in cash to make good marker" in
the form o ia worthless check which
transaction at fake stock exchange.
The upshot Of the whole matter was
that Manning woke up" in Indian
apolis, minus $4,000 but plus very
enlightening experience. Manning s
contrast in appearance to the other
victims who had preceded him on the
stand was very noticeable. The 9TH
ers had on them the stamp of the
country. Manning looked urban from
head to heels. y
Manning's efforts to catch the men
who robbed him were like some story,
some exciting story, from a maya
zine or popular novel, as he related
them to the committee. He said the
"steerer" who met him on the train
was w. Clyde Smith, alias James r.
Keene; the cashier at the fake ex-
change was Edward o. Ellis, alias
Adler; the exchange was located at
As Carnegie Way.
What Manning Charges
Manning charged, in substance,
that he returned to Atlanta not once
but repeatedly. after being robbed,
and developed not one clew, but many
cleWS which he furnished the detec-
tiveS and they exhibited an attitude
of indifference and inaction, and
he never received any genuine as
sistance until he reported his case
IT have worked nine months on
this case" he said. II have neglect
ed my business, almost deserted my
wife, travelled all the way from Dem
yer to Charleston, sold one ranch Of
1000 acres, spent hundreds of dollars
and the Atlanta detectives have never
got any results for me-"
Manning charged that he furnished
the detectives the following clews
which they refused or failed to fol-
low up:
1. On his first return to Atlanta,
Immediately after being robbed, he
found Edward o. Ellis and a woman
riding in the same Hudson limousine
in which the bunco men had ridden
him, and chased them and caught
the woman after Ellis got away. and
turned the woman over to the detec-
tives, and they turned her loose on
$500 bond because he preferred no
charges" although he thought she
ought to have been held as mate
rial witness.
That Floyd Woodward was
brought to him by Attorney Joseph
an, and Woodward suggested the
possibility of getting back $4,000 of
his money, which he refused to &C
cept because he wanted at least So
900, and that he noticed on Wood
wards finger diamond ring belong
ing to w. Clyde Smith and reported
this fact to the detectives as con-
elusive evidence to his mind that
Woodward was well acquainted with
Smith, but the detectives dismissed
the clew with the statement that
Woodward "was nothing but two
bit gambler and didn't have sense
enough to be con man."
Trailed Smith to Ashevil1e
8. That he trailed Smith to Ashe-
Vile, and reported this to the de-
tectives, and asked them to wire
Asheville and have Smith arrested,
90 there and arrest Smith himself
A.. That Pinkerton detectives, COM
ng into the search from another
located Smith in Atlanta, and
50 reported to him (Manning) and
ne reported to the detectives, but
hey failed to arrest him. The Pink
,rton's did not arrest him, Manning
because they had no au-
hority to make arrests in Atlanta.
s. That Detective Havos, a pri-l
Jate operative of Memphis, saw
Smith on the street in Atlanta and
pointed him out to Chief Poole. but
he latter did not arrest him.
Manning stood up well under
nination until Attorney
Jones took hold of him, and then he
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