South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-07-30
Elk CONVICT ASKS
PROTECTION FROM
The UNDER WORLD
Once Head of Notorious Band
of Criminals. Hogan Seeks
Help of the Law.


laid the rogue's gallery picture Of the
man under discussion before Casey
the chief
An ex-con. eh--"
There's no need Of continuing
the narrative Of the dialogue which
followed -its an old. old story
says John c. Mabray-and AIa5ray
should know.
For Mabray. once the head OF the
most notorious band OF con men" in
the history OF crime, Is beating
back"
And the bulls never forget" Ma
bray claims.
"Once you're an ex-con you are al
ways that" ne says
Underworld Against Him.
But. worse still. FOR the man at
tempting 10 go STRAIGHT, IS the I'M
derworId ITSELF Nabray explains
Johnny" Mabray who. with "the
Waco Kid william PowelD and
Eddie X. Morris. took the farmers .
OF the Middle West 20 a 100000
trimming during the years of 1907 F.
o6. is sow engaged in mastering in
fuence 10 go before Prest Harding
Co ask complete pardon from = pOr-
ton Of a Jail sentence stiu pending
and the renting OF 10000 fine, /
imposed In 1910
Since 1912 Mabrsy has been liv-
ing ln Kansas City
And I'm afraid that If Pres't .
Harding does not act quick the un-
derworld VIII get me because I .
won't go, crooked again" Mabray
says
Asks Help of Law.
Last week Mabray visited Col.
NJ. L. Temple. now living in
OsceoIa. Ia who was United states
district attorney when Mabray's
gang was broken up.
After I was released from the
Leaveuworth penitentIary the police
branded me an 'ex-con--faIr game
for arrest Every time anybody lost
a thin dime to "a con-man the chief
would give orders TO pick up Ma
bray" That's the penalty the ex-
convict pays The bulls never for
get Mabray told Col Temple.
But now I am meeting a more
sinister force-the underworld it
self" Mabray said.
In Kansas City I have been hold
ing out a helping hand 90 young men
who are in danger Of crossing tho
borderland OF the underworld and
into crime.
Crime Record Known.
The underworld knows this
knows that with the crime record
I possess. which Il have since direct
ed along tie ls9es of good. I can do
them more harm than all the police
OF the city
And so they have vowed to get
me-to send me bac.- behind prison
bars. in order that they may be free
to recruit the youth NECESSARY 10
successful crime"
AIabray claims he is hated in the
haunts of the underworld where
once he ruled as king
NO man can go straight and re-
tain friendship of the underworld,
Mabray says. II have tried II and
failed There is no honor among
thieves-or among con-men'-they
don't believe IN letting a fellow so
straight"
Has Dramatic story.
The yellow-back of detective fic-
tion-the widest dream of the dime
novel writer-never even approached
the dramatic history OF Maoray and
his sang.
How many composed the layout
OF the Mabray gang none but Johnny
M0bray himself ever knew.
There was Powell-"the Waco
Kid"-termed by police of the en-
tire country THE smoothest pack
aSe or green goods stuff which ever
made a small town"
And look at Powell" Mabray
says Gle tried 60 so straight
and they got him"
Powell was shot down IN the main
dining room OF the fashionable Ponce
De Leon hotel at St Augustine. Fla.
lie had "squealed" on his pals.
Played Green Goods Game
The band operated all the green
goods" and "con" games known to
the underworld
They specialized on fake sporting
events. however-foot and horse
races and prize fights.
In addition they operated wire
fa...u- schemes. false stock eX-
changes. and even sunk 20 the soap
racket and The "Eoldbiick" schemes
They sold buildings iucludine the
Masonic temple I'm Chicago, the Flat
iron building I'm New York and the
Ferry building in san Francisco.
In their two years OF operation
they made S5.o0o.oo0
eve never stole q dime" Mahray
boasts we 5ust relieved monkeys
OF their money
Cleaned the Corn Belt"
The band working with Council
Bluffs Ia as headquarters. clean
cd" the Com Belt" for 81 600. 600
iu one month. according 10 sworn
admissions made by Mahray on the
witness stand during the trial OF
Ben Marks acquitted boz connection
with wlat was then known as the
"big store" swindle.
The Mabrays used the sport
fakes there.
A "capper' would catch on" 20 a
farmer man from the Middle
West-wlth from $4,000 10 $50 GOO
IN the bank-his lifetime savings
The "capper" would also pose as
q farmer-or small-town banker He
would tip on his new-found friend
20 a prize Sight or a foot race. 20 be
staged between two champions-it
was aLAa@E ll-Alis OF Et race
between the two and 70 be run IN
secret.
Farmers Taken In"
The farmer would be taken 20 the
scene OF the fight
The "capper" would announce he
was going 20 bet
y the farmer showed a willing
ness 20 put up a little money. too. I
the "cappar" protested