The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-01-28
CON MAN KING
MADE MILLION,
DIES A PAUPER
John Strosnider Was Pioneer
of SwindIers Who Played
Only for Huge Winnings
IN PRISON ONLY TWICE
Took Money From Men "Lot
Crookeder Than l." Said
".Mayberry Gang Associate

NEW YORK. Jan. 27.-John stro-
Wnider is dead.
Thus passes one Of the most ia
NOUS figures in American criminal
history.
Strosnider was the liking OF con
men," the forerunner of the modern
gwindler who plays only Tor the
'big money"
big Jack" Strosnider, in his
prime, was reported to have swim
died the credulous Of between ST.
10000 and $2,000,000.
And he died almost penniless.
He died December 80 at his home
IN Salem, Ohio. With him at his
death were only his wife, whom he
married thirty years ago in New
York, and his son, Maurice, now
proprietor of cigar store in
Youngstown, Ohio.
Began as "Foot Racer"
Strosnider started his swindling
career as a professional foot racer,
two.score years ago, when the foot
race game was synonymous with
crookedness. Then he launched
himself into the career of high
class swindling" which made him
famous.
At the outset he formulated
philosophy which he later ex-
pressed in words!
SCI never robbed an honest man,
because no honest man would ever
fall for my propositions" he said.
i've taken $1,000,000 from men
who were a lot crookeder than ].
THE sharper they are the better
I like them. Any time can COZ
vince anyone he is trimming me
or trimming some other sucker, he's
easy to take.
There's sucker born every min
ute, except in New York. There
they're born every thirty seconds"
Strosnider first associated himself
with the notorious "Mayberry gang
promoters of the fake prize fight,
horse race and foot race swindles.
but in a few years launched out
TOR himself. 30 Er
He made his headquarters in New
York and confined his activity
largely to overlapping and pay
off,. games.
Protected by Court.
The overlapping game was par
since the Supreme Court of New
York. in a decision rendered in the
late eos, had held the game was not
o felony.
It was not until 1900 that the
New York Legislature, at the in
stance of District Attorney William
Travers Jerome. passed law max
ing "wire-tapping" d crime in New
York.
With money plentiful, Strosnider
began to develop the idosyncracies
that afterward distinguished him.
He developed a penchant for trav-
cling under the alias of Col Steele"
or Col. Stetson," always "incognito
On a special mission for the United
States army"
Easy money" flowed away from
him as rapidly as it came in Brook
lyn, and both here and in New.
York he gave parties" for his
friends which cost him thousands.
In all this time he had been in
prison only once, then for opera
ton of a minor confidence game on
Federal property. He was pardoned
by President Mckinley in 1898.
Moved to Chicago.
His luck in New York beginning
TO desert him, he ''emigrated" to
Chicago.
His first stopping place was on
the South Side, where he became
acquainted with DR.. William T.
approached Kirby with the familiar
"wirertapping game"
He was successful. Kirby fell.
After a few minor wagers, which he
won, he bet $20, 900 on horse-and
lost.
Kirby's loss threw his bank into
bankruptcy and so incredible was
the story Of his $4,000 wager that
Federal Judge Lands threatened to
have him indicted for perjury when
he first told it,
Strosnider fought by every means
in his power to beat the case and
went broke trying. He was convict.
ed and sentenced to four years at
Joliet.
During his stay in Chicago, he
made himself famous for his par
ties" The old Bismarck was the
scene of most of them and he was
reported to have spent thousands
of dollars there for chamDaRna