The Minnesota fiery cross. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1924-19??, 1924-04-04


officers.
In the San Bernardino capture, he
arrested Charles Gerber and E. j.
Ward, both of whom proved to be
Catholics and life members of the
fraternity that few Protestant Gen.
tiles are affiliated with, one that
caters to both Catholics and Jews
Ward was brought to Washington, D.
c., to face a federal charge and later
committed suicide in a Jail here. Ger
ber's career cost the lives of six
men.
Norfleet Cornered
Just before the trial of Spencer in
Fort Worth, Norf1eet was lured to
the basement of the chamber of
commerce by John Conley and
two other men. Conley is a X. c. de-
tective. A warrant had been issued
for him because he had been accused
in confessions of some of the ring
leaders Of the bunco men of having
collected $4,000, 10 per cent of the
total loot, for extending them pro-
lection. Conley cornered Norfleet in
the basement and said: "Give me
those documents or you won't get out
of here alive" Mr.. Norf1eet got the
drop on him and did not surrender
his evidence. Just before the trial,
Spencer said:
II am not q Mason, but l am a
knight of Columbus, which is a half
brother, just as close as they can be
without being the same.
Mr.. Norf1eet had captured Spencer
in the wilds of Canada, after a dog
sled chase across the Dominion
through billiards. After the cap
ture, while returning to a Canadian
city to place him in Jail, the Texan
met some Canadian police. Norfleet
says that Spencer crossed his fore
head and his breast, and called upon
the officers to help him. The Off
GERS set on Norfieet and beat him up,
Notwithstanding the fact hat he had
a warrant for Spncer and the lat
ter was prisoner.
after they beat me up they re-
leased Spencer and brought me to
Jail. When / saw the high Canadian
officers, showed them my warrants.
The police then began making crosses
and begging for mercy on their
knees. They were released and kept
on the force.
Mounted Police Helped
"Thea ! appealed to heads of the
Royal Mounted Police, and they made
1t so hot for Spencer that he left
and went to Salt Lake City, bought
home there and had been there one
week when I arrested him. That &C.
CURED on October !, last year." said
Norfeet.
While searching for Spencer in
Denver, Mr.. Norfeet ran into gang
Of "a confidence men, of which Spen-
Ger was a leader. With the aid of
the district attorney and state rang
ers, he captured the "a men. That
gang was jailed August "a, 1922. At
the trial 1t was proven that this
gang had ieeced a Houston dentist
Of $4,000 on a fake race, q wire
tapping scheme. Eevery man drew
q penitentiary sentence.
Lou L. Blounder, leader of the
Denver gang, admitted that he was
Catholic and proud Of it. Others
in the gang did likewise.
Later, Mr.. Norfeet captured band
Of IL swindlers at Lauderdale, Flori-
da, and they were all convicted and
given prison sentences.
Mr.. Norfieet also captured Reno
Hamlin, a Catholic, twice. Caught
him the first time in Georgia, where
he obtained freedom on $1,000 bail,
jumped his bail and Norfeet recap
tured him in 1921 in Oklahoma. He
is now serving a penitentiary sem
tence in Georgia.
This Texas ranger, Mr.. Norfeet,
has spent the last four years round
ing up such characters, and he has
captured every man he started af-
ter, feat that William j. Burns and
his 1900 agents did not do. In fact,
they didn't get one of them. Mr.. Nor
fleet doesn't want congress to pay
him a salary for what he has accom-
plished; he is simply asking Uncle
Sam to repay him the expense money
he is out of pocket. Burns and the
government detective agency should
have performed this work but failed;
therefore, all right thinking men will
approve Of Uncle Sam repaying Nor
fleet the money he has actually spent
in this work.