Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 147, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 June 1911 — Philadelphia “Sucker” Not So Easy [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Philadelphia “Sucker” Not So Easy

PHILADELPHIA. —Thirteen gentlemen from New York, who thought It would entertain a gentleman from Philadelphia if they would do a little wire tapping for him and show him divers ways ways of obtaining rich rewards from money ventured on the horse races, were forced to the unanimous conclusion that thirteen is an unlucky number and that Philadelphia men are not so slow after all. The men arc now in the tombs in New York, while their records are being investigated by detectives. The adventure began for a wdllknown man whose fictitious name is Charles McDonald. "I say, old man, have you got a match?" was the way it all began. It was asked on one of those slow-going ferryboats that take Philadelphia folk over io Camden and back again. McDonald had the match, and his friendly companion on the river voyage lit a pipe. Then there was a general conversation about horse racing. “Say,” whispered the pipe smoker with an air of great secrecy, “I'm a Western Union manager in a New York branch office. I run the racing information bureau. I can hold up information about races for eight minutes. Get that?” McDonald—that is the man whose police alias is McDonald—did get it, and exchanged cards with his friend.

They made a date Tor the Hotel Walton, in Philadelphia, and then another date for the Breslin, in New York. Before going to the hotel McDonald tipped off the police and advised that a couple *of detectives be put on the job. Together the two men went to a modest looking brownstone house away from the central part of the city and into a room where twelve other men were busy with telephones, telegraph instruments, etc. All told they made a sizable den. McDonald staked S2O on a bet and won. Then he was taken to another house where he talked gayly of his millions and in a bantering way suggested he wouldn’t mind trying $20,000 on a single horse. This took McCormick by storm, but the money was there and so were New York detectives and before the wire tappers knew what was up both their resorts had been raided and the entire company was under arrest.