Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 285, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 November 1919 — JUDGE ANDERSON PASSES SENTENCE [ARTICLE]

JUDGE ANDERSON PASSES SENTENCE

MAYOR BUNCH AND PROSECUT6R MURPHY GET TWO YEARS AND FINE. Rollin H. Bunch, mayor of Muncie, and Horace G. Murphy, prosecuting attorney of Delaware county, found guilty on November 11 of conspiracy to use the mails to defraud, Were sentenced by Federal Judge A. B. Anderson, of Indianapolis, Tuesday to two years’ imprisonment in the federal prison at Atlanta, Ga., and fined $2,000 each. Chauncey Stillson, part proprietor of the Grand Hotel, Muncie, was given a sentence of eighteen months and a fine of SI,OOO. Other members of the Muncie gang were given penitentiary and jail sentences and a few were fined. Marion Jacks, of Monon, who had turned state’s evidence, was fined SSOO and costs. Motions for new trials and arrest of judgment were overruled by Judge Anderson. It was announced that Bunch, Gentry, Murphy and Stillson will be out on bond pending their appeal to the circuit court of api pe&ls The following is the story of the game as worked by Bunch and his bunch: , Victims of the gang were buncoed out of from $5,000 to SIO,OOO each by being induced to make an agreement, to invest money in valuable southern Missouri land, said to belong to a wealthy Englishman named Colonel C. H. K. Pierson. A “steerer” for the gang would bring the prospective victim to Muncie, where the member of the gang representing himself to be George Armstrong, private secretary to Colonel Pierson, would explain that the colonel was about to sell the Missouri land for $5 an acre and if the victim would provide enough money to make it appear that he were the purchaser of the land, Armstrong, the secretary, would, in fact buy it and would then sell it at S2O or $25 an acre and divide the profits with the victim. . The victim’s money invariably was lost on a fake prize fight or wrestling match which would be promoted while the parties to the supposed land deal were waiting for an abstract. After much betting on the prize fight or wrestling match, the victim finally would be assured that “easy” money was thus to be made on the wealthy Englishman, whose valet, one of the fighters, had been “fixed” to lose the fight. After the wealthy Englishman apEarently had bet some $50,000 on is valet, the fight would be held in Franklin hall, Muncie, where one of the fighters would pose as being “killed” by breaking a container of > blood held in his mouth. The victim generally would leave town on the first train and would hear no more from his money.