Jasper County Democrat, Volume 22, Number 8, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 April 1919 — FRANCESVILLE MAN A VICTIM [ARTICLE]

FRANCESVILLE MAN A VICTIM

John Koster Lost SIO,OOO in Fake Prize Fight. Logansport, April 22.—Charles E. Whicker, deputy United States marshal, left here today for Indianapolis, taking with him Marion Jacks, proprietor of a soft drink establishment at Monon, who is accused of being one of the promoters of a fake prize fight that was held in this city March 30, 1918. Jacks is the tenth man to be arrested by the federal authorities in connection with an Investigation of a swindle that .had Muncie as its headquarters and that is estimated to have brought the men behind it $200,000 or more, as a result of

fraudulent races and prize fights. The formal government charge is that they used the mails to defraud. In the fake fight that was held here John Koster, age 60, a prominent Francesville merchant, lost SIO,OOO. He was in Indianapolis yesterday and is understood to have identified four of the defendants, who are now in the Marion county jail, as men who were connected with the fraud. At that time Koster’s name was not made public. Jacks was arrested last night at Goodland by local authorities on a charge of grand larceny. He was brought to this city and held on SIO,OOO bond. About the same time, . Wicker arrived here and placed him under arrest. Koster caime here and identified Jacks as one of the men who was in the city at the time the fake fight was held, the officials say. Koster, who was formerly a member of the board of county commissioners of Pulaski county, says he came to this city in March, 1918, at the instigation of the promoters of the fight, who entertained him at the Barnett hotel several days before the fight occurred. On the morning of March 30, Koster went to the First National bank here, where he had previously arranged to place a deposit, and wrote a check for SIO,OOO, making the check payable to himself. After obtaining the money he returned to the Barnett hotel, it is

said, and there wagered it on the prize fight which was to be held. The money was placed in the hands of a stake holder and the partlee then went to a building within a half block of police headquarters, where the fight was held. Entering this room, Koster said he found two men set for action in the ring. After sparring around for a short time one of the fighters was hit a blow that sent him to the floor, where he lay motionless. His seconds irushed to his side and tried to revive him, but without avail. Then one of the seconds stepped back and cried: “For God’s sake, the man is, dead. Get out of here before the police arrive” There was a mad scramble for the door by the spectators to get away. Koster went immediately to the interurban station and took a car for Lafayette, where he was to meet the man with whom he had wagered the money and the stake holder, and where he was promised that his money would be given to him. Since ’that time he has, assisted by the local and federal officers, been on a still hunt for the men.