Jasper County Democrat, Volume 22, Number 65, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 November 1919 — STATE NEWS ITEMS [ARTICLE]

STATE NEWS ITEMS

The Doings of Hoosierdom Reported by Wire. I TELLS ABOUT FAKE FIGHTS Farmers and Others Testify in Federal Court at Indianapolis of How MUncie Gang Swindled Them Out of SIOO,OOO. Indianapolis, Nov. 7. —Ten victims of fake prize fights and land swindles In Muncie testified In federal court how the gang of alleged swindlers, facing trial on charges of conspiracy to defraud by use of the mails, fleeced them of sums aggregating SIOO,OOO. Rollin H. Bunch, mayor of Muncie, and Horace G. Murphy, prosecutor of Delaware county, are among the 24 defendants. One by one the men who were duped for sums of money as high as SIO,OOO recited the story of how they became entangled in the clever web woven by the skillful operators. Land deals, they testified, were only the bait, but always the fleecing came when some one proposed a prize fight. Wagers on the outcome always Included the actual money which originally was to have been used for the purpose of obtaining an option on the supposed land. Lafayette S. Scott, one of the defendants who volunteered to testify for the government, told how Mayor Rollin H. Bunch often expressed a desire to see how the fake fights wepe conducted and reveled in hearing stories of how the victims acted during the unrolling of the swindling scheme. To further strengthen the government’s case against the mayor, Scott, wh<T is known in Muncie as “Doc,” repeated the substance of a conversation with Mayor Bunch in which the city executive expressed surprise when mention was made of one deal, and exclaimed, ‘“Why Chauncey never told me of that one! He never gave me the $500!’” To this statement Scott added that the mayor said: “*I see I’ll have to deal with Doc Scott after this.’ ” “Mayor Bunch once said that he wished there were a cubbyhole in the rooms where the fake fights were conducted so that he might look in and watch how the victims acted.” the witness said. In testifying against Prosecutor Horace G. Murphy, Scott said that Chauncey Stillson informed him “the prosecutor was fixed.” Scott added that he did not know how much Murphy received.

Charged With Robbing Cars.

Indianapolis, Nov. 7. —Following the recovery of large quantities of sugar and canned goods in connection with the police investigation into the murder of Lee Stringer, a special detective for the L. E. & W. railroad, who was shot to death last Thursday night, five men and two women were slated on various charges at the city prison. The persons slated on grand larceny charges are: Admire Harris, John Long, George Crabtree, Vernle McCoy and Maggie Mumms. Thomas Dodsen is charged with vagrancy and being a fugitive. The police say he is a paroled convict from the Jeffersonville reformatory. He will be returned to the reformatory to complete his tern, of imprisonment. Helen Ross, 1529 Martindale avenue, is charged with contributing to the delinquency of her small nephew. All of the persons under arrest are colored.

Frame Coal-Saving Plan.

Indianapolis, Nov. 7—The utility fuel committee, formed at a conference held by the public service commission with 60 representatives of coal-burning utilities, organized at the statehouse and began formulating a recommendation to the commission that curtailment of service by all coalusing public service corporations be encouraged, in order to conserve fuel. It was agreed by the committee that W. H. Tobin of Indianapolis should be its executive secretary and in full charge of the office the committee will maintain in the statehouse. Alexander R. Holliday, Indianapolis, although not a member of the committee, was selected to act as secretary.

Evidence of Whisky Ring.

» Evansville, Nov. 7. —Evidence of a “whisky ring” in Evansville, which has been making liquor importations into this city from Kentucky towns since the passage of the Indiana prohibition law, has been forwarded to the federal officials at Indianapolis, it was learned. As a result it is expected that the federal grand jury will make a sweeping investigation of conditions in this city and it is expected that ’many prominent politicians will be brought into the investigation. Local newspapers have been demanding an investigation by the federal grand jury for several weeks past.

Contest Will of Uncle.

Anderson, Nov. 7.—Thomas and Scott Lyst have filed a protest against admitting to probate the will of their uncle, the late Hugh Lyst, brickmason, who died recently leaving $21,000 cash to ten other nieces and nephews. The entire estate was to be divided between the ten nieces and nephews, according to Lyst’s will, while the brothers, Scott and Thomas, were left out.

For Lieutenant Governor.

Indianapolis, Nov. 7.—Harry E. Negley, a state senator from Marlon county, announced his candidacy for the Republican nomination for lieutenant governor next year.