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Bunko Trial Cast of Characters. |
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Ordinary Citizens
Below is a list of persons who were involved in the Million-Dollar Bunco
Trial of 1923, Colorado's longest and most expensive trial to that time. It pitted Philip Van Cise, district attorney of Denver, against Lou Blonger and
a gang of confidence men who had swindled summer tourists for many years without
fear of arrest.
We are interested in hearing from anyone who has information about, or is seeking
information on, any of the persons on this list.
Here's how to contact us.
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Photo
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Name
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Nicknames;
Criminal Aliases; and Pseudonyms used by Van Cise in FTU
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Other Information
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CITIZENS
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JURORS
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Arthur
Armstrong
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jury foreman, 48,
prominent businessman, one of three holdouts, wife suffered collapse on
same day as verdict
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Herman
M. Okuly
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31,
machinist; bribe offered to him at start of trial, brother died near end
of trial
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Fred
Hanson
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33,
railroad car inspector
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Oscar
S. Larson
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49,
worked at Denver Wet Wash; received death threat if jury acquitted the con
men
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August
Carlson
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30s,
musician
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J.
C. Tharp
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29,
meter reader, one of three holdouts
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Ed Drumm
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50,
night clerk
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John
E. Russell
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42,
janitor
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George
E. Sharp
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Andrew
B. Frank (in FTU)
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47,
forester, one of three holdouts, hesitated and replied "it was under the
circumstances" when asked to confirm his guilty verdict in open court
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Jens
P. Jensen
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41,
railroad car inspector
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Fred
G. Steinke
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36,
shoe salesman
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Gerald
F. Geer
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40,
paint contractor
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James
W. Ontis
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alternate juror, 29, worked as foreman
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Frank Sherriff / Sherif
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potential juror, excused because his mother's brother, Jacob Sandhofer,
had married Simon Blonger's daughter, Emma (DP 1/29/23)
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VICTIMS AND NEAR-VICTIMS
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J.
Frank Norfleet
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Mulligan (or L. A. Mullican in FTU) when setting up the Denver con men
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(T) Feb. 21, 1923; from Hale
Center, Tex.; was swindled (but not by the Blonger gang), then crossed the country in pursuit of
the men who conned him;
was the mark who brought down the Blonger gang; later wrote Norfleet, a memoir of the incidents
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P.G.
Shaible
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P.G. Shibe (name intentionally altered by the newspapers, according to FTU,
p. 330)
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(T) Feb. 7, 1923; from Chelsea,
Mich., bank president, lost $25,000
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Simon
Oppenheim
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(T) Feb. 8, 1923; from New
York, N.Y., real estate dealer, almost lost $50,000
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Tang Nielsen
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(T) Feb. 20, 1923; from Tempe,
Ariz., farmer, almost lost $5,000
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Alfred
Schedin
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(T) Feb. 13, 1923; from Spokane,
Wash. (previously Minnesota), almost lost $30,000
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John Emrich
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(T) Mar. 13, 1923; from Fort
Smith, Ark.; almost lost $30,000
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Henry John Gray
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(T) Feb. 15, 1923; from Exeter, Devon, England, businessman, lost $25,000
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George
Kanavuts
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(T) Feb. 7, 1923; from Sapulpa,
Okla., movie theater owner, lost $25,000; attempted pay-off failed (p.
308)
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J. M.
Dudley
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(T) Mar. 21, 1923; from Wetumka,
Okla., 60, farmer, lost $4,000, kept courtoom in stitches
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C. E.
Henson
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(T) Mar. 20, 1923; from Haskell,
Okla.; lost $14,500, shared his last $200 with man who conned him;
attempted pay-off failed (p. 307)
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Oswald Landmann
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(T) Feb. 9, 1923; from Visalia,
Calif., fruit grower, almost lost $5,000
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Thomas
Langan
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(T) Feb. 17, 1923; from Wood
River, Neb., 70, almost lost $25,000; address listed as 2345 Elm St.,
apparently in Denver (DP 9/8/22)
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G. L. Praetor
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(T) Feb. 14, 1923; from Burlington,
Wyo., sheep rancher, lost $15,600
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John
S. Peck
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(T) Mar. 21, 1923; from Flemingsburg,
Ky., lost $17,000; sued the con men (p. 240-41)
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Dr. W. H. Scherer
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(T) Mar. 20, 1923; from Dallas,
Tex.; periodontist, lost $25,000 in 1920; hired district attorney Charley
Fox and G. A. Fuller of Pinkerton to find con men
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H. Rasmussen
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(T) Mar. 21, 1923; from Rawlins,
Wyo., 71, undertaker and furniture dealer, lost $2,300; Van Cise refused
to pay the $300 he claimed for expenses to testify
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James F. McGrath
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(T) Mar. 6, 1923; from Norman,
Okla., stock man
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John
C. Pekarek
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(T) Mar. 14, 1923; from Okeene,
Okla., farmer, lost $9,980
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Joseph
Fassel
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(T) Feb. 15, 1923; from St.
Louis, Mo., 72, wholesale meat dealer, knew he was being conned and supplied name of
fake bank
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Charles
Lundell
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(T) Mar. 21, 1923; from Lubbock,
Tex., farmer, lost $15,000
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Charles
Unzner
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(T) Mar. 8, 1923; from Shawnee,
Okla., 66, harness maker, lost $15,650
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William
E. Griffin / Griffith
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from Walnut, Iowa; lost $20,000; testified in preliminary hearing (p.
243); attempted pay-off failed (p. 307); died Feb. 1923, before he could testify in trial
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Frank Donovan
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(T) Feb. 27, 1923; from Texas or New Orleans, 80, rancher and contractor, lost
$55,000; sued con men and listed Van Cise's law firm as counsel, causing
Van Cise to be disqualified (p. 240); paid
$4,500 by con men to keep quiet, took the money and testified anyway
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David Yezner
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from Eldorado, Ill.; lost $19,000, according to Reamey; died soon thereafter (Feb. 26, 1922)
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W. A. Carnes
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from Ottumwa, Iowa; lost $15,000 (p. 77)
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C. H. Hubbell
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from McPherson, Kan.; almost lost $50,000, but protested the
guilt of Mead and Farrell for several days (p. 207)
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Thomas E. Connor
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almost lost $20,000, according to Reamey
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Isadore Nusko
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almost lost $20,000, according to Reamey
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A. H. Duzien
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lost $14,000 (DP 3/22/23)
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James F. McGrath
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from Sayre, Okla.; lost $5,000 (p. 78)
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J. L. Tilton & Aaron Cobbs
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from Ottowa or Davenport, Iowa; lost $10,800 (p. 77); paid $8,000 to be
silent (p. 305-06)
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T. B. Letts
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from Palo Alto, Cal.; almost lost $20,000, identified cons in lineup (DP
8/29/22)
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M. Freeman
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of 3063 Larimer St., Denver; lost $6,000, in Little Rock, Ark.;
identified cons in lineup (DP 8/29/22)
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William Stanley Harris
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from London, Mo.; lost $14,000 in Phoenix, identified cons in lineup (DP
8/29/22)
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Adolph Wishropp
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from Kansas City, Mo.; lost $7,000, identified cons in lineup (DP
8/29/22)
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J.D. Flannagan
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lost $6,000, identified cons in lineup (DP 8/29/22)
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Ernest Nitsche
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from Dallas, Texas; 58, florist, lost $25,000 in 1919 (p. 25); returned to
Denver to testify, but defendant Ballard jumped bond (p.26); first victim to sue con men, for $25,000 (DP 8/31/22)
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Boughton
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lost $20,000 (DP 9/18/22)
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Chris Larsen
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lost $5,000 (DP 9/18/22)
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Rev. Albert S. Menaugh
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from Goshen, Indiana, 61; committed suicide before Feb. 1, 1921, after
losing $12,000 of church trust funds (p. 29)
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Albert Backus
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from Okmulgee, Okla.; lawyer lost $8,500 in 1918, offered to testify (p. 30)
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Gust Bergstrom
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from Hudson, S.D.; lost $10,000 in 1919; con men pled guilty and were
fined $1,000 each (p. 45)
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W. H. Wurzbach
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from Pueblo, Colo.; lost $6,800 in 1921 (p. 74)
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Victor E. Larson
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from Ontario, Calif.; almost lost $15,000 in 1921 (p. 98)
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Morris Freeman
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from Denver; lost $6,000 (p. 135); attempted pay-off failed (p. 304)
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J. W. Bryan
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from Nebraska; used as a mark (p. 175)
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Hoxie Thompson
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from Houston, Tex.; friend of Dr. Sherrer; used as a mark (p. 175)
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OTHER TRIAL WITNESSES
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Edwin Grant
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(T) Feb. 14, 1923; janitor at Kittredge Building
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Harry L. Comstock
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(T) Feb. 14, 1923
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Kenneth Boehm
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(T) Feb. 16, 1923; proprietor of Elk Hotel
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Charles J. Johnson
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(T) Feb. 20, 1923; post office worker
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John M. Price
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(T) Feb. 20, 1923; letter carrier
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Harry Osborne
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(T) Feb. 20, 1923; post office worker
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Mrs. A. M. Franklin
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(T) Feb. 23, 1923; proprietor of Empire Hotel
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Reade
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(T) Feb. 20, 1923; superintendent of Western Union
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Ernest L. Shine
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(T) Feb. 28, 1923; manager of Union Deposit & Trust vaults
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C. D.(?) Cooper
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(T) Feb. 28, 1923; manager of Denham Building
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Jane Hamrick
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(T) Mar. 2, 1923; operator of Luxor Hotel
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Ella Perry
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(T) Mar. 2, 1923; maid at Melton hotel
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Charles Fuller
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(T) Mar. 2, 1923; janitor at Lincoln Apartments
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Frank Layfield
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(T) Mar. 2, 1923; janitor at Richard Apartments
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Bessie Slack
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(T) Mar. 2, 1923; manager of Tremont Hotel
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J.W. Whitney
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(T) Mar. 2, 1923; proprietor of St. Regis Hotel
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Georgia L. Taylor
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(T) Mar. 2, 1923; owner of Alvarado Apartments
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Henry E. Owen
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(T) Mar. 2, 1923; proprietor of Holden Hotel
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Florence Jones
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(T) Mar. 2, 1923; manager of Kilbourne Apartments
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J. David(?) Smith
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(T) Mar. 2, 1923; secretary-treasurer of Shirley-Savoy Hotel
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Thomas O'Neill
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(T) Mar. 2, 1923; operator of Hotel O'Neill
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J.W. Watt
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(T) Mar. 2, 1923; janitor at El Tovar Apartments
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Frank E. Johnson
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(T) Mar. 2, 1923; chief clerk of Crest Hotel
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George O. Wolf
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(T) Mar. 5, 1923; stock broker
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Valdo Wilson
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(T) Mar. 5, 1923; stock broker
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James N. Wright
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(T) Mar. 5, 1923; stock broker
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James S. Howie
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(T) Mar. 5, 1923; librarian in the office of the district attorney
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R. H. Goddard
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(T) Mar. 14, 1923; agent for Iron Building
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John H. Dunn
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(T) Mar. 14, 1923; secretary of moving company
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Samuel Witte
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(T) Mar. 14, 1923; expressman
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J. Frank Dawson
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(T) Mar. 15, 1923; bank teller
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Dr. Hugh Frank Fisher
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(T) Mar. 15, 1923; doctor
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Dorothy Lacey
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(T) Mar. 15, 1923; high school student, clerk in building on Champa Street
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Frank Maul
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(T) Mar. 15, 1923; carpet cleaner
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Hazel Brickham
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(T) Mar. 15, 1923; bookkeeper
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George H. King
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(T) Mar. 16, 1923; handwriting expert (and perhaps also an official at
Denver National Bank — DP 3/20/23)
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H. W. Price
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(T) Mar. 16, 1923; bank teller
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Mary Ahern
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(T) Mar. 22, 1923; landlord
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Nellie Ahern
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(T) Mar. 22, 1923; landlord
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CAR
DRIVERS
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These men drove the cars during the raids of August
24, 1922.
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Robert
G. Bosworth
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George
E. Cranmer
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Christopher
F. Cusack
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William
W. Grant, Jr.
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one of Denver's leading lawyers (p. 202)
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Fred
W. Hart
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Cass
M. Herrington
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Russell
Jordan
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Edwin
S. Kassler, Jr.
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perhaps John Green in FTU (p. 180), driver whose father, FOB,
almost tipped off the raid
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Paul
Loughridge
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William
H. Loughridge
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former Yale football star (p. 211)
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William
D. Sanborn
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Oliver
Toll
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J.
Herbert Wilkins
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Arthur
D. Wilson
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Earl
Wright
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SUBSCRIBERS
TO SECRET FUND
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These private citizens
bankrolled Van Cise's investigation.
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Mrs.
Verner Z. Reed
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William
N. W. Blayney
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Claude
K. Boettcher
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Arthur
H. Bosworth
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Ernest
H. Braukman
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James
H. Causey
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George
E. Cranmer
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Alphonse
E. de Ricqles
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Tyson
Dines, Sr.
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William
D. Downs
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John
Evans
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Edwin
B. Hendrie
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S.
Nelson Hicks
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William
V. Hodges
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William
A. Hover
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William
S. Iliff
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Charles
A. Johnson
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Edwin
S. Kassler, Sr.
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Harold
Kountze
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Charles
Loughridge
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Henry
McAllister
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William
P. McPhee
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Hugh
McWhirter
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Harold
W. Moore
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John
W. Morey
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John
K. Mullen
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Thomas
B. Stearns
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William
E. Sweet
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James
R. Thorpe
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Jesse
F. Welborn
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Frank
L. Woodward
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OTHER HELPFUL CITIZENS
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Philip A. Zang
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former manager of Blonger's building, loaned passkey (p. 112)
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Ben S. Read
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president of Mountain States Telephone (p. 113)
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Alexander W. Young
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checked telephone wires (p. 121)
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Oscar Cass
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owner of Cassidy Hicks Wall Paper Company (p. 124)
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Arthur L. Jones
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assistant general manager of General Electric Company, kept Dictaphone
working (p. 126)
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Dr. William P. Smedley
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dentist who worked on Norfleet in final con (p. 189)
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William I. Reilly
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member of the State Industrial Commission, provided tip that led to
French's arrest in Estes Park (p. 215)
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NOTES:
FTU stands for Fighting
the Underworld, by Philip Van Cise, 1936. Page numbers refer to
the book. If you're interested in reading up on the case, you can find Fighting
the Underworld in many libraries or in the used book section of Amazon.com.
DP stands for The Denver Post. Dates indicate which
issue.
(T) indicates the person testified during the trial.
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