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.
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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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THE
UNDERWORLD
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FIXER
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Louis
H. (Lou) Blonger
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(A)(C),
head of the bunco ring; paid off police and other officials so that his
gang remained free from prosecution in Denver; died in prison Apr. 20, 1924
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MANAGER
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Adolph
W. Duff
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"Kid" Duff
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(A)(C), in charge of day-to-day operations; hired and fired con men; rented and
outfitted properties; committed suicide soon after release from prison (p.
347)
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BOOKMAKERS
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John
Homer (Jackie) French
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"Dapper Jackie"
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(A) in Estes Park; reportedly involved with wife of Charles A.
Stoneham, owner of New York Giants; tried to set up Van Cise in a
compromising situation (p. 309-11); (C), died in Cincinnati in
1935 (p. 349)
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George
Leonard (Len) Reamey
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J. K. Ross
Sprague C. Foster
A. B. Zachery
Les
Randle (in FTU)
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(A), bookmaker who worked on Norfleet in the final con; turned
state's evidence, testified Mar. 8-9-12-13, 1923; remained straight (p. 350);
became a successful businessman in his native Arkansas
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Harry
D. White
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Sam Barnett
Harry Whitting
H. O. Lasker
Harry Whitney
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(A), called the "crown prince of the bunco men" (DP
Aug 27, 1922) and wanted in Florida for $60,000 swindle, sent to Florida
for prosecution (p. 346+)
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TAILER
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George Belcher
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"Tip"
George S. Dover
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(C)
provided "protection" for the cash-laden victim as he made his way to
the fake exchange
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SPIELERS
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Arthur
B. Cooper
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"Artie"
P. J. Miller
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(A)(C), identified by more witnesses than
any defendant, spieler who worked on Norfleet in the final con
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J.
Roy Farrell
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(A), sent to Califonia for prosecution, released on fake bond and
escaped
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George
Walker
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George
Kelley
Leo
Kelley
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(A)(C)
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STEERERS
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John
Allison
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Charles
E. Smith
"Denver Ed Smith"
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(A)(C)
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G.
C. Bailey
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Charles
V. Wilson
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(A)(C), from Toledo, Ohio
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Thomas
Beech
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Riley W. Wilson
H.
D. Rhoades
Frank
Woodward
Louis Yancey
Charles Sootes
Charles Clark
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(A)(C), from St. Louis
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Thomas
Joseph Brady
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Tom Hogan
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(A), jumped bond
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Walter
Byland
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William
Boland
Frank
Thomas
"Sox"
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(A)(C), offered to plead guilty Sept. 1, 1922. from Texas
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Roy
Coyne
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Grover Gaffney (perhaps his real name)
T.J. Eric
"Slim
Blacky"
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(A), jumped bond, (S)
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William
Dougherty
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Dockerty
"General Del"
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(A)(C)
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Leon
Felix
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R.
C. Davis
Robert
B. Davis
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(A)(C), steerer who picked up Norfleet in the final con
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John
H. Foster
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William
Elmer Mead
"The
Christ Kid"
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(A)(C)
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John
J. Grady
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"The Perfume Kid"
"Mole"
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(A), asked for permission to leave jail to play baseball in the park (DP
8/30/22), jumped bond, arrested in Peoria March 30, 1923, (S)
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Jack
Hardaway
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"Pappy"
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(A)(C), injured in fight on eve of trial; Duff viewed him as a charity
case (p. 231); afraid of being only man acquitted (p. 348); died happy in
prison
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Emory
S. King
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John D. Ray
Miller
Jackson
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(A), jumped bond, (S), later send to prison (p. 346+)
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Robert
Knowles
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Robert Nash
"Big Nose"
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(A), jumped bond, (S)
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William
H. Loftus
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Edward James Loftus
Sam Bradford
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(S) — was he arrested or not?
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Puss
McCaskey
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"Puss"
J. D. Barry
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(A), turned loose by mistake when he claimed he was a Louisiana farmer
looking for a dentist (p. 206-07)
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Louis
Mushnick
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Joe Stone
"Thick
Lips"
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(A)(C)
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Stephen
J. Olson
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"Red"
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(A)(C)
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Audley
H. Potts
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John
Fox
Charles
Zeller
Albert
H. Martin
Albert
A. Brown
Jack Hendricks
Martin Norris
John O. Norris (photo in DP
8/25/22)
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(A)(C)
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Jack
Ryan
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"Fat"
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(A), from Minot, N.D.
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Ralph
S. Sadler
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"Sissy"
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(A), sent to Florida for prosecution
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W.
L. Straub
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Edward
P. Schultz
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(A)(C), from Knoxville, Tenn., and Louisville, Ky.
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James
R. Smith
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"Sandy"
"Smithy the Bear"
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(A), jumped bond
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George
Williams
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Grow
Sullivan
Grover
Sullivan
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(A)(C), from Santa Monica, Calif., declared insane at sentencing, sent to asylum (p. 346+)
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George
Henry Williams
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"Bump"
Jim
Campbell
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(A)(C), in Denver only 2 days before his arrest
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Ray Yeaman
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Frank Yeaman
"The Blind Man"
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(A)
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OTHER
CONS who escaped the raids
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James H. Allen
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C. H. Allen
Red Brue
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(S)
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G. L.
Arnold
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John
Richards
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arrested
in Chicago; victim C.E. Henson could not identify him; charge dropped at
end of trial
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Robert F. Ballard
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"Dining Car Bob"
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(S)
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John J. Egleston
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William Hagin
John West
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(S),
from Worcester, Mass. (p. 29)
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George Ferry
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"Mile-a-Minute"
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(S)
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Fred Gerlach
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Fred W. Goodrich
Fred Goodwin
"Diamond Frank"
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(S),
from Tacoma, Wash. (p. 29); the
only member of the
Blonger
gang
ever to serve time in the
penitentiary prior to 1923 (p. 100)
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H. C. Hathaway
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alleged accomplice of French in swindling Kanavuts
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Martin Jacobson
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C. P. Anderson
Harry Martin
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(S)
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David J. Kingsley
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George Kennedy
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(S)
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Charles McCord
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Chester Mathews
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(S)
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John McDonald
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"Palo Alto"
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(S)
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Joe Nelson
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"Slim"
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(S)
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Joe Perich
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(S)
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John Scott
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L. H. Stanley
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arrested in St. Joseph, Mo. Jan 31, 1923; alleged accomplice of French in
swindling Kanavuts; (S)
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William
Sturns
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"The
Painter Kid"
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hunted by gang (DP 9/3/22), who believed he was the informant who sent letters to Van Cise (p. 58)
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C. C. Watkins
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Jim Watkins
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(S)
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OFFICE STAFF
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Charlie James
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office man (p. 116)
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WIVES AND GIRLFRIENDS
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Nola (Cora) Blonger
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Blonger's estranged wife
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Iola Readon
(Blanche Readon)
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Berna
Rames (in FTU)
Blanche Bush
Blanche Blonger
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Blonger's mistress
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Buda Godman
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Helen Strong
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French's girlfriend, badger game artist; reportedly involved with Charles
A. Stoneham, owner of the New York Giants (p. 167, 218)
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FRIENDS
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"Red" Gallagher
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well known in Denver sport circles, posted bond for Blonger (RMN
8/26/22)
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DEFENSE
ATTORNEYS
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Horace
N. Hawkins
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W.
A. Bryans
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engaged in fistfight with Van Cise at preliminary hearing, attempted
same with Samson as jury was sworn
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Thomas
Ward, Jr.
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Lou Blonger's
personal attorney; Sam Blonger's attorney as well; former U.S. District
Attorney
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Howard L. Honan
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Lou Blonger's
attorney at sentencing
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John T. Bottom
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Samuel
D. Crump
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called Van Cise a "tin soldier" during opening arguments
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Philip
Hornbein
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French's
attorney
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Mike
Waldron
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frequent dissenter among the defense lawyers
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Charles T. Mahoney
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appeared for John J. Grady (DP 9/11/22)
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Sol Larke
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tried to pay off Freeman for Felix (p. 304)
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Charles Rink
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paid off Tilton and Cobbs for French and Byland (p. 305-06)
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