Sold Like Cattle.

A young victim cannot bear the shame.

Emporia (Kansas) Gazette, August 6, 1906

DROVE KANSAN TO SUICIDE

Denver Bunco Men Forced Harry Waldorf to Sign a Check

Denver, Aug. 6—The motive for the suicide of Harry B. Waldorf, of Newton, Kan., who killed himself in Denver last June, has been revealed, and if reports made to the Denver police are true the young man was another victim of a gang of "bunco" men who infest Denver. Waldorf, after being cheated out of his money, was induced to sign a check on a Kansas bank which he knew was not good. Fearing exposure and the shame it might bring his father, he committed suicide.

Investigation into the death of Waldorf, who was a young locomotive fireman of Newton, made by private detectives in the employ of the dead man's parents, has brought the attention of the Denver police evidence which is said to show conclusively that Waldorf was beaten out of $400 in cash and a new revolver and forced to sign checks on the state bank of Newton for money he did not pssess. A check payable to L. H. Blonger recently was returned from the state bank of Newton, on which it was drawn, marked "short." This gave the police and detectived their clew and subsequent evidence which is said to connect Blonger and the "bunco ring" of Denver with Waldorf's death was ferreted out.

Lou Blonger, known as the king of the bunco steerers, denies ever knowing young Waldorf and says he merely tried to cash the check for a friend.

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