Lou the Fixer.

Denver Times, August 7, 1902

GOVERNOR SEEKING LIGHT

Investigates Dealings of the "Welchers' Syndicate."

Governor Orman has taken official cognizance of the operations said to have been carried on by Police Magistrate Thomas, working in connection with certain other Denver men, in which the gamblers of the city are described as having "made restitution" of several large sums of money.

Charles F. Wilson and C.L. Burpee, who at present constitute the fire and police board, were closeted for several hours with Governor Orman this morning. R.W. Speer of the board of public works was also with the governor, but his visit is said to have had nothing to do with the Thomas matter. Wilson and Burpee told the governor what they knew and what they suspected regarding the operations of the police magistrate, and were asked to investigate the matter further.

Magistrate Thomas now claims, so it is understood, that the money he collected from the gamblers was money which "a relative" had lost over the tables. He will be invited by the governor to produce the relative, said to be a connection by marriage. It is probable that when the gamblers see that there is a possibility that the syndicate which Thomas is thought to have represented is to be deprived of its power through his removal, they will come forward with their side of the case.

Evidence in the possession of the fire and police board shows that "Lou" Blonger, who has been in charge of the wholesale bunco operations in this city, had a long conference on Saturday evening in the "red room" at the corner of Sixteenth and Curtis streets, and that upon leaving he told a friend he had the matter fixed up so that his bunco game might resume operations, with not a pretense of prosecution by the police department. Indications are now that the police department will tell all it knows of the grafting operations carried on, and that thereby the danger of an investigation of the police department will be averted.

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