Fakirs At Work
Chapter Seven: The Mabray Gang
#PWHS #Article #FakirsAtWork #FAW #Hippodrome #MabrayGang #Gotch #OleMarsh #Carkeek #FarmerBurns
A look at the moments in history which made audiences cry-out, "Hippodrome!"
July 30, 1911 - Chicago Tribune
With a lot of speculation thus far in the series, it is refreshing to take a look at something with so much more substance to it. As you will find out through this article, we're looking not just at the fixing of professional wrestling, but one of the largest sporting scandals America had ever seen up until that point in time. Once the arrests began they continued to come in bulk for around six months.
During the summer of 1909 some of the very first arrests were made by the U.S. Postal Authorities. Two men of particular interest were arrested in Joe Carroll and Bert Warner on June 12, 1909. This was not their first arrest either. Previously in both Omaha, Nebraska and Council Bluffs, Iowa the two men, along with Winn Sharris had already been indicted. The downfall of the three aforementioned and the Mabray Gang had started in the year before.
One of the main problems with using U.S. mail service to commit a crime is that you are leaving your activities in the hands of a possibly disgruntled employee of said service or maybe he is just having a bad day. Even the smallest of errors in the writing of the delivery address could be disastrous. Either way, while your mail is being delivered it is out of your control completely. That is exactly where the first mistake lay for the gang.
Back in 1908 when moving to Council Bluff a series of letters were delivered to the wrong mailbox. Upon being opened they were subsequently passed on to the relevant authorities. From that point forward it was just a waiting game for the police. Watching those involved, compiling a case against the swindlers that would be concrete enough to stick to all of those involved. This was the original letter that arouse suspicion was simply:
April 4, 1905 - Spokane Press
"Friend 39:
Owing to a change of administration here, we move to Council Bluffs, Iowa, where conditions are perfect.
Drop us a line and keep us posted as to your whereabouts.
With best wishes,
"735""
Around a year after the above letter was found and a little under six months following the first arrests, proceedings were now finally getting fully under way. The September 10, 1908 Wichita Times had originally printed this:
"WRESTLING MATCH AT WACO
Council Bluffs IA: September 23, 1909.
U.S. postal authorities indict wrestling figures Joe Carroll (aka Ole Marsh, J.C. Marsh) and Bert Warner (aka Bert Shores, Bert Thomas and Billy Maynard), plus 82 others, on charges of using the mail to fix sporting events. Carroll is indicted as George Marsh and, when sentenced to prison on these charges, will be known as William Marsh. He was one of the early managerial figures in the career of Frank Gotch and, upon release from prison, would assume the role of wrestling "trustbuster" for many years. The next night, in Seattle WA, Carroll/Marsh and Warner, who will be sentenced under the name "Bert Shores," are involved, along with promoter Jack Curley and Dr. B.F. Roller, in an incident at a wrestling show which will effectively "kill the game" for more than 20 years in Seattle."
The match involving Warner and Roller in Seattle, Washington took place on September 24, 1909. Warner apparently was not overly concerned about the charges being pressed against him as he simply laid down in the middle of the ring allowing Roller to get the victory. He then announced to the audience he and Roller had an agreement whereby Roller would be allowed to win two straight falls. A supposed legitimate contest then took place between the two which lasted an hour and nineteen minutes resulting in a Roller win anyway.
During late October 1909 a wrestler named Thomas Cay (Or Gay) is arrested in Fresno, California. It's noted in the Morning Republican newspaper that he was accosted by two secret service agents after he "swindled James Tierney, out of $10,000 on a fake wrestling match at New Orleans." His name would later come up as part of the Mabray Gang investigations. On October 21, 1909 Carroll, Warner & Winn were all deported to Iowa from Seattle due to the earlier indictments.
Fort Wayne, Indiana - December 18, 1909:
"ALLEGED SWINDLERS FACE TRIAL
Should Mabray or any of his pals secure their freedom in the federal court in Council Bluffs, they must answer to an indictment by the state grand jury in Omaha, and to indictments by the federal grand jury in Kansas and Arkansas."
Texas News Service Special - February 25, 1910:
"WRESTLING MATCH STOPPED
WACO, Tex. — A delegation of ministers representing all denominations headed by Rabbi Isaac Waraw appeared before the city commission today requesting the commission to prohibit the wrestling match next Tuesday between Mrs. Pons of Canada and Vincent Nicosia of this city. The commission authorized Mayor Baker to prepare an ordinance that forbids the exhibition, and to stop it."
There were months of arrests, indictments and suspicion cast on any wrestling event to take place, especially in the areas where those had been caught by authorities as can be seen above. Then finally it all came pouring out when the three men we started with let it all be known. Seattle Times, March 10, 1910:
"Penitentiary Doors Yawn for Joe Carroll
Joe Carroll and Bert Warner, well known in Seattle, and Wynn Harris, of Spokane, yesterday pleaded guilty at Council Bluffs, Iowa, to the charge of conspiracy to defraud, rather than stand trial in the federal court there.
There are about eighty members of the famous John C. Maybray (Sic) gang under indictment back there, and it is believed that others will plead guilty. Carroll, who was indicted under the name of George Marsh, is well known in Seattle. He came to the Northwest country more than ten years ago and gained an unenviable notoriety up in the Klondike region. He took Frank Gotch up there under the name of Kennedy, and a lot of trusting miners were plucked of their gold dust betting against Kennedy.
"Later, Gotch and Carroll stopped at Bellingham quite a while. Carroll was Gotch's manager and boosted him into the championship. After the wrestling game had been put on the blink in Bellingham, Gotch went East and Carroll came to Seattle.
"He had no part in any public matches around here until he took Dr. Roller under his wing, but there were rumors of fake matches pulled off in a little house on the shores of Union Bay.
"Carroll and Roller made good money in the wrestling game here, but when Roller went East he went alone and put himself under the management of Jack Curley in Chicago. Carroll then began a systematic campaign to discredit Roller and kill the wrestling game in Seattle"
This was a loud statement to make implicating Gotch in the scandals, he was currently the World Heavyweight Champion, but, it appears there was no backlash on him. You could read into it two things. Either he was completely innocent, or he was too well protected, it was noted at various points in the trial that the reach of the Mabray Gang went up into the heights of society, with many "respected" men implicated, some even arrested. And unfortunately for the wrestling game, this wasn't the end of the secrets being spilled.
Owing to a change of administration here, we move to Council Bluffs, Iowa, where conditions are perfect.
Drop us a line and keep us posted as to your whereabouts.
With best wishes,
"735""
Around a year after the above letter was found and a little under six months following the first arrests, proceedings were now finally getting fully under way. The September 10, 1908 Wichita Times had originally printed this:
"WRESTLING MATCH AT WACO
Council Bluffs IA: September 23, 1909.
U.S. postal authorities indict wrestling figures Joe Carroll (aka Ole Marsh, J.C. Marsh) and Bert Warner (aka Bert Shores, Bert Thomas and Billy Maynard), plus 82 others, on charges of using the mail to fix sporting events. Carroll is indicted as George Marsh and, when sentenced to prison on these charges, will be known as William Marsh. He was one of the early managerial figures in the career of Frank Gotch and, upon release from prison, would assume the role of wrestling "trustbuster" for many years. The next night, in Seattle WA, Carroll/Marsh and Warner, who will be sentenced under the name "Bert Shores," are involved, along with promoter Jack Curley and Dr. B.F. Roller, in an incident at a wrestling show which will effectively "kill the game" for more than 20 years in Seattle."
The match involving Warner and Roller in Seattle, Washington took place on September 24, 1909. Warner apparently was not overly concerned about the charges being pressed against him as he simply laid down in the middle of the ring allowing Roller to get the victory. He then announced to the audience he and Roller had an agreement whereby Roller would be allowed to win two straight falls. A supposed legitimate contest then took place between the two which lasted an hour and nineteen minutes resulting in a Roller win anyway.
During late October 1909 a wrestler named Thomas Cay (Or Gay) is arrested in Fresno, California. It's noted in the Morning Republican newspaper that he was accosted by two secret service agents after he "swindled James Tierney, out of $10,000 on a fake wrestling match at New Orleans." His name would later come up as part of the Mabray Gang investigations. On October 21, 1909 Carroll, Warner & Winn were all deported to Iowa from Seattle due to the earlier indictments.
Fort Wayne, Indiana - December 18, 1909:
"ALLEGED SWINDLERS FACE TRIAL
Should Mabray or any of his pals secure their freedom in the federal court in Council Bluffs, they must answer to an indictment by the state grand jury in Omaha, and to indictments by the federal grand jury in Kansas and Arkansas."
Texas News Service Special - February 25, 1910:
"WRESTLING MATCH STOPPED
WACO, Tex. — A delegation of ministers representing all denominations headed by Rabbi Isaac Waraw appeared before the city commission today requesting the commission to prohibit the wrestling match next Tuesday between Mrs. Pons of Canada and Vincent Nicosia of this city. The commission authorized Mayor Baker to prepare an ordinance that forbids the exhibition, and to stop it."
There were months of arrests, indictments and suspicion cast on any wrestling event to take place, especially in the areas where those had been caught by authorities as can be seen above. Then finally it all came pouring out when the three men we started with let it all be known. Seattle Times, March 10, 1910:
"Penitentiary Doors Yawn for Joe Carroll
Joe Carroll and Bert Warner, well known in Seattle, and Wynn Harris, of Spokane, yesterday pleaded guilty at Council Bluffs, Iowa, to the charge of conspiracy to defraud, rather than stand trial in the federal court there.
There are about eighty members of the famous John C. Maybray (Sic) gang under indictment back there, and it is believed that others will plead guilty. Carroll, who was indicted under the name of George Marsh, is well known in Seattle. He came to the Northwest country more than ten years ago and gained an unenviable notoriety up in the Klondike region. He took Frank Gotch up there under the name of Kennedy, and a lot of trusting miners were plucked of their gold dust betting against Kennedy.
"Later, Gotch and Carroll stopped at Bellingham quite a while. Carroll was Gotch's manager and boosted him into the championship. After the wrestling game had been put on the blink in Bellingham, Gotch went East and Carroll came to Seattle.
"He had no part in any public matches around here until he took Dr. Roller under his wing, but there were rumors of fake matches pulled off in a little house on the shores of Union Bay.
"Carroll and Roller made good money in the wrestling game here, but when Roller went East he went alone and put himself under the management of Jack Curley in Chicago. Carroll then began a systematic campaign to discredit Roller and kill the wrestling game in Seattle"
This was a loud statement to make implicating Gotch in the scandals, he was currently the World Heavyweight Champion, but, it appears there was no backlash on him. You could read into it two things. Either he was completely innocent, or he was too well protected, it was noted at various points in the trial that the reach of the Mabray Gang went up into the heights of society, with many "respected" men implicated, some even arrested. And unfortunately for the wrestling game, this wasn't the end of the secrets being spilled.
March 27, 1910 - Omaha Daily Bee
Washington Post, March 11, 1910:
"MABRAY CASE WITNESS TELLS OF FAKE WRESTLING MATCHES
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa, Mar. 10 — Testimony by four government witnesses was given today in the case of John C. Mabray and others, charged with conspiracy to defraud by unlawful use of the United States mails in promoting betting on fake sporting events. The witnesses were Tomas Gay, indicted with Mabray but who turned government witness, James Coon, of Owosso, Mich., and Ernest Fenby, a professional wrestler of Shepard, Mich., and C.A. Nelson, a victim of the swindling operations.
Details of the alleged operations of Mabray and his associates, known as the Millionaires' Club, in New Orleans, Denver, and Council Bluffs, were told with frankness. The sporting events, carried through by the "club," according to the witnesses, were so well planned that there was not a chance for the victims to escape. Losses ran from $2,000 to $37,000, according to the ability and willingness of the victim to contribute to the fraud, and aggregated several hundred thousand dollars.
Thomas Gay testified that he first met Mabray in New Orleans. Mabray was then associated with R.B. Harriman and Frank W. Brown, who are now fighting extradition in Los Angeles. Gay lived at Streator, Ill, where he had been a professional wrestler. He said that he induced James Tierney, of Streator, to go to New Orleans and bet on a wrestling match in January, 1908. Tierney lost $10,000 of which Gay received $2,500. He also told of being one of the wrestlers in a match in which a lumberman of St. Paul lost $2,500.
Ernest Fenby, who was defeated at Boston a few nights ago by [Stanislaus] Zbyszko, testified that he received letters from Council Bluffs written by Mabray, giving him information on fixed wrestling matches and horse races. He, with James Coon, a neighbor, interested three friends who lost $14,000 on wrestling matches.
He explained how a bladder full of blood was caused to burst in his opponent's mouth at a critical moment. Then the latter would roll over and assume a diving condition. This was the ruse to break up the match. Then everybody scattered to prevent arrest. Fenby testified to having worked this trick three times.
Coon later went on the stand and confirmed Fenby's testimony. Coon is employed by a beet sugar company at Owosso, Mich. He said he was first asked to become an accomplice while husking corn near Alma, Mich.
Nelson, a farmer living at Alma, Mich., was a victim to the extent of $3,000. He told how it all happened. He started out for "a bit of sport" and ended up without a cent. A "steerer" then gave him a ticket for home."
Mabray himself and 14 of his members (Leon Lozier, Thom S. Robinson, Willard Powell, Clarence Class, Edward Leach, Edward K. Morris (colored), Clarence Forbes, Harry Forbes, Frank Scott, Ed McCoy, Winford S. Harris, Bert R. Shores and William (Ole) Marsh) were found guilty on March 21, 1910. The following was said of the arrest and the workings of the group. Washington Post, March 21, 1910:
"CELLS FOR SWINDLERS
The success of the government in bringing the defendants to trial was largely due to the capture, when Mabray was arrested, of a trunk found in his home, which, it was later ascertained, contained a complete documentary record of the transactions of the combination for a period of four years. A loose leaf pocket ledger was one of the documents thus secured. It contained the names and addresses of over 200 persons who had acted as go-betweens in various transactions. They lived in nearly every state.
There were fourteen branches in various parts of the country, all operated from one city. The headquarters was moved from time to time as the leaders came under surveillance by the authorities.
Foot racing, wrestling, prize fighting, horse racing, and wire tapping were the specialties offered victims on which to make "easy money." The victim usually was first approached by an actual friend who had been previously solicited by a regular "steerer," as he was known.
In most instances, representations were made that the "steerer" had a cousin who was secretary to a coterie of men of great wealth, who were traveling over the country for pleasure. The victim was told that this "secretary" was angry at some ill-treatment and had undertaken to swindle his employers out of a large sum of money. The victim was invited to assist, and when he accepted was in turn swindled on a sporting event which proved to be "fixed" against him instead of in his favor."
As if the curtain was not already being pulled back enough. A gentleman gave his account of exactly what happened in his meeting with them. He mentions a "Burns" as having a gun there, one can only assume it is the Martin "Farmer" Burns, although I can't say that for definite. Washington Post, March 26, 1910:
"BIGGEST SWINDLE ON RECORD
O.O. Newberry, of Argyle, Iowa, described himself as a horseman of 40 years' standing. He smiled all through his testimony. Speaking of a wrestling match, he said:
"We had it all framed up when I got to thinking it all over," said Newberry. "I was 62 years old then, and that was the first time in my life that I was mixed up in anything like that. I couldn't sleep nor eat. So the night 'fore it was to come off, I got up at 12 o'clock and went down to the 'millionaires' private car. I was determined to stop it. I saw some one at the depot that siad they wasn't in, so I had to give up. Ed Leach, that defendant sitting over yonder, lost the wrestling match to Gorman, and my money was lost. After the match, the millionaires got together and talked it over.
"Then one of them comes to me and says, 'Old man, we like your style; you're a fine fellow and we want to give you another chance. But you'll have to put up $10,000 this time.
"They told me they liked my face and I told 'em I liked it myself.
"'We bar Farmer Burns or Gotch, but you can bring on a good wrestler all right for the $10,000 go,' says one orf the 'millionaires.'
"We got a hold of a wrestler called 'the Greek Demon.' Maxwell he picked him out.
"We got right back to Wilkes-Barre and got down to business.
"The Greek had it framed to me that it would be better for him to lose the first fall.
"We don't lose any falls at all this time, I says. You see, I had $10,000 up this time.
"But the Greek lost the first fall; then on the second he clapped Gorman down hard.
"Burns, one of the millionaires, took out a gun as long as my arm and throws it down on Gorman. 'You lose another fall and you're a dead one,' says Burns. I seen right there that I'd either be out $10,000 or have a corpse on my hands. When it was all over I wasn't trouble with any corpses or any money, either."
"Now, how much did you lose?" asked assistant district attorney Stewart.
"Thirteen thousand and expenses.""
From that account it shows that there was very possibly an even darker side to the wrestlers mixed up in the Mabray gang affairs rather than just fixing the matches. Before we go back to the gang though, There is this article that came up regarding a man mentioned earlier, Dr. Benjamin Franklin Roller. The Seattle Times, August 9, 1910:
"HINDU HUGS ROLLER SO HARD HE CRACKS TWO OF HIS RIBS
Dr. Roller had two ribs broken in his match with Gama, the Indian wrestler, Monday.
‘Doc’ is the real unfortunate kid. Every time he loses a match the report follows that he has broken a rib, dislocated a shoulder, developed an abscess or sprung a new crop of boils. Defeat affects him strangely, but he recuperates quickly when there is another match in sight…
He must have caught a Tartar Monday in this Gama man. Roller had a big advantage in height and weight, yet this smoked Hindu man not only threw him two falls in less than two minutes, but crushed two of his ribs during the operation…
Some live promoter will be sleeping on the job if he does not bring Gama over here for a campaign, with Gotch reserved for the last man… Now if Gama will come over here and toss three or four men, it is a cinch that he would pull a big house when he is matched with Gotch.
It is almost as equally certain that Gotch will flatten him like a gob of mud on a puncheon floor."
The tone of that article says it all really. Roller was known for using injury as part of his act. Something that had been done as early as the 1870's with guys like the Andre and Lucien Marc Christol. The idea was for him to feign an injury during the match and then continue on fighting, earning the crowds respect and admiration. There would be no surprise if the skeptical outlook of this journalist isn't very well deserved.
As for the idea that the Great Gama was not above fixing contests, well, that is a whole article in itself. Even if only two of his biggest matches are covered with Stanislaus Zbyszko. For now though, there was one more big name to be arrested in the wrestling world. Once again it was a man who at one time had had close ties with both Frank Gotch and Martin "Farmer" Burns. Stevens Point Journal, September 3, 1910:
"MABRAY CASE WITNESS TELLS OF FAKE WRESTLING MATCHES
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa, Mar. 10 — Testimony by four government witnesses was given today in the case of John C. Mabray and others, charged with conspiracy to defraud by unlawful use of the United States mails in promoting betting on fake sporting events. The witnesses were Tomas Gay, indicted with Mabray but who turned government witness, James Coon, of Owosso, Mich., and Ernest Fenby, a professional wrestler of Shepard, Mich., and C.A. Nelson, a victim of the swindling operations.
Details of the alleged operations of Mabray and his associates, known as the Millionaires' Club, in New Orleans, Denver, and Council Bluffs, were told with frankness. The sporting events, carried through by the "club," according to the witnesses, were so well planned that there was not a chance for the victims to escape. Losses ran from $2,000 to $37,000, according to the ability and willingness of the victim to contribute to the fraud, and aggregated several hundred thousand dollars.
Thomas Gay testified that he first met Mabray in New Orleans. Mabray was then associated with R.B. Harriman and Frank W. Brown, who are now fighting extradition in Los Angeles. Gay lived at Streator, Ill, where he had been a professional wrestler. He said that he induced James Tierney, of Streator, to go to New Orleans and bet on a wrestling match in January, 1908. Tierney lost $10,000 of which Gay received $2,500. He also told of being one of the wrestlers in a match in which a lumberman of St. Paul lost $2,500.
Ernest Fenby, who was defeated at Boston a few nights ago by [Stanislaus] Zbyszko, testified that he received letters from Council Bluffs written by Mabray, giving him information on fixed wrestling matches and horse races. He, with James Coon, a neighbor, interested three friends who lost $14,000 on wrestling matches.
He explained how a bladder full of blood was caused to burst in his opponent's mouth at a critical moment. Then the latter would roll over and assume a diving condition. This was the ruse to break up the match. Then everybody scattered to prevent arrest. Fenby testified to having worked this trick three times.
Coon later went on the stand and confirmed Fenby's testimony. Coon is employed by a beet sugar company at Owosso, Mich. He said he was first asked to become an accomplice while husking corn near Alma, Mich.
Nelson, a farmer living at Alma, Mich., was a victim to the extent of $3,000. He told how it all happened. He started out for "a bit of sport" and ended up without a cent. A "steerer" then gave him a ticket for home."
Mabray himself and 14 of his members (Leon Lozier, Thom S. Robinson, Willard Powell, Clarence Class, Edward Leach, Edward K. Morris (colored), Clarence Forbes, Harry Forbes, Frank Scott, Ed McCoy, Winford S. Harris, Bert R. Shores and William (Ole) Marsh) were found guilty on March 21, 1910. The following was said of the arrest and the workings of the group. Washington Post, March 21, 1910:
"CELLS FOR SWINDLERS
The success of the government in bringing the defendants to trial was largely due to the capture, when Mabray was arrested, of a trunk found in his home, which, it was later ascertained, contained a complete documentary record of the transactions of the combination for a period of four years. A loose leaf pocket ledger was one of the documents thus secured. It contained the names and addresses of over 200 persons who had acted as go-betweens in various transactions. They lived in nearly every state.
There were fourteen branches in various parts of the country, all operated from one city. The headquarters was moved from time to time as the leaders came under surveillance by the authorities.
Foot racing, wrestling, prize fighting, horse racing, and wire tapping were the specialties offered victims on which to make "easy money." The victim usually was first approached by an actual friend who had been previously solicited by a regular "steerer," as he was known.
In most instances, representations were made that the "steerer" had a cousin who was secretary to a coterie of men of great wealth, who were traveling over the country for pleasure. The victim was told that this "secretary" was angry at some ill-treatment and had undertaken to swindle his employers out of a large sum of money. The victim was invited to assist, and when he accepted was in turn swindled on a sporting event which proved to be "fixed" against him instead of in his favor."
As if the curtain was not already being pulled back enough. A gentleman gave his account of exactly what happened in his meeting with them. He mentions a "Burns" as having a gun there, one can only assume it is the Martin "Farmer" Burns, although I can't say that for definite. Washington Post, March 26, 1910:
"BIGGEST SWINDLE ON RECORD
O.O. Newberry, of Argyle, Iowa, described himself as a horseman of 40 years' standing. He smiled all through his testimony. Speaking of a wrestling match, he said:
"We had it all framed up when I got to thinking it all over," said Newberry. "I was 62 years old then, and that was the first time in my life that I was mixed up in anything like that. I couldn't sleep nor eat. So the night 'fore it was to come off, I got up at 12 o'clock and went down to the 'millionaires' private car. I was determined to stop it. I saw some one at the depot that siad they wasn't in, so I had to give up. Ed Leach, that defendant sitting over yonder, lost the wrestling match to Gorman, and my money was lost. After the match, the millionaires got together and talked it over.
"Then one of them comes to me and says, 'Old man, we like your style; you're a fine fellow and we want to give you another chance. But you'll have to put up $10,000 this time.
"They told me they liked my face and I told 'em I liked it myself.
"'We bar Farmer Burns or Gotch, but you can bring on a good wrestler all right for the $10,000 go,' says one orf the 'millionaires.'
"We got a hold of a wrestler called 'the Greek Demon.' Maxwell he picked him out.
"We got right back to Wilkes-Barre and got down to business.
"The Greek had it framed to me that it would be better for him to lose the first fall.
"We don't lose any falls at all this time, I says. You see, I had $10,000 up this time.
"But the Greek lost the first fall; then on the second he clapped Gorman down hard.
"Burns, one of the millionaires, took out a gun as long as my arm and throws it down on Gorman. 'You lose another fall and you're a dead one,' says Burns. I seen right there that I'd either be out $10,000 or have a corpse on my hands. When it was all over I wasn't trouble with any corpses or any money, either."
"Now, how much did you lose?" asked assistant district attorney Stewart.
"Thirteen thousand and expenses.""
From that account it shows that there was very possibly an even darker side to the wrestlers mixed up in the Mabray gang affairs rather than just fixing the matches. Before we go back to the gang though, There is this article that came up regarding a man mentioned earlier, Dr. Benjamin Franklin Roller. The Seattle Times, August 9, 1910:
"HINDU HUGS ROLLER SO HARD HE CRACKS TWO OF HIS RIBS
Dr. Roller had two ribs broken in his match with Gama, the Indian wrestler, Monday.
‘Doc’ is the real unfortunate kid. Every time he loses a match the report follows that he has broken a rib, dislocated a shoulder, developed an abscess or sprung a new crop of boils. Defeat affects him strangely, but he recuperates quickly when there is another match in sight…
He must have caught a Tartar Monday in this Gama man. Roller had a big advantage in height and weight, yet this smoked Hindu man not only threw him two falls in less than two minutes, but crushed two of his ribs during the operation…
Some live promoter will be sleeping on the job if he does not bring Gama over here for a campaign, with Gotch reserved for the last man… Now if Gama will come over here and toss three or four men, it is a cinch that he would pull a big house when he is matched with Gotch.
It is almost as equally certain that Gotch will flatten him like a gob of mud on a puncheon floor."
The tone of that article says it all really. Roller was known for using injury as part of his act. Something that had been done as early as the 1870's with guys like the Andre and Lucien Marc Christol. The idea was for him to feign an injury during the match and then continue on fighting, earning the crowds respect and admiration. There would be no surprise if the skeptical outlook of this journalist isn't very well deserved.
As for the idea that the Great Gama was not above fixing contests, well, that is a whole article in itself. Even if only two of his biggest matches are covered with Stanislaus Zbyszko. For now though, there was one more big name to be arrested in the wrestling world. Once again it was a man who at one time had had close ties with both Frank Gotch and Martin "Farmer" Burns. Stevens Point Journal, September 3, 1910:
May 8, 1899 - St. Paul Globe
"JACK CARKEEK ARRESTED IN SAN FRANCISCO AS PART OF MABRAY GANG
Jack Carkeek, the wrestler, formerly a resident of Waupaca when employed as a detective by the old Wisconsin Central Railway Co., has, according to a dispatch from San Francisco, been arrested there under the name of John Fletcher, as a member of the Mabray gang of swindlers, and turned over to the federal authorities. Carkeek is alleged to have been the wrestler of the gang, and to have taken part in fake matches that netted them thousands of dollars.
Carkeek is almost as well known in Stevens Point as though he had made his home here, having visited the city on a number of occasions for long periods. He was at one time champion of the world at the Cornish style of wrestling, though he was a good performer at catch-as-catch-can and Graeco-Roman. A fit of illness caused him to retire from the mat during the earlier part of his career and he was for many years in the employ of the Wisconsin Central.
When Hali Adali, the giant Turk, invaded this country about a decade back, Carkeek returned to the wrestling game and won a handicap match from the Turk in Milwaukee, the latter failing to throw him three times in ninety minutes. The match put the game in bad odor in Milwaukee, it being claimed that the Oriental deliberately allowed his opponent to stick out the time.
The Mabray gang of swindlers, with whom Carkeek is alleged to have been connected, has figured in the courts on numerous occasions, and is said to have secured over a million dollars within a few years through the fake foot races, wrestling and boxing bouts. It is said to be headed by a man who can fitly be termed the 'Napoleon of Crime.'"
According to 'Yellow Kid' Weil, Carkeek spent twenty-eight months in prison from the time of his arrest and that he was acquitted when a judge threw the case out following the lead prosecutor led with the approach of a plea to find Carkeek, Weil, "Hot Springs" Ryan, and the "Honey Grove Kid" guilty on the basis that the court had already found their associates guilty. The judge's response:
"I do not choose to cultivate wings and a halo on the other hand nor horns and hooves and swinging tails on the other. It is a case of the pot calling the kettle black. Bailiff, make wide the windows. Let this foul air out of the courtroom. Case dismissed!"
The whole attitude towards wrestling was greatly effected by all of this publicity surrounding the massive scandal, not that you'd expect anything different. With Carkeek's trial being thrown out it marked the end of the heavy Mabray gang wrestling related media attention. The court cases facing the Mabray gang would continue for many, many more months though. With the inner workings being splattered across the newspapers for two years though, the talk was not going to end there as far as possible "Fakirs At Work." Here are two examples shortly after the Carkeek closure.
Seattle Times, September 11, 1910:
"LITTLE REAL CROOKEDNESS IN THE WRESTLING GAME NOW.
The only way to enjoy a wrestling match is to forget to place a bet on it – and then the moral status of it will never worry one much. And besides, to the loser, the event is always a frame-up.
And what, pray, makes crooked wrestling? The betting? Very seldom… [The wrestler’s] idea of business is to get his guarantee or percentage and let it go at that. But sometimes there is a reason – a very good one. And crookedness may be the desire of a capable wrestler to give the fans a run for their money."
Lethbridge Daily Herald, November 24, 1910:
"The wrestling trust is boycotting Mahmont, the Turkish grappler. Breaking away from his old manager he refuses to “frame” any more matches. Mat exhibitions are nearly all fixed. Square matches are the exception."
Also in the newspaper column which was called, Brief and Breezy, was this explanation of what a hippodrome was:
"A hippodrome between two clever grapplers is more exciting and spectacular than a genuine contest. When the wrestlers break holds, shake their fists in each other’s faces and play to the gallery they furnish more sport than when they wrestle in deadly earnest."
When you read those three excerpts, especially the third one it is shocking to how close it resembles something that could have been said on a news report any time in the last thirty years. With guys like Yussiff Mahmout Bert Warner and Joe Carroll (Ole Marsh, etc.) all admitting to hippodroming and Dr. Benjamin F. Roller and Jack Carkeek both having fairly strong allegiances with the gang as well as numerous claims against them, even if neither were found guilty or admitting so, the chances that most of the biggest names in wrestling were either still or at one time had been a part of the swindling game.
Carroll and Carkeek both spent a lot of time in England where promoter Charles B. Cochran shared the secrets of wrestling under his management. Both men had been very close with Frank Gotch and Martin "Farmer" Burns, as we saw a "Burns" was brought up by a witness in the courts. It was Carroll who had taken Gotch on his controversial tour under the guise of "Frank Kennedy" which also came up in court. The two men pretty much had associates through-out the wrestling world as well as being very close to each other in business interests.
Mahmout was a player who had done the normal foreign monster thing. He'd been built up only to be conquered in the end by Gotch. So, his words could be taken seriously or they could be shrugged off as just an unhappy wrestler no longer in the big picture. Roller on the other-hand was a long term associate of, you guessed it, Gotch and Burns. A wrestler who really embraced being a showman whether he was working matches or actually competing. He understood that to talk to the audience and get them to care about him one way or another would help ticket sales in the future. More will be looked at with Roller another time though. He is worthy of an article of his own.
With all the wrestlers that could be connected to the guys mentioned in this article the mind could begin to boggle at the though of if any of professional wrestling prior to World War I was on the level other than a few genuine contests which either got out of hand or the two wrestlers involved just really didn't like each other. Carroll and Carkeek alone had connections to people such as "Strangler" Evan Lewis, Ernest Roeber, Dan McLeod, Tom Jenkins and Duncan A. McMillan. Not to mention so many others.
Of course we're back to speculation now, but, the possibilities are very real. As these articles slowly build-up it becomes ever more clear how names seem to reoccur. Normally if they're mentioned once, they're mentioned again and again and again. As it says at the beginning of every article, "We may never know for sure," but, to me the information is there to be interpreted and every person is capable of coming to their own conclusion. For me, there's no doubt the just under 100 men arrested were only the tip of the iceberg in terms of who was actually involved in all aspects of the Mabray Gang.
One paper said there were 200 names alone for runners that covered nearly every state. Just imagine how many athletes had to be involved in the various supports to require that many runners. There was a "Greek Demon" mentioned also, a nickname used by William Demetral, he would go on to pass the torch to a young Jim Londos making him the number one Greek wrestler in America as well as having many matches with the young Ed "Strangler" Lewis and others. As did Roller and they were two of the wrestlers who capitalized greatly from the completely worked style of wrestling that was instituted in the 1920's.
Jack Carkeek, the wrestler, formerly a resident of Waupaca when employed as a detective by the old Wisconsin Central Railway Co., has, according to a dispatch from San Francisco, been arrested there under the name of John Fletcher, as a member of the Mabray gang of swindlers, and turned over to the federal authorities. Carkeek is alleged to have been the wrestler of the gang, and to have taken part in fake matches that netted them thousands of dollars.
Carkeek is almost as well known in Stevens Point as though he had made his home here, having visited the city on a number of occasions for long periods. He was at one time champion of the world at the Cornish style of wrestling, though he was a good performer at catch-as-catch-can and Graeco-Roman. A fit of illness caused him to retire from the mat during the earlier part of his career and he was for many years in the employ of the Wisconsin Central.
When Hali Adali, the giant Turk, invaded this country about a decade back, Carkeek returned to the wrestling game and won a handicap match from the Turk in Milwaukee, the latter failing to throw him three times in ninety minutes. The match put the game in bad odor in Milwaukee, it being claimed that the Oriental deliberately allowed his opponent to stick out the time.
The Mabray gang of swindlers, with whom Carkeek is alleged to have been connected, has figured in the courts on numerous occasions, and is said to have secured over a million dollars within a few years through the fake foot races, wrestling and boxing bouts. It is said to be headed by a man who can fitly be termed the 'Napoleon of Crime.'"
According to 'Yellow Kid' Weil, Carkeek spent twenty-eight months in prison from the time of his arrest and that he was acquitted when a judge threw the case out following the lead prosecutor led with the approach of a plea to find Carkeek, Weil, "Hot Springs" Ryan, and the "Honey Grove Kid" guilty on the basis that the court had already found their associates guilty. The judge's response:
"I do not choose to cultivate wings and a halo on the other hand nor horns and hooves and swinging tails on the other. It is a case of the pot calling the kettle black. Bailiff, make wide the windows. Let this foul air out of the courtroom. Case dismissed!"
The whole attitude towards wrestling was greatly effected by all of this publicity surrounding the massive scandal, not that you'd expect anything different. With Carkeek's trial being thrown out it marked the end of the heavy Mabray gang wrestling related media attention. The court cases facing the Mabray gang would continue for many, many more months though. With the inner workings being splattered across the newspapers for two years though, the talk was not going to end there as far as possible "Fakirs At Work." Here are two examples shortly after the Carkeek closure.
Seattle Times, September 11, 1910:
"LITTLE REAL CROOKEDNESS IN THE WRESTLING GAME NOW.
The only way to enjoy a wrestling match is to forget to place a bet on it – and then the moral status of it will never worry one much. And besides, to the loser, the event is always a frame-up.
And what, pray, makes crooked wrestling? The betting? Very seldom… [The wrestler’s] idea of business is to get his guarantee or percentage and let it go at that. But sometimes there is a reason – a very good one. And crookedness may be the desire of a capable wrestler to give the fans a run for their money."
Lethbridge Daily Herald, November 24, 1910:
"The wrestling trust is boycotting Mahmont, the Turkish grappler. Breaking away from his old manager he refuses to “frame” any more matches. Mat exhibitions are nearly all fixed. Square matches are the exception."
Also in the newspaper column which was called, Brief and Breezy, was this explanation of what a hippodrome was:
"A hippodrome between two clever grapplers is more exciting and spectacular than a genuine contest. When the wrestlers break holds, shake their fists in each other’s faces and play to the gallery they furnish more sport than when they wrestle in deadly earnest."
When you read those three excerpts, especially the third one it is shocking to how close it resembles something that could have been said on a news report any time in the last thirty years. With guys like Yussiff Mahmout Bert Warner and Joe Carroll (Ole Marsh, etc.) all admitting to hippodroming and Dr. Benjamin F. Roller and Jack Carkeek both having fairly strong allegiances with the gang as well as numerous claims against them, even if neither were found guilty or admitting so, the chances that most of the biggest names in wrestling were either still or at one time had been a part of the swindling game.
Carroll and Carkeek both spent a lot of time in England where promoter Charles B. Cochran shared the secrets of wrestling under his management. Both men had been very close with Frank Gotch and Martin "Farmer" Burns, as we saw a "Burns" was brought up by a witness in the courts. It was Carroll who had taken Gotch on his controversial tour under the guise of "Frank Kennedy" which also came up in court. The two men pretty much had associates through-out the wrestling world as well as being very close to each other in business interests.
Mahmout was a player who had done the normal foreign monster thing. He'd been built up only to be conquered in the end by Gotch. So, his words could be taken seriously or they could be shrugged off as just an unhappy wrestler no longer in the big picture. Roller on the other-hand was a long term associate of, you guessed it, Gotch and Burns. A wrestler who really embraced being a showman whether he was working matches or actually competing. He understood that to talk to the audience and get them to care about him one way or another would help ticket sales in the future. More will be looked at with Roller another time though. He is worthy of an article of his own.
With all the wrestlers that could be connected to the guys mentioned in this article the mind could begin to boggle at the though of if any of professional wrestling prior to World War I was on the level other than a few genuine contests which either got out of hand or the two wrestlers involved just really didn't like each other. Carroll and Carkeek alone had connections to people such as "Strangler" Evan Lewis, Ernest Roeber, Dan McLeod, Tom Jenkins and Duncan A. McMillan. Not to mention so many others.
Of course we're back to speculation now, but, the possibilities are very real. As these articles slowly build-up it becomes ever more clear how names seem to reoccur. Normally if they're mentioned once, they're mentioned again and again and again. As it says at the beginning of every article, "We may never know for sure," but, to me the information is there to be interpreted and every person is capable of coming to their own conclusion. For me, there's no doubt the just under 100 men arrested were only the tip of the iceberg in terms of who was actually involved in all aspects of the Mabray Gang.
One paper said there were 200 names alone for runners that covered nearly every state. Just imagine how many athletes had to be involved in the various supports to require that many runners. There was a "Greek Demon" mentioned also, a nickname used by William Demetral, he would go on to pass the torch to a young Jim Londos making him the number one Greek wrestler in America as well as having many matches with the young Ed "Strangler" Lewis and others. As did Roller and they were two of the wrestlers who capitalized greatly from the completely worked style of wrestling that was instituted in the 1920's.
Unique content strictly for the Professional Wrestling Historical Society.
Fakirs At Work: Chapter Seven.
Author: Jimmy Wheeler.
Published: May 22, 2015.
Article: #91.
Editor: Jimmy Wheeler.
Fakirs At Work: Chapter Seven.
Author: Jimmy Wheeler.
Published: May 22, 2015.
Article: #91.
Editor: Jimmy Wheeler.
My initial attention and a couple of the newspapers quotes came to my attention through the excellent website Blonger Bros. Blog. For further information on the actual scale of the Mabray gang and the larger more impact filled Blonger Brothers criminal syndicate I could recommend no other website.
Fakirs At Work: Chapter Six - Read Here.
Other articles by Jimmy can be Read Here.