Three alleged card sharps were arrested in Fort Wayne on Jan. 18, 1934, when their intended target was taken to withdraw his savings.
Two of the men convinced the target that they were going to con the third man with a stacked deck. Thinking he was going to win big, the potential victim headed off to get more cash for the game in a local hotel room.
The three Detroit men were caught in the con after sheriff deputies and police officers took note of them and thought they were perhaps planning a downtown robbery.
The full story about the arrests from the Jan. 19, 1934, edition of °®¶¹app appears below.
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"Nab Card Sharps Taking Victim to Draw Out Savings for Game," Jan. 19, 1934
Three alleged card sharps, arrested here Thursday evening, were apprehended while taking their intended victim to the post office to draw money from his postal savings account, it was revealed in city court Friday. They are held under bonds of $2,000 each, charged with obtaining money by false pretense and loitering.
Those under arrest are Henry Allen Grady, alias Harry Graham, 37; Chalude (Frisco O'Grady, 31; and Wilbur Blue, alias Oscar Depoint, 28, all of Detroit, Mich.
The men were apprehended after their actions attracted the attention of Deputy Sheriffs Charles Coulardot and Harold Albersmyer. They called police and Detective Sgts. Myron Clements, Harry Lininger, Walter Bernhardt and Richard Barrett joined the deputies.
At first it was believed the men planned to commit a downtown robbery and extra police were dispatched to apprehend them.
When arrested Grady held a poker hand containing four kings. The cards were in his pocket. Their intended victim, Chester Gillion, held a full house, aces on treys. The men carried the cards in their pockets.
Gilliom said they had been playing poker in a local hotel room and that he had lost $18. Grady left the room for a minute and the dealer told Gilliom that he would help him get back his money so he dealt the stacked hand. Gilliom with a pat hand thought he had a sure winner so he started for the post office to draw out his savings. O'Grady accompanied him to the post office. O'Grady was arrested outside the post office and Gilliom was found inside the builiding. Grady and Blue were arrested at the hotel.
Albersmyer and Coulardot first noticed the automobile in which the three men were riding. They parked the car on Harrison street near Lewis street and two ran into the alley in the rear of the Emboyd theater, while a third walked toward Calhoun street on Jefferson street.
Believing the men to be bandits they called police. When the detectives joined the deputies they saw one of the men accompanied by Gillion heading for the post office.
Gilliom said that he had been to the post office to deposit some money and when he came out Grady approached him and asked if there was a burlesque show in town. While they were talking Blue approached them and Grady asked where they could find entertainment. Blue suggested going to the hotel room and Grady pulled out what appeared to be a large roll of bills, saying he had $1,000 and would give each man $10 if they arranged the party.
The entered the hotel and were joined by O'Grady and the poker game was started. Grady's "large roll" contained a $2 bill wrapped around a large roll of paper.
Judge Bert A. Fagan continued the charges against the men until January 24. They admitted to police that they had been arrested before.
