Lou Blonger
Lou Blonger was a notorious figure in early 20th-century American crime, known for his role as a mastermind behind a vast network of swindlers. Born in 1853 in New England and later moving to Wisconsin, Blonger experienced a challenging early life marked by family hardship. After serving as a musician in the Civil War, he ventured into business with his brother, eventually moving to Denver, where he became deeply involved in organized crime. Blonger orchestrated a variety of fraudulent schemes, including rigged gambling and elaborate scams targeting wealthy tourists, accumulating significant wealth through deception.
His influence extended into local politics, where he bribed officials to secure protection for his operations. In the early 1920s, Denver District Attorney Philip Van Cise initiated a thorough investigation into Blonger's activities, gathering enough evidence to secure his arrest. Although he posted bail, Blonger was convicted of conspiracy to commit fraud in 1923 and sentenced to a lengthy prison term. His story captured public interest, becoming a part of local lore, often romanticized despite the serious nature of his crimes. Blonger died in prison less than a year later, leaving behind a controversial legacy that highlights the complexities of crime and corruption in that era.
Subject Terms
Lou Blonger
American swindler
- Born: May 13, 1849
- Birthplace: Swanton, Vermont
- Died: April 20, 1924
- Place of death: Cañon City, Colorado
Major offenses: Fraud and theft
Active: 1880’s through 1922
Locale: Denver, Colorado
Sentence: Seven to ten years in prison
Early Life
Lou Blonger (BLAHN-guhr), who altered his surname’s spelling, was the son of Simon Peter Belonger and Judith Kennedy Belonger. In 1853, Blonger moved from New England to Shullsburg, Wisconsin, with his family. Chores often disrupted his schooling. Blonger’s mother died when he was ten. On May 10, 1864, Blonger enlisted as a musician for Company B of the 142nd Illinois Regiment, injuring his left leg during a march.
After being discharged, Blonger accompanied his older brother, Samuel Blonger, to several Western states. They established the Blonger Brothers partnership, operating saloons and billiard halls wherever they lived. In Albuquerque, New Mexico, Blonger assisted his brother, who was the town marshal. He submitted a disability pension application in 1887, claiming his wartime injury prevented him from working, before moving to Denver and investing in nearby mines.
Criminal Career
A skilled confidence man, Blonger began swindling people when he was a young man, stealing millions of dollars during his lifetime. He rigged gambling associated with his brother’s racehorses, fixed elections, and cheated at poker. By the late 1890’s, Blonger controlled most of Denver’s politicians and law enforcement officials, who protected Blonger and his associates in exchange for money and favors. Blonger intimidated rival thieves unless they allied with him.
Blonger masterminded a scheme targeting tourists in Colorado, vacation areas along U.S. coasts, and Cuba. No longer directly scamming people, Blonger supervised approximately five hundred criminals who victimized wealthy tourists by befriending and convincing them to invest large amounts at Blonger’s phony stock exchange. As the head swindler, Blonger received half of stolen monies.
Legal Action and Outcome
Denver district attorney Philip Van Cise, who had refused Blonger’s campaign contribution, vowed to gather irrefutable evidence to prove Blonger’s swindling crimes. Law-abiding citizens gave Van Cise funds to allow him to investigate Blonger independently of law officers the suspect had influenced.
Van Cise hired detectives to put recording devices in Blonger’s office chandelier, secured records concerning telegrams and phone calls he received, and arranged for janitors to save his trash. After collecting sufficient proof, including Blonger’s notebook filled with contact information, Van Cise directed state rangers to arrest Blonger and his cohorts.
On August 24, 1922, rangers apprehended Blonger and thirty-three of his men, holding them in a local church because Van Cise distrusted jail workers, whom Blonger might have bribed. Blonger paid his twenty-five-thousand-dollar bond and was released.
The trial for Blonger and nineteen associates charged with crimes began on February 5, 1923. After six weeks of testimony, Blonger was convicted of being a conspirator to fraud on March 28, 1923. Refusing Blonger’s request for a new trial, Judge George F. Dunklee sentenced him to a seven-to ten-year prison term on June 1, 1923. Because Blonger’s health had weakened, he stayed in the Denver County jail until October 18, 1923, when he was transferred to the Cañon City, Colorado, penitentiary.
Impact
Lou Blonger’s criminal network affected people in the United States and internationally. Newspapers nationwide covered his trial, emphasizing Blonger’s unique role as the mastermind of the largest gang of crooks in U.S. history at that time. Many of Blonger’s supporters, including law enforcement personnel, were enraged by his conviction. Blonger became a popular character in local lore, which often romanticized his exploits and fabricated biographical information.
Denied both a pardon and parole, Blonger died within a year of being incarcerated. His will instructed his lawyers to continue demanding that the state supreme court contemplate an appeal to overturn Blonger’s guilty verdict. Several victims, Van Cise, and the government successfully secured funds from Blonger’s estate.
Bibliography
Hyde, Stephen, and Geno Zanetti, eds. Players: Con Men, Hustlers, Gamblers, and Scam Artists. New York: Thunder’s Mouth Press, 2002. Anthology contains several nonfiction essays examining the mind-set and strategies of swindlers.
Murphy, Jan. Outlaw Tales of Colorado: True Stories of Colorado’s Notorious Robbers, Rustlers, and Bandits. Guilford, Conn.: The Globe Pequot Press, 2006. Includes a chapter featuring Blonger, detailing his confidence scheme involving a mock stock exchange and techniques his swindlers used.
Van Cise, Philip S. Fighting the Underworld. 1936. Reprint. New York: Greenwood Press, 1968. Written by the district attorney who prosecuted Blonger, with photos of people, sites, and evidence. Includes glossary and appendix of investigators, financial supporters, and Blonger’s crooks.