Rather than swallow his losses or wait for the police to investigate, norfleet decided to travel the united states wherever necessary to track down his swindlers and exact some sort of nonphysical retribution. Frank norfleet, rancher and selfappointed detective, the first of six. He served as foreman for 20 years on the spade ranch. Frank norfleet 20, hardcover at the best online prices at ebay. Frank norfleet to track down a gang of confidence men who swindled him out of everything he had. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading norfleet. Frank norfleet, a typical west texas rancher, and his fouryear, transcontinental chase after a gang of international swindlers. Hopefully, there will likewise always be men like j. The mark inside and millions of other books are available for instant access. A texas rancher col j frank norfleet, cousin to gen robert e. Mar 29, 2012 one day in november, 1919, a man named j. Frank norfleet was typical of many of the early day cattle ranchers in texas in that he had an atypical work ethic and determination, even for those laborious times.
If you cant avoid it, avenge it when con men took off with texas rancher j. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Frank norfleet lost everything he had in a stock market swindle. Frank norfleet, a typical west texas rancher, and hi. Frank norfleet, deputy sheriff, of hale center, texas, left, and. Frank norfleets fortune, he turned con man himself in the hopes of. Ive had more mail from readers about this pesky detail than about anything else in the book. Orange cloth boards, illustrations, decorations and title on cover and spine. I just added j frank norfleet to the famous people from hale county hes a hale county rancher and farmer who at age 55 became a famous manhunter who captured a gang of conmen who had swindled him. He was born in lampasas county in 1865 while his father was fighting indians on the frontier with the texas rangers. Instead of crawling back home in shame, he vowed to hunt down the five men who had conned him.
In the opening chapter, reading outlines in detail the psychological manipulations that led norfleet to fall for the swindle, and she follows with a. Reading builds her book around the life story of j frank norfleet, a softspoken, thrifty texas rancher who built his fortune up from nothing, only to lose it all to a gang of swindlers. At five feet five in his cowboy boots, he towered above exactly no one, and with his legs bowed from years in the saddle and his suit pants shoved into his boots, he was conspicuous as someone out of his league in the big city. Hed just arrived from dublin, texas, where hed sold a carload of mules at an admirable profit. His milliondollar bunco ring was brought to justice in a famous trial in 1923. Gordon hines norfleet and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at.
Frank norfleet english hardcover book free shipping. Frank norfleet, a typical west texas rancher, and his. The actual experiences of a texas ranchers 30, 000mile transcontinental chase after five confidence men kindle edition by norfleet, j. Frank norfleet was feeling confident as he strode into the st. I am related to j frank norfleet on my moms side and ordered the book for her for her birthday and she was so excited to get it. Amy reading presents a history of economic cons in the united states and specifically recounts the confidence game that left texas rancher j. Anyone who has ever been ripped off can admire a diminutive and otherwise unassuming texan named j. This account of con artists and obsessive revenge is replete with dramatic twists and turns.
A couple of screws at the top secure it to the underside of the counter and then it pulls right out. Texas history collection and was provided by unt libraries to the portal to texas history, a digital repository hosted by the unt libraries. Frank norfleet became a popular public speaker as he promoted his book. In 1905 after years of frugality, the norfleets moved to their own. Frank norfleet, a reallife john wayne, literally takes the law into his own hands as he sets out on a fouryear chase to capture a gang of greedy doubledealers. Lou blonger may, 1849 april 20, 1924, born louis herbert belonger, was a wild west. Get the best deal by comparing prices from over 100,000 booksellers.
Frank norfleet showed up in denver at precisely this. A rancher from the texas panhandle, norfleet came to the city to sell some of his. James franklin norfleet, who was born during the civil war and died during the vietnam war, lived to age 102. Norfleet personally wrote in the book in 1955 to my dad, memory is a luxury only those who go straight can afford my dad said that norfleet came by his business in ralls a couple of times and visited with. This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the original. Frank norfleet had a towering national reputation as being one of americas top manhunters during the first half of the 20th century. He did what many other marks didhe went home, borrowed more money from his family, and returned for another round of swindling. Frank norfleet, deputy sheriff, of hale center, texas, left, and w. Frank norfleet, rancher and selfappointed detective, the first of six children of jasper holmes benton and mary ann shaw norfleet, was born on february 23, 1865, in lampasas county, while his father, a texas ranger, was fighting indians on the frontier during the closing months of the civil war.
My dad gave me his copy of the revised edition book ed in 1927 that is signed by j frank norfleet. I just added j frank norfleet to the famous people from hale county hes a hale county rancher and farmer who at age 55 became a famous manhunter who captured a. James franklin norfleet 18651967 find a grave memorial. He was asked for help tracking down other bunco men and claimed in a book he wrote to have brought. Just added j frank norfleet to the famous people from hale county series. The actual experiences of a texas ranchers 30,000 mile transcontinental chase after five confidence men by j. If norfleet hadnt been gullible and trusting enough to get himself conned out of his considerable life savings in 1919 we probably wouldnt. Frank norfleet, a 50something texas rancher, lost his wealth to a band of professional con men. Frank norfleet to bring these cowardly predators to justice. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks.
Apr 11, 2011 identity thieves, credit card counterfeiters, and flybynight contractors wouldnt have troubled pioneer rancher j. Frank norfleet had accumulated a small fortune by 1919, but he lost it in a stock swindle run by big joe fureys gang of con men. The mark inside a perfect swindle, a cunning revenge, and a small history of the big con book. Founded in 1997, has become a leading book price comparison site. Frank norfleets fortune, he turned con man himself in the hopes of stealing his money back. With little schooling, he grew up working on ranches. Only after he lost that second fortune did he reclaim control of his story. Aug 27, 2012 reading builds her book around the life story of j frank norfleet, a softspoken, thrifty texas rancher who built his fortune up from nothing, only to lose it all to a gang of swindlers. Davick services i just added j frank norfleet to the. Lou blonger may, 1849 april 20, 1924, born louis herbert belonger, was a wild west saloonkeeper, gamblinghouse owner, and mine speculator, but is best known as the kingpin of an extensive ring of confidence tricksters that operated for more than 25 years in denver, colorado. Frank norfleet was an unreliable narrator of his own story. Frank norfleet was born in 1865 in lampasas county. Smoky pistols replied to forty rod sass 3935s topic in sass wire saloon forty dishwashers are normally fairly easy to swap out. Only after he lost that second fortune did he reclaim control of his sto.
The book i ordered is actually only 339 pages and has a plain white cover. With a fierce work ethic, 54yearold texas panhandle rancher j. A narrative history of con artistry in america documents the early twentiethcentury efforts of j. Identity thieves, credit card counterfeiters, and flybynight contractors wouldnt have troubled pioneer rancher j. Norfleet, james franklin the handbook of texas online. Frank norfleet at alibris including hardcovers, paperbacks, 1st editions, and audiobooks from thousands of sellers worldwide. Frank norfleet related the incidents of his long manhunt to me, i felt impelled to publish this book that the public might learn how easily these confidencemen. Gordon hines a gripping and incredible chronicle of one mans dedication to break up an international swindling and crime ring.
Standing just 5 feet, 5 inches tall, the cotton centerarea rancher became known as the little tiger of hale county for his dogged determination in. The mark inside is a fascinating, funny chronicle of a texan rancherturnedvigilante. Norfleet married mattie eliza hudgins 18711972 in 1894 and they had four children. The actual experiences of a texas ranchers 30, 000mile transcontinental chase.
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