Norfleet: The Actual Experiences of a Texas Rancher’s 30,000-mile Transcontinental Chase after Five Confidence Men

J. Frank Norfleet was a Texas rancher who fell victim to a gang of charismatic confidence men - rather than accept his financial loss, Norfleet pursued and caught these crooks, one by one.

Norfleet describes making enquiries for land in his home state of Texas in 1919. In the process, he was approached by a charming man who claimed to represent an agent of land purchases. Eventually he was introduced to this agent, who made an impression of being a very busy and moneyed dealer in company stocks and land. However, the entire thing was a set up - through conniving guile, Norfleet was persuaded and robbed of $45,000: he had invested in a stock exchange that did not exist.

After the shock of the loss, Norfleet set about pursuing the gang across the United States. Using methods of disguise, and teaming up with the police in various territories, it is through sheer tenacity and persistence that he manages to apprehend the crooks. Prolific in states such as Florida and Kansas, the ‘bunco rings’ were comprised of the most ruthlessly proficient and notorious con men in the nation. Norfleet first captures Joe Furey, the gang’s original ringleader, before continuing to Furey’s lieutenants. Eventually, the pursuit results in numerous arrests and the recovery of stolen funds.