▁many ▁of ▁whom , ▁it ▁would ▁later ▁be ▁shown , ▁were ▁in ▁league ▁with ▁the ▁con ▁men . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 2 2 , ▁Van ▁C ise ▁set ▁up ▁an ▁independent ▁investigation ▁of ▁the ▁Bl ong er ▁gang , ▁secret ly ▁fund ed ▁by ▁a ▁group ▁of ▁wealth y ▁Den ver ▁citizens ▁and ▁employ ing ▁a ▁hand ful ▁of ▁former ▁federal ▁agents ▁and ▁others . ▁On ▁August ▁ 2 4 ▁of ▁that ▁year , ▁Van ▁C ise ▁used ▁a ▁special ▁force ▁of ▁Colorado ▁R angers ▁to ▁capture ▁ 3 3 ▁suspect s ▁in ▁a ▁single ▁day . ▁F ear ing ▁that ▁Den ver ▁police ▁would ▁tip ▁off ▁the ▁gang ▁once ▁the ▁first ▁suspect ▁was ▁taken ▁to ▁j ail , ▁Van ▁C ise ▁det ained ▁the ▁gang ▁members ▁in ▁the ▁bas ement ▁of ▁the ▁First ▁Universal ist ▁Church , ▁where ▁he ▁was ▁a ▁member , ▁until ▁the ▁swe ep ▁was ▁complete . ▁In ▁Colorado ' s ▁longest ▁and ▁most ▁expensive ▁trial ▁to ▁that ▁time , ▁ 2 0 ▁con ▁men , ▁including ▁Lou ▁Bl ong er , ▁were ▁conv icted ▁and ▁sent ▁to ▁prison , ▁effectively ▁b ust ing ▁the ▁" Mill ion - D ollar ▁Bun co ▁Ring ." ▁ ▁Van ▁C ise ▁also ▁w aged ▁battle ▁against ▁the ▁Ku ▁Kl ux ▁K lan ▁during ▁his ▁four - year ▁term ▁in ▁office . ▁His ▁life ▁was ▁threatened , ▁cross es ▁were ▁burn ed ▁in ▁his ▁yard , ▁and ▁one ▁attempt ▁was ▁made ▁to ▁kid nap ▁him . ▁Van ▁C ise ▁refused