The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-11-21
The Gu, rosrties OF city Crimes.

some people are iona or excla1mtng against tne
depravity OF the age. We are frequntly reminded
that the march Of intellect which enlarges the mind
Of the philosopher shsrpens the wits of the rogue
also that while geology and chemistry adyan-
cing with rapid strides, the noble art of picking
pocf cts and plucking greenhorns is not at stand
still. Nonentapus, we told, whose Expectations
among the clients Of his patrons at the forum used
to create such alarm, would have been actually de
spised by our detective polce and the adrot Furio
could not have succeeded in swindling the most YER
dant of our country bumpbins. In short, if these
philosophers are to be believed science and learning
advance towards perfectbiity qari passw with
thieving and duplicty-the gaol will be reached by
both at the same time.
Without offering opinion on this ingenious
theory, We cannot help thinking that it applies With
more force to the creduity than to the scoundresm
of mankind. 1t would appear as though the most
enlightened age the most fruitful of credulous
intellects; that the marvellous discoveries which
each day is bringing to light epgenders general
proneness to believe all we hear. At period when
space and time are being annihilated, and servant
maids call spirits iom the vastly deep, be only, it
would SEEM is fitting object Of censure who affects
incredibly at anything.
Some such reflections must have been aroused by
the perusal Of the swinding cases which have been
reported in the columns of this paper during the last
few days An elderly gentleman, :" of high respecta
bility" and moderate means, Is engaged in admirng
the front of some houses, when man whom he never
saw before, but whose white cravat seems to have
been in the eyes of the elderly gentleman sufficient
guarantee of his moral worth, steps up and volun-
teers the announcement that one of the houses in
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gentleman is congratulating himself on his good
fortune in having made the acquaintance Of 20
wealthy man, the latter, somehow or other, en-
cages in an alteration with new conner about
horse, and the elderly gentleman, who sees nothing
unnatural in the fact that clergyman, (or such he
takes the wearer of the white cravat to bc,) should
quarrel about horse in the street, is Immediately
seized with violent friendship for the two strangers,
and sets to work in most philanthropic manner to
endeavor to recon ,ile them. But the seller of the
horse has an aged father who will not consent
to part with the animal under such circumstances,
and the soidisaa preacher at St Pauls is in despair.
The elderly gentleman is much affected by the allu-
sion to the "aged father" and his sympathies are
deeply interested when he discovers that an oppor-
tunity is offered him of obgng the benevolent
pastor of st Paurs. An idea strikes him-he will
buy the horse and afterwards transfer his bargain
to the parson. This will at once remove the scruples
Of the aged father at least SO says the proprietor
Of the horse for best known to himself and
so devoutly and implicitly believes our elderly gen
tleman. The offer ia accepted, check drawn, the
parties shake hands, and-hey, presto !-parson
and horse dealer both disappear. The horse is left
fine animal, after the manner of Cruikshanks last
stage Of the racers progress, worth to business
man some $50 or 500. The elderly gentleman had
paid s255.
Now we put it to our readers whether q gentle
man, who voluntarily NEEDLES in the disputes
of two men whom he never met before, and
consents to act as go-between, in order to
effect the sale Of horse under such Obviously
suspicious circumstances, has any claim to our
sympathy when he is cheated. Did it ever strike
the elderly gentleman that the pastor of st
Paul's 10 not exactly the style Of man one meets
quauellrg about a horse in the street? Did he
never ask himself how it came to pass that men Of
the standing which these parties chose to assume,
should confde their purse and their disputes to the
keeping Of stranger like himself! Did he never
inquire how the mere substitution of his name Is
purchaser for that Of him Of the white cravat could
reconcile the aged father to part with his favor
tie animal! 1t is incredible that such obvious in
songruities should have escaped the notice Of any
one, much less can elderly gentleman"
In another case, shrewd trader from the country,
~ hard flint at bargain, purchased some fifty
or sixty dollars worth Of goods at mock auction.
He chuckled when they were knocked down to him,
he knew that the slk handkerchief for which he
ssve Fifty oeotS were worth at least one dollar and
fifty cents, and the linen for which he paid ton
cents he could resell at forty cents. It never 90
CURED to him that there was anything singular in
dry goods being sold in Broadway ut third thor
cost, or perhaps his native closenoss led him to
fancy that he had 'dono" the auctionesr. While
ho was standing by, the sucionesr troubled him.
for the loan Of fifteen dollars to give change 10
cuitsmsr-it would be call right" In his bill. Our
shnrp country storekesper keeps his eye on his
purchase and forks out the dollars No sooner was
the money pscketcd than his bill made It's appear.
ance; but alas! 1t was some $500 instead Of 500.
Angry explanations lead 70 tho discovery that he
had altogether misurderstood' the asctionesr, and
was new ut liberty to 70 take the silk handkG chiefs
at one dollar and fifty ave DENTS or leave thea The
fifteen dollars were obviously forfeited. This sass
Is clearly one Of 'the bitter bit 4"
There is another case, which has made much
noise, and 10 not very dissimil~. The victim,
though obviously unconscious Of the natural history
Of The Peter Funk tribe, did not soniae himself 10
trying 70 make good bargains-his aim seems to
have been TO realize handsome commission for
buying and selling for Others. On this principle,
he buys watch OF mock auction shop for man
who was an utter stranger to him, on the strength
Of promise that the latter would give him ten dol
lars for his troube To IL ofarAd Afsec doIIars for
bis own watch, which he knows is only work seven
or eight dollars, and jumps At the offer. He finds
esp dilcse Of the watch no bough' flr cry spllar