Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-08-18

A Memphis Detective Comes 20 His

/ lutft ~ w oeJ but iuthoh'o tNe W.
dence Of the F" irrepressible conflict" be
tween the fools of the world on the on
hand and the knavss on the other. NJ
law protects q man against his owl
creduliiy, and just so long as one half o
mankind are green" there will be foun'
those among the other and sharper
half ever ready to avail themselves o
such q condition Of things. No rasca
lives more by his own wits than by th'
lack of wits in his victim, and frsquentl,
what would be regarded as a verJ
sharp trick IL practiced on an individua
of ordinary shrewdness, entities th'
sharper to no credit whatever wher
played on the unsophisticated and sim
pie. A case, strikingly illustrative o
the ease with which the weak fall PREF
to the willy, when, by some natura
affinity, the two are brought together, i
at hand.
Some six or seven weeks since Judge
Scoot, an intelligent and enterprisinf
planter in one of the interior counties
of Texas, set out for this city with 9
drove of two hundred and seventy-siA
head of beef cattle. Arriving at Pine
Bluff, Ark, he there took a steamer fol
this place, with the intention Of negotia'
ting for the sale Of his stock prior tc
shipping them hither, in the mean time
leaving them in charge Of herdsman
whom be had brought out from
Texas with him. The Judge had
been absent from the Bluff but
q few days when party known as
G. J. Boggs, aware of his departure,
sought the herdsman and intimated to
him his desire to purchase the cattle.
The herdsman, not feeling authorized to
dispose of the property, not being his
own, so informed Boggs, whereupon the
latter replied that he would telegraph
the Judge and obtain his consent to the
transaction. This seemed to be perfectly
satisfactory to the herdsman, and on
Boggs' returning the next day, and re-
presenting that whatever he (the herds
man) might do would be all right, pur.
chase of the herd was effected, Boggs Civ
ing in payment $3.50 in cash, an old wagon
and note of one thousand nine hun
bred dollars at ninety days. Having
thus got the cattle in his possession, be
at once set out with one hundred and
fifty head of the best for this city, leaving
the balance to be driven over when he
could find sale for them. In the mean
time, the Judge having effected his ar
rangements here, started back to the
Bluff. On his return his surprise at find
ing that, during his absence, his entire
herd, valued at about six thousand five
hundred dollars, had been disposed of by
his agent, the berdsman, for trife over
two thousand dollars, can be easily i'm
agined. A swindle of no meager proper
tons had been practiced upon him, and no
time was to be lost in tracking the swind-
Ter. Taking the first boat back, the
Judge reached Memphis again before
Boggs, who had taken across the country,
and once here, he lost no time in placing
the matter before the chief of police.
The case was given in turn by Col. Beau
mont to detective Hastings to be worked
up" and if there is any class little
sharper than the sbarpers themselves,
that the detectives are that class the sc
quel must attest. Shortly after the ar.
rival of the Judge, Boggs reached Hope
field with the cattle. No sooner was this
known to the detective, than he crossed
The river, and, introducing himself to
Boggs, at once entered into negotiations
with him for the purchase of the herd at
The highest market rates. The trade
vas verbally closed, and on the next day
he cattle were ferried to this side of the
liver for delivery. The one hundred
md twenty i've head were thus secured,
,ut it still remained with the detective to
make equally sure of the residue of the
lerd, which were still at the Bluff.
Up to this time the detective had assumed
he role Of a capitalist, but the cattle and
3oggs both being on this side of the
liver and within his power, be now
brew aside the mask and revealed him
elf to his astonished Arkausian friend |
n propria persona. An appointment
previously arranged between the two was
UTILIZED at police headquarters in lieu of
he First National Bank, where the i'm
ginary funds Of the detective we're sup |
'osed to have been on deposit. The |
Judge for the first time was introduced TO |
,oggs at the police Office, and the latter
discovering that he had been fairly cor
erred was finally persuaded to relinquish
II claim to the cattle. All but thirty
cad we're given mp, and these having
cen killed we're paid for. Highly elated
nth so satisfactory settlement Of the
natter, the Judge, accompanied BY
|oggs, set out for the Bluff to receive
ack that portion Of the herd still left
here. On arriving at the Blsf, how
YER, it would seem that Boggs repented
{ having let the Judge of so easily, and
to replsvin the cattle, whichwill
oub,Iess involve the matter in pro-
..o,sd and expensive litigation, in