Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1869-05-26
The Mistake~of Confidence Mar.
From The Fort wayne Gazette.

l ;
| An amusing incident occurred on
| the morning train from Chicago OF
| the Z. Ft. w, and G.. Railroad. last
Monday. Just before the train
started, two confidence men were
seen 10 enter a coach. They were
placed, however, under strict obser-
yation. One of them took Il seat be-
side an honest, roundfaced, farmer
looking man, clad in fall suit of
homespun- The two soon entered
INTO conversation, on general matters
az first, but soon the adroit swindler
changed the subject to personal af-
fairs. The old gentleman said he
was from Missouri, and was going TO
Valparaiso, where his son resided.
Valparaiso Strange coincident.
said Confidence, why he was go
ing there too-was a merchant, and
had dealings with the old mans son,
knew him like a brother. The two
became quite intimate, and were
cAattlrS costly together, when u
presenting a bill of 500.
lie was a wholesale dealer in Chi
caso, on his way East, and must
have the money. "Confidence' ex-
planned To the old gentleman that he
was a little behindhand with that
bill /; could he let him have the
money till they reached Valparaiso
would repay it then-would give
give him 8 500 check as security
Old gentleman was exceedingly
sorry-Would be very happy TO ac-
commodate the friend OF his son, but
he had only Sl1 about him. Con
Hdence"was sorry too, but it couldn't
he helped, SO he went into an
other ear. He soon returned ,horyev-
er, saying that his creditor had left
Chicago in great haste, and would be
satisfied with SIT, as he had no time
to get money for his expenses.
Would the old gentleman let him
have that amount?
"Oh, certainly;n and he proceed
ell to count out 81 from an old wal
let. After strengthening the roll of
bills, he raised his cane and looked
up , remarking To coincidence, -
something in the CLINT of the old
mans eye that he did not like. Take
it," said the gentleman, in q voice
that rose above the rattle of the
wheels, take it, you Id scound-
rel. Why do you hesitate to take
all the money an old man has >"
The pretended merchant now
thought it high time to leave, but
the IN Missouri farmer rose from his
seat and took Il firm hold of his col
lar. 'Wait a bit,n said he, "you
thought | WAS q poor man with only
a few dollars, and yet you wanted to
rob me of that little sum. Had YOU
known that | hat five thousand in
another wallet, | would not have
blamed you so much ifyou hal taken
it all, for you might then have
thought had plenty more. But no,
you were willing to take the [ast
icent au old man had.n
The Old man became more indig-
nant as he spoke, and wound up his
peroration by bringing his cane down
heavily on the swindler's knuckles
Every person in the ear cried ''goOd, !"
stood nutIiGap 6nt tbs GSaf2gndrels p!j ,II,
the acquaintance Of Judge Lynch.
The confidence man and his part
ner, 1.-The whole sale merchant from
Chicago" were bound to q beam
| IN the baggage car, where they We're
kept for some hours, and finally were
dropped in the swamps of Northern
Indiana.
The old gentleman was not n
Missourian but a wealthy citizen of
this State. He was greatly ticlsled
remarking that he "hadn't lived for
forty years in the West for nothing, !"
and that he had killed Indians be-
fore he had met confidence men.