Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1869-05-20
BITERS BITTEN.

It is a poor rule that don't work both
ways IF biters were not sometimes BIT
ten, all the world would turn bulldog,
and then where would be poetic justice
Arpropriatn to these reflections. the fol-
lowing particulars Of confidence game
nippcd in the bud are reproduced. The
story is one of the hest of the seasot., and
should prove a warning to cher1'iers dc
,nlnstrie not to place too much reliance
in outward appearances.
Daring the past month frequent men
ton has been made of the extensive prac-
tee of conf lcnce g1mos on the trains Of
the Pittsburgh and Fort Wayne Rlilroad
and in several Instances these rohbCrics
were committed under v'ry aggravating
circumstances. The officers of the road
have cxcrtcd every means in their power
to rid their trains of these human vul-
lures, but in spite of their vigilance and
caution, ''trick" has been an almost
daily occurrence.
When Monday mornings's train was
about to leave the Chicago depot. two
we'll known conf lcncc mon were observ-
ed to come on board. and they We're in
stautlv placed under proper surveillance.
The train had scarcely passed. beyond the
civ limits when the s,eelic,t Of thn vii
lains took a scat boside an Oh gendaman,
and th,.two werc soon engaged in f,mil-
lar conversation This old gentleman,
upon whom had fallen the honor Of being
selected for the next victim, presented
/ quite n study. II was about 70 years of
! ace. Of good mein, aud dressed in
very large and full dress If homcspun =
/ His face. as he conycr>el with his new
! Acquaintance, expressed only good hu
NOR and trust, but underneath a very
Saagtv pair of brows there shown palr
ofeycs which ought to mean something,
albeit they were there as open and truth
ful As any confidence man would vi 81. -
Now and then the old gentleman would
lean his head on a stout and knotty hlck
orv cane. rs If 10 listen the more atten-
tive'y. The conversation, which at first
had only a general bearing. was afrotIy
shifted to personal matters. and the old
man laid omen his cas,. H hailed from
Southwestern Missouri; had lvcd there
many years; was then on his way 70 visit
son residing near Valparaiso, Ind
Ind ed - The stranger was much as
t,ui~hcd, That was his place Of resi-
deuce nlSrchan; the.e; must know the
son what was his uame? John Kirby.
Whv. he know him Ike q book had lots
Fat dealings with him. Tho old fellow was
j. immensely ticllrd at this. Knew his
II. IL - We'll, that was good; aul he
toadrd the knob Of his cane. as ifit might
be the curly head of his son, ana was
quite lost in meditation.
At this juncture person with = bu~i-
ncSs-like stir stepped up AMI demanded
the pssment Of bt,l amounting to 5000,
from the "merchant from Valparaiso. -
That was awkward quoth this iadjy lu
al ne had but iittle money about him :;
could he not wait payment until he go,
home No; creditor had 10 tino .
ston was going straight through u
Pittsburgh. and must have II immeiiatc-
Is. The merchant from Valparaiso then
exp!ained 10 the old gentleman that his
ere iitor was = promInent merchant IN
CHICAGO. hu. lj.,le close. and acNQow
edrei ;hat his noe was = I.ttle over G2N.
|, was awk ward, and he scratched his
head in great perplexj'y. Bat suddenly
light dawn upon him. Way hal he
not thought OF i. before. Perhaps his
friend could a5yaele han tie desired
AMOUNT. Gould give him $500 check
fer security Otd gentleman w!s very
sorry: nothing would have Afforded hi:n
rrea,cr pleasure than II have obliged 81
intimate \ friend 10 MS Sou bu; he VAS
ashamed to say thar SIG Or ST. was all
she money he had about him Merchant
was sorry also; extremely sorry: could
have pad him back the instant O their
arrival: fut il couldn't be helped, and he
arosa and entered another car. Bat n
returned in flw minutes aud stated ;La'
be had haa n conversation with his cres-
itor, who had left Chicago ii hurry
with bu, l;ttie urraev ann would y sat-
i>6 i until his r-tura u he could get
Sl7.