Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1871-08-24
Miscellany.
How Faro Banks and Keno Houses Obs
tain Their Victims.


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How Faro Banks and Keno Houses OBJ
tain Their Victims.
EVERY faro bank and keno house, high
or low, whether fair in its dealings, as fail
is understood in the gambling world, or s
recognized system of robbery, as most OF
them are proved to be, has a class of en-
ployes, variously known as "ropers-in," +"
"pimps," pipes" or "skinners" The
last-named term is the one now in general
use, and is the most appropriate of the
list, for once in the hands of one of these
sharpers, the victim is fairly "skinned %
OF everything valuable. Broadway faro
banks and keno houses have their skin
ners !" at prominent hotels and places of
amusement, and the smaller gamesters of
the Bowery keep their tools ia constant
attendance at concert saloons and beer
gardens. The unWary stranger at a first
class hotel finds himself in the company
of well-dressed, chatty, light hearted
fellow, who descants glibly on every topic
OF the day, until he has made himself a
favorite, and is on sufficiently good terms
with the "pigeon to lead him to the
plucking place. The skinner" of the
Bowery is neither SO well-dressed, chatty,
nor SO fascinating but his experience has
taught him how to deal With his victims,
and he is, in the main, as successful as his
more aristocratic brother.
Walking up Broadway last THURSDAY
evening, when in front of Niblo's Garden
reporter of the Tribune heard one of
two men exclaim, !" But I tell you | don't
understand the game" The "pigeon" :"
was protesting, and the skinner :" calmed
his fears with, I'll call the turn for on ;
I'm going to put little on it myself" If
he did put any on it himself, the banker
swept it in 10 be returned at a future time.
The victims funds were swept in without
doubt, never to be returned; the skin
ner" receiving his percentage on the
amount and stalking off after fresh vic
tins. There is not hotel on Broadway
that is not Zealously watched by one or
more of these touts" Their prey gener.
ally consists of Western and Southern
merchants, visiting New York on business,
and their brisk times are consequently in
the spring and autumn. Their prototypes
OF the BoweIy, class of men by no
means progressing may all be seen in sim
gle evenings stroll through the beer gar
dens. A few nights ago one of these men
attempted to ingratiate himself with a
Tribune reporter, but failed, and within a
ASU AAAoi1iS1loo c-1tO1 WUlO was LII ClOS6 duQ
amicable conversation with a ward de-
tective This was near the Allan
tic Garden. Almost any evening these
two-the thief and the Reflective
may be seen lounging about the bar-rooms
OF the Atlantic and adjacent beer gardens.
On Saturday morning they were quietly
strolling around the Toornbs. This .sskin.
her is well known, and is considered D
very successful member of the fraternity.
The detective is not attached to the Sixth
Ward, though most of his time is spent in
its saloons. Another young man, noted
for his persuasive demeanor, makes it a
point to walk through the Atlantic Garden
every night at II o'clock, and introduce
himself into the company of some stran
ger. as though mistaking him for an ac
quaintance. On discovering his error he
modestly asks the name of his intended
victim. Being furnished with some or
dlnary surname, he inquiries with much
mpressiveness, "Ah, but you have title ?''
II republican simplicity disdains to have q
handle put before his name, this persua.
sive skinner" casts down his ewes, and
affects to understand why his intendnd
pigeon refuses to reveal himself in the
full splendor of a European title. The
chances are in favor of some vain foo
taking the whole thing in downright
earnest, and allowing himself to be flat
tered into the idea that he is in good com
pany.
If the skinner" succeeds in placing
himself on good terms with the gull biz
mortal, the getting of his cash, if he ha:
any, ls merely matter, of ten or fifteer
minutes time, as he is speedily carried of
to the faro bank to which his escort is at
tached, and there robbed. 1t lis notoriou.
fact that this business is done every day il
the Fourteenth Ward, and complaints O
robbery are frequent. Still the houses re
main practically undis 4urbed, and tn,
skinpers" are usually on the best O
terms with the police.
Where these fellows-who take tn
meanest pat in plundering fools, and re
ceive the least share Of the profts-com
from, is matter that puzzles even astut
policemen. The one last mentioned abov
Is belleyedto be German If good family
who came to this country with pocketfu
OF money which he lost to the men VIII,
now employ him; while others have beel
thieves from infancy, and will remain s.
In Maryland they have colored ma
whom they style the African Fire King
Ie~CCAtiJ uC SGft dill GAElUltIOu OF IL
"powers to a select company. After az
plying red hot shovel to the bottom {
one of his feet, without making any i'm
preston on him, also licking the shove
still red hot, with his tongue, without eve
drying the saliva in his mouth, and takin
a red-hOt anthracite coal from a stove
without scorching his hand or fingers i
which he held it, he asked if there wer
"unbelievers p .esent. One individus
stating that he remained unconvincej, th
Fire King, as the story goes. put show,
Ia the stove and partially filed it wit
shot, and when the shot got pretty hot h
Tired them with his naked fingers till I'll
lead had melted. He then took the show
in his right hand and poured the h
melted lead in his left hand, and the
poured the burning solution into h
mouth, kept it there till it cooled, and sp
It out in q lump. After this latter pc
formance, the "unbeliever" expresse
himself entirely satisfied The Fire Kin
said that was only $50 performance
II they would make him up $50 he wouI
snow them something worth seeing.'
@-e-
The Governor of Ohio has received
letter from Dundee, Scotland, making il
quiries as to the suitableness Of that Sta
for Scotch colony, which is about |
emigrate bodily to this country.
An unpoetical youth described h