New-York tribune., 1873-03-01
PETTY SWINDLERS.

To the Editor Of The Tribune
SIR: As defender of all schemes pointing
clearly and TO either political and 5Ocnl
frauds your paper been foremost and your in
auence has created many Of its reforms now, let me
call your attention to organized system OF roguery
practced in broad daylight, and not without success
For some months band Of petty sw1ndlers, styling
themselves curbstOne pen merchants have been ply
ing their nefarous vocation in most busy thorough
fares This eeoh called mysterious pepvender,"
is chemical composition of brass and 7cheek,' two
Establishments Indispensable 70 success IN their opera
tions; he Is generally accompanied bS small sachel,
which is careessly supg his shoulders opens
it directly toward the 'front.' aud displays about dozen
Of gilt-edged paper-boxcs.
After performing this nitatory step he plants himself
upon small box, natural projection aud by an
ordinary feat of legerdeman manages TO attract heero-
geneous elements composed chiefly Of the inqusitive
the thoughtess the ndoent and the nattenve TO bust
and by few available candidates Tor tue aOOhna
Bile scOundrel
Having called together assemblaCe sufficient to op-
he witdraws from the small satchel one OF the
boxes and holds 1t UP Inspection all appearances
he places within the box dollar note, III another ten
cent stamp and winds up bv incosing two and i've
dollar note he does apparently; but the money by
terifV goes elsewhere Thi, important feature COM
pleted, he 0rranges his boxes very fascinat-
ingy, and in manner to present TO the
the evidently or note or stamp Now he offers
his ware for sale i'm npressng upon the minds his list
the fact that the II boxes contain the sum OF 2
and at once offers two for g. which holds in his hand
To satisfy all purchasers OF his integrity he opens
box Of the and pulls out 81 note drops them
into his sache again. and draws out two Others which
offered for 81. The auditors look inquirngly among
themselves but there appears disposition 70 invest
he offers three boxes for 81. After persuason
an accessory" purchases and, % the utter asOnish
OF all, he dsciOses the OF S. Neryed afresh
by stimulus ysiby percepble upon the yisages OF the
bystanders. he invites unfortunately any specultOr
invest in the next three boxes; response. half
hour having in the mean time gided swiftly by, he re-
minds these oiterers that time is money and IN order
facilitate matters he offers four for Ell still answer
Desperately, he excaIms, "S0w will Try your hearts
and what stuff you made OF; Oer you five for
Slw At this assertion many eye seems animated
Snapl The trap has been sprung the victim IS caug NJ
poor deluded labOrer has been sacrificed he has paid
out OF his hard earning TO tins scoundre tl-and FOR
what For five small paper boxes, worth five cents,
and "A ten-cent stamp.
The moment innocent is entrapped. the scamp adj
vises the buyer TO step side and examine his pur
chase Naturally enough he does 50, and draws with
him nearly all OF the hearers he investigates his great
bargain and discovers that he has been swinded he I'M
mCdaely attempts 10 force himself through the crowd
expOstuate with the swhdler. when 10 and behold.
he has flown This is daily occurrence under the very
eyes of the police. Why not these scamps summary
dealt with Are the police leagued with them Ihis
swndle IL so transparent ,hatthere Is no room Tor srg
ment 70 the contrary. SIDNEY.
Ae1C- York, Feb. %, 1873.