Martinsburg weekly independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1873-1875, 1874-10-31
MARTINsBURG. WEST VIRGINIA, SATURDAY. O

hands dropped into their seats
Slim jim drew his hat down Over
his eyes, and the victim after glar.
ing fiercely around for moment
settled back into his seat in moody
silence. The conductor entered
and passed slowly through the
car. but not single hint did he
obtain Of the fact that a game had
been going on. Hardly had he left
the car before the villainous-look-
ing victim demanded another
chance to bet. From another peck
ct he had drawn twenty dollars,
his last cent, and eagerly asked
for a sight" Coolly disregardlng
his i'm perfumes, Sim Jim said.
"No sir; l don't want to break
you" In another minute he had
lis ppeared through the door, dan
cling and humming away away"
A quarter of an hour late~ we
found Sim Jim and his best capper
Mr.. Mcclellan, seated in the for
ward passenger coach operating
on an old Oregon farmer. The
man conscientiously believed that
Slim jim was half witted fellow
who had in some way become pos
ssssed of $4,000. He further be
lieved the poor fellow had been
ieeched by the monte sharps, a d
was bung'ingly attempting to imi-
| tate tie game. He saw the cap
per win three or four hundred dol
lars, and had even turned the card
once or twice that woa hundred
dollars. At last Slim Jim refused
to let the capper bet any more be-
cause he was too lucky, and the
latter slipped $3.50 into the old
mans hand. which he bet, won and
instantly return ed to the capper.
After this he was too honest to
bet. 81 know / could win your
money, young man, but | will not
burden my conscience with such
crime.n Once he took out his
pocket-book and showed a note
for Thousand dollars aud several
gold coins, yet he would not bet
a dollar. He was going back to
visit his old home after many
! years of absence, and his family
sat near him. Perhaps the pure, up
turned lace of his little girl, or
perhaps the trusting look OF his
dear old wife helped to restrain
him but at all events his con-
science would not let him rob a
| half-witted fool, and thereby, all
unawares, he saved cool thou
sand. / believe the mans ster-
ling integrity touched the monte
mems hearts, for they made no
further effort to play until they
reached Reno.
Here we met the western-bound
passenger train, and had an ex-
cellent opportunity Of watching
the entire method of working
up" Slim Jim and his cappers
appeared to be total strangers.
They never met, spoke or even
looked at each other. Strolling
leisurely through the train, each
"spotted" his man that in his
opinion was most "gullible," and
sat down by him. The cappers
are genial, pleasant whole souled
fellows, who win your confidence
i'm five minutes chat, and by the
time the conductor has gathered
up the tickets, Slim Jim comes
along and you are easily led on to
try your lick at what appears to
be Il dead thing. The most skep-
teal Californian twill believe his
own eyes, and herein lies the
beauty of the game. AT one time
sat with my eyes not twenty
inches from Slim Jim's and ]
could: not possibly detect him
i'm the act of changing cards.
Sometimes the corner of the
winning card would be crumpled
up so that all could see, and with a
single movement, while you were
intently watching, the corner would
be Strengthened, and another card
would have the crumpled appear
ance. A grease spot, a drop o.
ink or pencil, marx, marked The
card no sur r, for the soft, delicate
fingers wou3n give II quiet Iittls
shuttle, AMI tie spot, he mark, d
! The ink would be- in he corner al
beio q, hui upon the wrong card
4 Once. .Sliu sSini seemed 10 hav.
discovered the spot, and IN
his simple, foolish way, tore OF
the corner, spotand all. | watched
closer than ever, and when the
card lay on his lap just as before
minus the corner, I'd have stake(
my existence yet fellow frou
Idaho bet a hundred dollars ant
lost. The def fingers ofthe mont
chiefand concealed the mutilates
porte of the winning card an'
clipped the corner off of another
Sim Jim has been known al
Il Il a.. 49, a. ID.