Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1874-09-17

! Wloh w hlOhOpOllAC, anu 81 U
, share with the readers Of the Evening
Mail. Promising that the document i
intended to lend every
HELP TO PROFESSIONAL BLACKLEGs,
as also to increase the number of tha
class by developing the proclivities o
unsophisticated youth in that direction
we quote the opening paragraph of tn
circular:
" e. M. -, No. -, = street
New York, manufacturer and dealer il
advantage and marked-back playing
cards, by which you can tell the size anC
suit by the backs as well as by the faces
Every style of back kept constantly OF
hand. These cards are an exact imita
ton of the fair dealing cards in common
use, and are adapted for bluff or pok er
seven'up, forty-6ve, euchre, cribbage
casino, loo and all other games of cards
where, knowing just what your oppo
nent has in hand, would enable you to
win. Square and marked cards; cards
cut to order for stocking hands for every
game; also faro boxes, layouts and
tools, roulette wheels, keno sets, ivory
goods, rouge ct noir or red or black,
roulette, feather and anchor. Over and
under seven, eight and ten dice, and
faro cloths, and every variety OF sport
ing implements and materials.
I" Ny cards are now issued not only in
exact imitation of the square cards of
the same patterns in color and style, bat
also in material and quality OF board,
and are unequaled by anything in the
way of marked cards to be obtained in
the country. Faro boxes, tools, painted
spreads, and all other goods herein ad-
vertised are of the very.best quality, and
parties wishing to get their goods for
practical use will do we'll to favor me
with their orders. Especially is this true
of those wishing to purchase faro tools.
Accompanying the circular is sam
pie book of marked card patterns con-
tanning some thirty different styles of
backs in common use on square.dealing
cards, with a page OF directions at the
end indicating where
THE PRIVATE MARKS
are placed "by which you can tell the
size and suit by the backs as we'll as by
the faces" That is when your opponent
holds card with its back toward you a
private mark in the right corner tells
what suit the card belongs to-whether
a club, spade, heart or diamond. This,
Of course, brings card playing down to
rather fine point, and to him who is ia.
miliar with the marks, makes the cards
advantage cards in very literal
sense. Returning to the circular, we
find it covers somewhat more than
twenty different items, with descriptions
in detail aud prices affixed to each.
These prices, we notice, are considerably
higher than honest goods-that is, square
dealing articles-usnally sell for But
roguery must always be paid for, in one
form or another; and these high-toned
manufacturers of the implements of
cheating naturally expect to be paid a
premium for helping young or uninitia.
ted thieves to learn.
HOW TO STEAL WITHOUT DETECTION.
Nor would it be reasonable in any one
to hope to buy sure means of advan.
tage without paying something extra
for the satisfaction of knowing just
what your opponent has in his hand"
which same, of course, would enable
you to win" Let us look over this list
of goods for practical use.' First
comes price list of marked cards, of
which any style on the sample book is
offered for $l.25 per pack (or 40 per
cent on honest prices). In quantities
these cards are sold at $40 per dozen
packs, or $85 per gross 1t will be seen
that the supply is unlimited, and that
the traffic bears the marks of having
ron obad vubolaea1 Ia yronort;ous nba -,
ference is natural that one can never be
sure, in playing with stranger, that the
cards he produces are not of the kind
here described; and common sense here
suggests the expediency of wariness
about being led into the temptation of
accepting such opportunities of being
heeced. Further on in the list of goods
offered by these scalpng dealers are
found all the essentials for faro, keno
and similar
swINDLIEG GAMES,
everything being, of course, gotten up
with reference to cheating the over con-
fdent dupe and victim then, too, are
loaded dice, warranted sure-exact
imitation of common (or honest) dice"
of which nine, that is, three high, three
low, and three square, can be bought for
S.. Also feathers and anchor, or mus
tang dice, inch-whatever these may be
are offered for $40 per set, which has
rather steep look to our unsophisticated
vision. For 81 you can buy "eight.
sided dice tops that you can spin high
or low, and force your opponent to spin
as you desire" Under the head of
"Specialties, the accommodating friends
of the incipient or professional black.leg
offer
SLEEVE MACHINE
for holding out or playing extra cards;
the most perfect piece of mechanism
ever gotten up for this purpose. This
article works in the coat sleeve noise
lessly, admits of holding the hands in
the most natural position, requires no
false movements, and weighs but about |
four ounces. This machine" the |
circular goes on to say, " is manufac-
turhd by no other firm in this country, |
and is guaranteed to be all il is adver-
tised. Price, with full directions for |
use, S35" Now this, we submit, for a
little four-ounce fraud, or rather in
structor in fraud. is a pretty high price