, 1874-02-15
THE PANEL GAME,

THE PANEL GAME,
To carry on that series Of operations for de
coying the individual to the den Of the robber
distinctiYely known as the ''panel game.' re
quires, for REASONS which will be shown, bruce
or more of operators, one Of whom must be I
female, the woman generally being tho Nancy tt
the Bill Sykes Of the rufiian. Her first requisite
ia q comely and attractive presence. The male
operator needs only strength aud brutality. Ths
process OF . ..-.
Ror1Na IN THE VICTIM
nav be described as follows: After securing, a.
q base Of operations, q room in some Of the
business blocks down towa, or other place con
venlent1y near, the woman makes her appear
ance on the street in search Of suitable
individual On whom to exercise hel
powere. Experience in the dark Ways oi
life has sharpened her native acuteness
to that degree that she readily discerns the fruit
which is ripe for plnckipg. It will generally
prove to be well-to-do substantial countryman
stock-raiser, or village store-keepor- Approach.
ing him, she asks, in an innocent why, for direc-
tion to some depot where she is going to take the
traip, aud, by singular coincidence to him, il
proving that he is going in that direction him
self, he offera to point out the desired plnce.
With profusion Of thanks, she allows him tc
tale OF hor grateful she ls for the faror, and
he easily falls into the story Of her loneliness in
the great city, and OF how she hes been Lott
alone to struggle with rough world.
TIE NETT STEP.
About this time she suddenly remembers that
some needed article has been forgotten in he1
haste to get away. She must get it. It is only
around the corner, and he will accompany her,
and she eniles the smile Of the Hiren upon the
infatuated individual AZ she asks this touching
question, and he, OF course, consents, and gocs
with her to her room, when tho opportunity
mesa to misiuterprot.
The asinine individual deposits his gar
ments on chair purposely placed in the
vicinity Of door which softly opens. OF tho
panel is pushed aside, and q stoaIthy hand re-
moves tho clothing. abstracts his pocke.bool1,
and vauishcs. An hour OF two later chopfallen
and exaapezated man. having discovered his loss,
returns with the police. only to find that the
scene Of his late adventures Is barren apart
ment, and TINT the birds have flown. This is
one OF the methods.
DEATH OR MONEY.
In another casea pretended husband enters the
room and tears about like maaman, draws out q
nasty and uncomfortable-1ookinE revolver, raves
Of his dishonot and womans perfdy, aud finally
settles down to come such tragic dialogue as fol-
lows:
Outraged husband With desperate resolution
You must die.
Victim-Mercy! mercy!
H.-Neyer. Prepare!
V.-Oh, forgive me-. will pay any sum.
H.-You shall never 60 from this room alive.
How much will you give?
v.-Anything. A hundred dollars.
H.-Fiend! A hundred dollars! Make it five
hundred OF you perish this instant.
y.-Five hundred! Great heavens, it will ruin
mol
H.--The cash, villain, the cash.
And the half-dead wretch proceeds to count
out the currency, or gives his check and waits in
durance until it is cashed at the bank, when he
is suffered to go forth poorer aud wiser.
ANOTHER CASE.
4 third instance is similar to that practiced in
the Bridget O'Brien case lately tried in the Grim
inal Court. SipgulArly enough tue prosecuting
witness failed to appear on the second trial Of
the criminals, OF whom there we're five. contin-
uance having been granted, and the prisoners
we're allowed to go free. In this instance, q girl
having enticed q sailor to her den, he WAS at
him, and finally threw him down tue stairs. The
crime in this case WAS of the lowest and most
brutal order. There was no tinge Of ingenuity
in it to relieve the dark picture. II was simply
display Of such brute force Is the wild beast
shows when it springs upon it's prey. The rob-
ready fot murder if need be, rushed upon their
victim, and, having throttled him and beat hlr1
senseless, robbed him OF everything lie possess-
ed. Upon gaining his senses. the victim Of tho
outrage called Justify for help, and two police
men coming to his aid, hc told his story. The
house was at onco entered; and one OF the Grim
inals fed to q neighboring lumber-yard, where
he wae caught. The woman apd three other
accomplices were also arrested subsequently.
1t their trial. which occurred q few weeks after
wards, the facts as related we're adduced. but,
for some technical reason, q new trial was
+aA 41n &at
lwarfsh lad, whose crime-hardened conntenance
WAS appalling to behold. He pleaded the under
2ge statute, witnesses swearing to his childish
ness though no observer could have told
whether he Was 10 or 30.
GOOD CHARACTER.
. Upon this trial euch sights we're Witnessed as
Of this though not unaccustomed to tho
scenes Of the Criminal Court, hopes never to be
saQed upon to witness again. Tho witnesses
rho were brought forward to prove the good
.haracter {?) Of the accuRed. were such as would
make one ehudder to see even under the protect
ng Rgls of the temple of justice. Hardened
:riiminals who live only at night we're there.
Beings, upon whose faces the horror OF remorse
md brutality brooded like pestlcnce, swore to
heir lies with hardihood that knew uo parallel.
There we're those there TINT day Hho followed
:rime ~ the drunkard seeks drink, their hands
Igainss every Law, their hearts filled with
unknown hate. Looking out from their
lopeless eyes, the outraged humanity told
tale stronger than any mocking Of words,
nd their bleared aud crime marked couu-
enances, smitten with tho brand Of hell,
ye1e an lndclble witness against any pretenso
heir lips could frame. But they wen. free for
II that, and now, fearing to walk in the light OF
he sun, they steal forth at night in this city and
rnit. with murder in their hearts, for their next
avage opportunity.
RUINED REPUTATION.
An incident coming to the surface upon the
rial of another lot the Tell-known Hattie Allen
ang, is pitiful instance Of tho effect OF
hamo upon = respectable man. Yester-
~ person entered the Office of
tates Attorney Reed, and inquired if !
Q could learn the whereabouts Of certain Mr.
In reply to the question be WIS told
story which made his cheek blush and his
hole frame shake with agitation. No one in
uired who he Was, and having learned all that
Q could, he retired without disclosing his rela-
onship. The incident told was as follows
his Mr. --, who lived at Port Huron,
[ich., was respectable and well-to-do lawyer.
oming to Chicago with q view to investing his
loney and making it his home: he fell into the
aa1e Of tue notorious gnug alluded to who de-
Dyed him to their hnbitation iu tho West Divis-
N, drugged and robbed linn OF his money, and
ading him some distance away from the ecene
I their Establishments deserted him. Rendered
most frantic By the thoaght Of his debasement |
nd robbery, the poor man made application to
10 Police, and The robbers we're arrested His |
I'm Mann hernninp nuh1ic in the prosecution.