The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1874-06-24
|"Banco"-How Fools and Their Mo nov
Part Company.

'AS&DSo -A2o" coOA8 8uu fnexE Money
Part Company.
When my friend, the pick. pocket,
during q lste interview, had narrated
hil exEeriehcesin that line Of business,
whites p contributor of the New York
Nmea Ihe next entertained me with an
account of his doings in what he called
the "bunker" business:
just now it is the most popular de.
vice for heecing the stranger who ven
lures into the metropolis, and the uu.
suspecting can be best warned BY Civ.
ing the story, as nearly as. possible, in
the pick-pocket's own words.
"Yon see, sir" he began. cit is n
good deal safer and more profitable
han picking pockets. II you are col.
lared'-l meau arrested, sir-you are
suro to get off with something light,
but tho chances are ten to one against
your being 'coiiared.' ihe sucker
stands in with you, rs it were, and is
almost certain not to 'squeal' is,
not to compiain to the police. In this
way its like the panel game, which is
the meanest as it is the safest kind of
robbery. Then banco pays big pro-
fits. It don't take q big mob 7 ex-
planned to you u bit ago TIM. by mob
we mean any number Of men working
a job together. There is only the
dealer, the 'steerer' and his pal. These
three. with the sucker, make a quiet
little party OF four, and the sucker is
skinned for the equal benefit Of the
other three. Why do We call the fell
lows we swindle suckers? Really, /
don't know, unless it is because they
are SO much like the fab of that name.
which swallows any bait that CONES
along. Ws need sort of an Office in
playing this game. but its not expen. /.
sive, for dingy back room, in side
street, that can be got for S25 per
month, is better than big apartments
on Broadway. Then We want u few
old drawings of the Havana lottery.
two sets of dice, and a moderate sun
ply OF money. say $500 or $500. Hav-
Ing all these things fixed, we go on
our graft. We always go to one of
the first class hotels to lay for suckers.
and We never pick up the wrong nun.
L never did, aud don't believe any of
my pals ever did There is no trou.
bic In telling strangers from city men.
1t isn't because they stare ut the store
windows and signs, for lots of oity
men do that; nor is it always their
dress. for sometimes the countrymnn
swaggers along in the lutest style.
But there is always something about
him he can't disguise which says he's
stranger. and it's almost as certain that
he shows whether hes got money or
not. Sometimes we pick up sucker
who's broke, but it isn't often.
"Well, as 1 was saying, the big
hotels are our plant Now, suppose
you and are on the graft Nobody,
though. sees us speak to ench other.
or III any way recognize one another,
but for all that, each of us keeps a
sharp watch on the other. Maybe
we'll hang around an hour or two.
without finding u sucker Sometimes
We don't find one at all. IF we do find
him, give you the Office that i,, 1
give you signal you understand to
watch sharp. then keep my eve on
the sucker until be goes into the
street. I step briskly up in front OF
him as if I had Just turned no. and
hold ont my hand With great cordiality,
saying: My dear DR.. Smith, I'm de-
lighted to soc you. When did YOU
come to town? How did you leave ali
the folks in Zlnesville? 1 say oil this
so quickly that tho sucker hasn't a
chance to open his mouth until get
through. Even then, he isn't usnally
very fast about it. You see I'm per
son of gentlemanly appearance aud
address. and the sucke; don't know at
hrst exactly what to make of it all
When he does recover from his usto.
nishment, of conrse, he says his name
ISN'T Smith. Generally, be is veiy
stlt about It. aud says very grandly
Sir, you are m'.tuken; 1 am not Dr..
Smith, sir Thcn comes the finest
point in our little gams. 1t used to
be that the smoker would always follow
this up by giving his name and place
OF residence, but lutely they've got
cursed fly aud it has to be wormed
out of them in most cases If he don't
give it, why, 1 say: Really. I beg
your pardon. sir; would huvc sworn
you were DR.. Smith; I uever saw such
strlkiug Resemblance III my l.fe
Now. really, sir. if It's not asking too
much. would like to know your name,
40 that L may tell DR.. Santa. the next
time L see him. who his double rs ;
This always fefches tho sucker. He
gets friendly all ut once and says:
Certainly. sir. am Mr. Thomus
Brown, of Brownsville, Texas, or
whatever it may bo. rhut's all we
want to know. 1 beg pardon ot the