The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1874-03-07
Chr 9ailg Arens,
independent in Ererything.
MONTE THIEVES.
Man Who Wasn't Afraid Taken Ina Far
mer Robbed of 5000.


A few days since Conductor Charlie
Foote recognized two or three monte men
aboard his train and determined to keep an
eye on them, Presently he observed that
the ''capper'' had got into seat by the
side of very respectable looking passen-
ger Charlie Immediately stepped up and
said Look here, this fellow sitting with
you is notorious three card monte man,
and will rob you unless you are on the
lookout. The passenger ruffied up in
virtuous indignation and impertinentiy in
| formed Charlie that he was smart enough
to attend to his own business and didn't
thank him tor interfering.
Charlie was little provoked but said
nothing and soon went forward into the
baggage car. lie had been there but few
minutes when the man to whom he had
given the tlme Y warning rushed in excited
! ~, calling out:
Where the conduc or? Where the
! conductor
Here am, said Charlie, cooley;
/ what wanted
Those rascais have swindled me out Of
all my money and lwant you to getit back
for me, said he.
60 to the" answered Charlie
I'm glad of It. And now you and the
three other gamblers will leave this train
at the next station or I'll have you put off
between stations.
The dupe begged, but Charlie was mex
orable, and he left the train with the monte
thieves who had f1eeced him. In expostu-
lating with Charlie he said that a farmer S
boy had lost $40 and he simply wanted
to win it back for him. The farmer $
boy, Of course, was the shrewdest thiel Of
the lot.
1t has been well known that for several
days past there has been large influx #
monte thieves in this and other cities in
the Missouri valley. At Kansas City and
along the different lines of railroads they
have been practising their nefarlous and
yillanous games OF unsuspecting and hard.
working people. And where they failed tC
| inveigle them into tbGir little game, they
have resorted to drugs and other means tt
accomplish their purpose.
The Atchison Champion Of Friday re
lates the following that occurred between
St Joseph and the city
Yesterday farmer named Nathan
. Lane, who came down from St Joseph
going to, or near Kansas City, where hi
family resides, was followed by trio 0
- these dirty villains who succeeded, on thei
arrival at Winthrop, in robbiGg their vic
tim Of 5000, all the money he possessed il
= the world, and the fruit Of many years o
J economy and hard labor. They no doub
followed him from st. Joseph, although b
does not remember seeing them until at
Z his arrival in Winthrop. Soon after h
&: passed out of the car he was accosted by
man who asked a few questions in regar
, to where he came from and where lie wa
going. They walked a short distance tC
D. gether, where they were met by two othe
5 men who Joined in the conversation. +
: nally the three strangers commenced be-
ting among themselves, and ten dollar
- changed hands as the result of the be
y MIR. Lane was now invited to Join in III
game, but declined to do So. whereupo
g they asked him if he ever drank anythin!
He told them he did not make a practiC
u of drinking Intoxicating liquors, and d
not wish to drink with them. The invit
ton was repeated so pressingly that he
= nally consented to drink with them; al
they all repaired to saloon, took a drit
. and that was the last he remembered f
some time. He says that Immediately &
ter drinking a bhnd1es came over hii
and strange paralytic feeling pervadt
his whole body When he recovered /
- lost reason, the villains were net to
u found. Upon examination he discover
Ii that 5000 which he carried in his ins
- coat pocket was missing They no dou
drugged his whisky, and when he had l.
his reason, robbed him Of his money. !
came to Atchison and reported his case
our authorities. who took the case in har
but thus far have failed to make any /
U.s. portant discoveries. In order that
E Lane might be able to indemnity the N
who had robbed him, warrant was issU
for all the monte men kawn to tie in I
city; but out Of the parties arrested
failed to recognize any of those engag
in the robbery.