Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1875-07-15
Beware of Confidence Men.

| The number of men who are "vic-
timized'' by the amount of money
gained by confidence men" of one
kind or another in cities are surpris-
ingly large and do not seem to grow
less, Notwithstanding the great mum.
Der of signs with the above inscrip-
ton and frequent warnings OF the
press. We attach very little impor-
lance to giving details of this or that
particular trick by which men are
deceived. 1t is much safer to rely on
some general principles, for it is safe
to say that the cases are very rare
in which a man has lost money
thu Tough "confdence' men Of any
kind, when the loss is not attributable
to an excess of credulity, ignorance
of business customs, or desire to
earn money easily or dishonesty.
Among the rules it is well to bear
in mind when travelling or in large
cities, the following may be named:
1t is neither the best of taste, nor
very safe to be making a show of
large quantities of money. Ordina'
rily it is not best to carry large sums
on the person. If this seem advisG-
BILE sum sufficient for the ordinary
expenses should be kept separate
and the rest need not be exhibited
nor spoken Of
1t is neither necessary nor adVlsa-
bic TO tell strangers your name, bu-
siness, destination and general histo>
ty. One need not shut himself up
like an oyster. The little
courtesies and talk of cizllized life
should be found among travellers, but
many man could trace his loss of
money to too free talk about himself.
While little courtesies and favors
may properly be exchanged between
strangers, the cases are extremely
rare in which q stranger should pro-
ose or offer you favors which re-
quire the loaning of money or the
purchase of property When
stranger finds himself in need OF
little or much money and asks you
for it, proposing to give you secu-
rity, or sell at great sacrifice, a
fine watch or valuable diamond, or
to secure you by check, draft or
bonds, etc, it is perfectly safe TO ex-
press your regret that it is not con-
venient for you to accommodate
MIN, as some hundreds of mon who
have received brass watches, glass
pms or worthless checks can testi-
fly.
Proper inquiries will almost inva-
riably be civilly and correctly an
swered by railroad conductors, ticket
agents hotel clerks, etc. As rule,
they should be addressed to such
men rather than to strangers, how
ever friendly.
If in a city you are addressed by
some cold friend" who calls you by
your own or some other name, but
of whom you have no Recollection,
there is no objection to being as po
lite as he is, but there are very good
reasons for not going out of your
way to oblige him, or acting on his
advice, however plausible-as good
many men who have stopped to "take
drink" with such "friend," or
gone with him "to see the sights or
to look up "good chance TO make
money" have found out to their
cost.
1t ought not to be necessary 10
caution anyone againts excepting
invitations to patronize lotteries,
cheap auctions, etc., or against bet
ting with mote-mep, or gamblers OF
any kind, unfortunately true that
largo numbers of men who ought to
know better have been "swindled" in
these ways. For such men it is not
easy to get up much sympathy.
To sum up, the man who quietly
attends to his own business, neither
seeking nor permitting too great ta-
miliarity on the part of strangers,
who transacts his business so far as
possible with we'll established and
reputable firms and who is not led
astray by apparent opportunities to
make money dishonesty, will rarely
have need to complain of being
swindled by confidence men.