The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1876-01-27
THREE-CARD MONTE.

How the Trick L. Notwithstanding on
stocked with the EerdRnt-A Mountain
| Experience, South-A Bell Cord EIpe-
| rience-Nhy He Quit.
From the Terre Haute und.) Express J
$50 YOU don't know any thing about
three-card monte, eh? Now, just wait a
minute, and I'll show you something.
Here are three business cards, all alike.
I'll take the plain side of them, and on
this one III mark a large round spot
with a pen. Now, watch close"
These remarks were addressed to an
Express representative a few evenings
since, by a young man who had been
known to the professional as one of
the most daring young confidence men
and three-card throwers in the country,
who had been induced by the writer to
give him a history of his career, and an
insight into the nlOduS operGndi of the
game.
"Now," he continued, 81 take this
card so, and place it on the table. This
! is the one with the mark on it. | put
the two others on either side of it, and
you can turn it up now and look at
it for yourself"
The reporter did so. Sure enough,
the middle card had the spot.
"Now, again, l take up this card
slowly, and throw it over in the place
of the other, and transfer the one on
| the left to the place of the one on the
right, and the marked one is now on
the left instead of being in the middle,
ism t it?n
The reporter thought that such was
the case, and remarked that there was
no doubt about it.
"Pick it up and see," said Slippery
! Ned"
The reporter turned over the card.
1t was a blank. He also turned the
middle, with like result, and found
the marked spot on the last card to the
right.
sThere,n said Ned, "you see if
you'd had 900 bet on that, you'd
been left, wouldn't you?"
The Express writer was forced to ad-
nit that such would have been the re-
suit, but also made mental reserva-
ton to the effect that when ever he be-
came the possessOr of $1,000 he
wouldn't bet it on any kind of a game,
you bet.
"Try it again, - urged Ned.
The reporter did so with the same re-
suit, although in each case the motion
of Ned's fingers were slow and deliber-
ate.
"I'u show you," said he. g. take
this card with the spot on it, and bend
inr it like the others, put it in my FIN
gers. | make a motion as though |
were throwing it out, bat ! merely
shove it quickly down, and throw out
the next card to it. You keep your eye
on the one thrown out, thinking 1t Is
the one which is marked, or in a regu-
lar way, the ace, and there you get left
again. Now let me show you" And
in a few moments it was so well eX,
planned that the reporter had hardly
any trouble in picking up the proper
card. Then the operator smHtted the
corner of a card a little and gave al
illustration of that proceeding.
When all this was fully explained the
reporter proceeded to get some inform
alton concerning the mode of living by
these operators.
ssYou see" said Ned, 81 used to be
pretty well up in the business, although
was young in years. Red John frs
cot hold of me in New York, where
was PLAYING marbles on the street, anC
he, thinking l would make a good sub
iect, started out with me. | suppose
I've attended nearly every county fail
in the country with that fellow. He
first had me into business as capper
and | worked into his hands well
| can tell you. He always whackeC
up too, you bet. Always honor
among thieves, you know, and honor
among the chaps we were, too. Had
to be, or we couldn't have run the busi
ness. But finally l concluded to go in
on my own hook; so one season | lef
New York in July, to work up the farm
er fairs from that time on. | had tive
cappers, and right good fellows they
were. They would drive me in hun
dreds of greenies, and then L used t.
soak 'em. Tell you how we used to dc
it. We'd 90 into a fair ground, anC
ret license from the officers to run ;
iewelry case. Receiving permission W.
set up a iewelry case with a little bras
ieweirv in it, and under pretense o
shouting for sales brought up the crowd
Soon as we got them together out cam'
board, and down | went on tht
ground, pretending to have little fun
all to myself. Pretty soon country
fellow would sit down near me, ant
!. ask:
"sWhat you got thar?'
OF course | answered him in way Il
lead him on:
"'Oh, just little game with some ful
in it
, "His curiosity being excited, his mex
request was to see a little of 1t, and a
that was just what | wanted, droy'
my opening wedge by throwing tn
cards little, letting him pick out tn
ace every time. When convinced that
, had him on my string, | remarked;
"'Boss, III bet you quarter you can
pick out the ace
"'Done,' says he, and he threw dow
25-cent shinplaster.
"He wins, of course; l allow him +
win again, and again. Then he feel
elated; puts down 80, and wins again
S2O. and still wins. If | think he ha
f anv more, down goes $50. This time
. win, and the noble Granger is busted
I by thunder!n
, but don't the officers around thes
: fairs make it hot for yOu?" questlone
e the reporter.
e Sometimes, when we beat them
n our little game. Tell you the truth,
e have often beaten men at fairs whol
s YOU wouldn't think of-pOlicemen, col
0 stables, and sometimes the president
S of the agricultural societies. Why,
V was only two years ago that, at tn
/ BridgetOn Fair, got hold of an ol
e preacher-a Methodist-whO had jul
S married couple, and got 50 for it.
: got his money, and he went abO1
n through the grounds all day looking
e the watermelon stands and lemcnaC
e booths so longingly that toward evenir
3, [ returned him his money and told hi
l. to pray more and gamble less in the 4
/ ture. think he took my advice"
"But suppose the officers don't allo
you in, then what?'
- kEag1- anouph If I can't run n