Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1876-02-03
Three-Csrd Monte.

IN take tho plain side Of them. and ON
this one III mark large round spot with
pen. Now watch close.
These remarks were addressed TO an
EyDyess representative a few evenings
since by a young man who had been
known 10 the profession" a. one OF
rthe mos, daring young confidence men
and three card throwers in the country.
who had been induced by the writer 20
give him a history OF his career and an
insight into the modus operandi Of the
game.
Now" be continued, 81 take this card
80. and place il on the table. This Is the
one with the mark on IL. / put the two
Others ON either side of it, and you can
turn il up now and look for yourself"
The reporter did 50. Sure enough, the
middle card bad the spot
Now. again. ] take up this card slow.
Is, and throw IL over In the place Of the
other, and transfer the one Oh the left to
the place Of the one on the right, and the
marked one 10 now on the left instead OF
being In the middle, ISN'T ityp
The reporter thought that such was the
case, and remarked that there was no
doubt about II.
Pick it up and see" said slippery
Ned"
The reporter turned over the card. II
was blank. lie also turned the middle,
with like result. and found the marked
spot on the last card To the right.
There" said Ned, you see IL you'd
had 81 600 bet on that you'd been LEFT.
wouldn't your"
The Eyress writer was forced 10 admit
that such would have been the result, but
also made mental reservation To the
effect that whenever he became the pos
SCISSOR Of 81 900 he wouldn't bet II ON any
kind Of game, you bet.
"Try II again. urged Ned.
The reporter did 10 with the same re.
ssult, although In each case the motion Of
Ned's fingers were slow and deliberate.
IN show YOU" said he. " take this
card with the spot on II, and, bending IL
like the otbers, put IL In my fingers. /
make a motion as though were throwing
IL out, but | merely shove IL quickly
down and throw out the next card ~ II.
You keep your eye on the one thrown
out, thinking IL In the one which ID
marked, or In a regular way, The ace, and
there you get left again. Now let me
show you" And In few moments II was
40 well explained that the reporter had
hardly any trouble in picking UP the
proper card. Then the operator smutted
The corner OF a card little aud gave an
illustration Of that proceeding.
When all this was fully explained the
reporter proceeded % get some informa-
ton concerning the mode Of living by
these operators.
" You see" said Ned, 81 used 10 be
pretty well up In us, business, although
was young In years. Red John first got
hold Of me in New York, where | was
playing marbles on the street, and he
thinking ! would make "A good subject,
started out with me. ] suppose I've at.
tended nearly every county fair In the
country with that fellow. lie first had
me into business az a capper, and worked
into his hands well, can tell you. He al.
ways whacked up, too, you bet. Always
honor among thieves, you know, and
honor among the chaps we were, too.
Had 10 be, or we couldn't have run the
business. But finally / concluded 70 go
il on my own hook; NO one season ! left
New York In July, 10 work up the farm.
or fairs from that time on. ! had two
cappcrs, and right good fellows they were.
They would drive me In hundreds Of
greenies, and then l used To soak EN-.
Tell you how we used 10 do II. Wed 20
into fair ground, and get license from
the officers % run n jcwelry case. he.
ceiving permission, We set up jcwelry
. case with little brass jewclry In II, and
under pfc,cnse Of shouting for sales
brought up the crowd. Soon AS We got
them together, out came board, and
down went on the ground, pretending TO
have little fun all 10 myself Pretty
soon country fellow would sit down near
zne, and AK:
90 What you got thar
"Of course | answered him In way
to lend him on,
ron, JUS, little game with some fun
"Iiscuriosity being excited, bis next re.
quest 6as to see little Of It, and as that
was just what / wanted, drove my open
ing wedge by throwing the cards little,
letting hin, pick out the ace every time.
When convinced that had him on my
string. remarked:
Boss. I'll bet you quarter you can't
pick out the ace
Done, says he, and he threw down u
twenty. fiye.cent shinpiastcr.
ale wins of course l allow him to win
again and again. Then he feels elated;
puts down ten dollars and wins again
twenty dollars, and still wins. II think
.he has any more, down goes fifty dollars.
This time l win and the noble Granger Is
busted, by thunder!"
but don't the officers around these
fairs make II hot for your queried the
reporter.
Sometimes, when we beat them at our
little game. Tell you tho truth, i have
often beaten men al fairs whom you
wouldn't think of--poiicemen, constabics
and sometimes the Presidents OF the agri.
cultural societies.
But suppose the officers don't allow
you In, then whatyp
Easy enough; II ! can't run my Jew.
elry business, go In anyhow. Pay my
way. you know. Then get mad ut one
,of my cappers. Get club aud run him
into the remote part OF the grounds, strik.
Ing at him ~furiously. create an excite.
,ncnt Gre1n country fellows follow us.
We masas Il up and arc friendly by the
time llerrowl reaches ms. Start up u
game oui there and are all right, you see.
II we're put out Of the ground entirely,
ils the easiest thing In the world to get go
Tag Just across the road from fair
ground. II we are arrested--well, II costs
us lots pf money to get out and that
diminishcs our profit"
{" How about being knowny Don't II