The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1877-06-15

How He WAS VICTIMIZED.-An esteem
ed correspondent sends us the particulars of
sharp game successfully practised upon a
we'll known citizen of Wiln'ore by conf
dence man connected with the one-horse
show which passed through this place on
the morning of the day mentioned. Our
correspondent says:
On Saturday last Mr.. G. G. Rorabaugh, of
edge from confidence man for which he paid
pretty exorbitant price: The facts are sub
u couple of the sharp looking gentry drove up
TO the Mountain House, in said borough, in a
result of their visit flaming posters were soon
TO be seen i'm various public places announcing
attend in the following attractive words:
Don't fail to see the free bdioon ascension ut
Wimore, on Saturday. June 9th Remember
the Gay and date" In addition to this, the in
formation was vouchsafed that Mons. La
Pierre, the celebrated French ;Pronaut," and
other>Rreat % celebrities would be on hand to
entertain the multitude, etc. Sensible people
shook their heads and muttere1 "Swinders,"
but the more thouvhtess seemed TO be delight
ed with the prospect .of witnessing balloon
ascension that was to cost them nothing. Well
Saturday last, the day appointed for the exhib-
ition, came in due time, and with it came sew
erai wagons bearing he trappings of what pur
ported to be II show. Wv hich pitched its tent in
vacant lot at the upper end of town, and by
one o'clock, the time designated for the ascen-
sion. quite a crowd had gathered in the vicni-
~. The balloon. however did not go up until
about five O'Clock, and IN he meantime several
OF the genus sharpers circulated pretty freely
among :he people assembled and invited a
number of prominent personages to go inside
the canvas free gratis for nothing. This invi-
tation was accepted by some of the parties to
whom ii Was extended, and when they got i'll
side the tent a wheel of fortune and various
other attractions of like nature greeted their
however. for soon after they were conducted
TO still another apartment, where the true in
in ali its glory. T.Wtli S"n Walk into NV nv nari
lor2- said the spider to the fy.) What manner
Rora ha ugh had scarcely entered when he
informed by one of the shaIpers that he lthe
sharper) bad a big thing TO introduce. and in
order TO accomplish his purpose he would deal
very iiberaly with the gentleman named. At
thus Juncture still another of the swindlers,
who gave a name familiar to Mr.. X, but which
the later now believes was assumed, drew one
his hand, aud as result seemingly'won five dol
lars, which the party of the first part promptly
IL like result; after which No. l solicited Mr. II.
20 draw. which he finally did three times in sIc
first two pops and *lsO in the last venture. The
sharper Immediately counted out the latter
ally inquired what it all meant, to which he
received the reply that the money was his, buu
Deluded by his seemingly good luck and daz-
zied by the tempting bait which WAS set to- en-
ed, went and succeeded in borrowing the
amount from a couple of friends, without how
ever informing them of his purpose, and soon
after returned and de posted the money the
table beside the $50 which he had already been
conditions specified. Pretending that he lack
ed a few cents of the stipulated amount, Mr. |
Sharper went behlnd the curtain apparently
To get enough TO make up the deficiency, out
hastily returning grabbed up both piles and
immediately disappeared, notwithstanding Mr..
Rs protestation that the money belonged 20
him. Evidently intent upon assisting his can
federate to escape, Sharper No. 2 elicited the
attention of Mr. h for moment by remarkinp
that that fellow does not deal honesily"-a
fact which the latter was not long in realizing
to his utter dismay. but, alas too late to cap
ture the thief aud recover his greenbacks.
The propretorS of the show, it is proper to say,
dasclaIued all connection with the confidence
man. but there can he little doubt that they
were all con:ederates in thMs swinde, the
show. properly speaking, is ny show all.
effort having been made to sell tickets of ad-
m ission- while, on the other hand, il sf motor
ious fact that the gambling table was located
inside the tent. 1t is also reported we know
not with how much truth, that several other
parties were vicfimiZed i'm sums ranging frosn
- TO $40, and that the same game tried
without success on many more. For instance,
for what purpose he knew not, and while there
was induced tn draw ticket en- titiing him to
request that he would recommend the concern
to his friends outside. This request Mr.. Storm ,
promptly refused to comply with, aud handing
back the intended bribe with The remark that
he would have nothing to do with such money,
shook the dust from his feet and Indignantly ,
left the premises In few other instances as
much 400 was given out with like obi ect !
ia view. hut in no case was the bribe accepted. /
Among the number thus favored was Mr.. Mar
tin Il. PriDgle. who drew a ticket calling foe the
latter sum, which MIR. Sharper proposed to pay
if he MIR PJ would loan him 80; but as the /
gentleman referred TO couldn't see IL in that
light the little game failed as matter OF
Mr.. Rorahaugh, Who is supervisor of Sub Di- /
visinn No II, on the Pa r. r., says that he !
never gambted before in his life, and cannot /
account for his folly i'm this instance unless ne
was, as he honestly beiieveS, mcsmerized by T.
the scoundrels- BE that as il may. there is T.
doubt that he will avoid the ways that
dark and tricks that vain for all time to ,
come. and especially when they present them
selves in the guise of Ouc-hOrse shows aDG free /
balloon ascensions-