Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-08-05
OPENING HIS EYES.

II Netc Phase of S,Uindling--A Granger
Done for IN CHICAGO.
Cincinnati Enquirer.l
A decidedly original swindle was perpe-
trated in Chicago lately, which, though eff
forts were made to keep it out of print, has
come to the ears of one of our reporters. A
rich old granger, living in the center of the
State, became troubled with complaint of
the eyes, and seeing circular from some
wonderful clairvoyant who promised that
the blind should see. if they would only trust
themselves to him, a correspondence was
commenced, during which the confding old
man managed to tell all about his circum.
stances and business, and which ended in his
leaving for Chicago with full pocket-book.
he was met at the depot by the professors
servant, and conducted at once to his pala-
tial residence, to save hotel expenses, as was
explained to him.
A weeks time elapsed with no apparent
improvement, when, as be was sitting at the
supper table with the doctor and his wife.
his sight completely failed him in the twink
ling of an eye, as it were. and when the old
man had suffice lilly recovered from the
shock to his nervous system that the knowl-
edge had given him, he was tenderly led to
an adjoining improvised bedroom, and after
a careful examination was given the joyful
intelligence that it was only phase OF his
| troubles; that q radical cure was being eff
fected, and that it was only necessary that he
be kept, with his eyes we'll bandaged, in a
/ dark room, 80 that not ray of light could
| reach his tender orbs, and in few weeks at
furthest he might expect to return home a
| sound man.
/ The utmost attention was shown him. He
was solicited to dictate letters to his folks,
| which were taken charge of by the kind doc
tor, to- be forwarded, and letters were re-
ceiyed from his people, which were kindly
read to him, and, in fact, nothing spared
that would tend to make the old man COM
Portable. Being man of wealth and bust
ness, ne received checks for his signature
which he signed as best he could in his
blinded condition. At the end of two
weeks, receiving letter from home that
asked for his presence as soon as possible, he
expressed desire to go.
The doctor consented with seeming re-
luctance. He was given minute direction az
to the treatment of his eyes, tickets were
placed i'll his hands, and, taken to the depot
in a close carriage, he was put on night
train, snugly ensconced in berth of the
sleeper, anu pun III tne charge or tne con
ductor. During his troubled sleep the
bandages partially loosened from his eyes
and on the next morning few rays of beau
tlful light stole into his orbs and greeted his
awakening senses. Trembling with Joy, he
gradually removed the wrappings as be
could bear the light, and found his sigh
had fully returned. His thankfulness to his
skillful physician and joy at his recovered
!. vision may be imagined. He reached home
in high glee, where, on comparing notes, i
was fonnd that the old man haG
been the victim of skillfu
swindle and had paid fol-
his experience to the extent of about $4,000
Acting on the knowledge gained from the ole
man, and on the letters of his friends to him
the Williams had carried on the whole cores
pondence and reaped their harvest from it
The instantaneous loss of sight, which
seemingly befell the victim, was produced BY
simply closing the shutters to exclude any
stray ray of light from an outside lamp
then suddenly turning off the gas, leaving
the party at the upper table in total dark
ness. The swindlers, of course, paid no at
tention to this occurrence, and the bewilder