The daily gazette., 1878-10-14
A Juggler jagged.

hisEhABLE FRAUD ON the CHILDREN
THEY ARE BEGUILED BIZ PROMISE
OF BOX OF FINE FRENCH CANDY AND
GET NOTHING.
In the city papers, on Friday after
noon, appeared an advertisement, an
nouncing that "Larue, the great Magi-
clan and Ventriloqust," would appear at
the Institute Hall, on Saturday after
noon, at 2 o'clock. "Admission, 10 cents;
| children with school cards, 10 cents"
This announcement, of itself, was en-
tirely unsuspicious, with the exception
that the phrase "children with school
cards" might have provoked some spe-
culation as to its intent and meaning 1t
Afterwards appeared, that these school
cards comprised the fraudulent part of
the affair, and were the means of cruelty
deceiving large lumber of children.
During all of Friday the agents of the
great Larue" were busy around the
public school houses, waylaying the
| cmldren as they came from the schools
and presenting them with cards, ,announc-
ing the performance ON Saturday after.
noon, and stating that each child would
be admitted to the performance on the
presentation of the card at the ticket
office and the payment of ten cents. The
cards further stated that each child would
receive present of box of fine French
| =
be distributed twenty dollars In gold
Also, that set of furniture, barrel OF
flour, boys suit of clothes and a silk
dress pattern would be awarded as extra
presents
| These fiattering announcements caused
a great commotion among the children
and there was such ageneral and success
full strike on the parents for the requisite
ton cents, that by two o'clock Saturday
afternoon Institute Hall was crowded ur
stairs and down, with nearly 1900 per
sons, the bulk of whom were children
who had assem- bled to see the great per
formance and receive the presents.
The performance was duly proceeded
with, and though it did not amount tc
much, the general opinion was that as
far as 1t went 1t was worth the small
price of admission. But the great fraud
was In the awarding of presents. WheI
the "great Larue" finished his perform
ance, he told the boys to remain il
their seats, and their presents would be
distributed to them, while the girk
would receive theirs az they passed out
He then quietly slipped out, and the
children started for the door.
The result was a cruel swindle. A few
of the children received from the assis
tant at the door, small paper bag con
tanning two or three little pieces of com
mon candy, while the rest of then
received nothing, the assistant soon fol
lowing the example of his chief and skip
ping down stairs. The true state of af
fairs was soon ascertained by the chill
dren. and Institute Hall then held an as
semblage of deceived, disappointed ane
indignant juveniles, the like of which
were never gathered at one place in thi:
city before. The building resounded lik,
a Bedlam with the clatter of angry littl,
voices, and some of the little ones criet
bitterly over the grievous manner ii
which they had been swindled.
But vengeance was swift and sure
Suspecting very strongly that the who'll
affair would prove fraud, Sergean
Whelan made it his business to be OF
hand, and when he saw the "great La
rue" slip out of the door he are ted him
having previous y procureds he ne cesar,
warrant, and escorted him to the Cit.
Hall, followed by crowd of the swim
died juveniles, whose grief was thereb,
turned to joy and triumph. Larue's wifi
and his assistant, who gave the name o
Henry G. Martin, were also taken to thu
Hall by Sergeant Whalan.
The parties were given hearing i'm
mediately before actiDg-Mayor O'Neill
and were defended by Levi @. Bird
Esq, whose only plea at the time was
that is customary for theatrical parties t
misrepresent in part the.nature of thei
performances. A. number of person
testified to the fraud that was practicet
upon the children, and the school cards
with their attractive announcements
were also offered in evidence. Afte
the hearing Esquire O'Neill discharged
Larue's wife, whe did not appear from
: the evidence to be q party to the fraud
but he held Larue and Martin in $40
bail each to answer the charge of obtai q
ling money under false pretenses. The.
were remanded to the cells, and unles
they can procure the required bail the.
: will have to go to New Castle.
The "candy" trunk of the performer
was also taken to the Hall. 1t was tilles
to the brim witlfsmall paper bags, eacl
containing few pieces Of candy, which
represented the boxes of fine "Frencl
: candyn which each child was to receive
In fact, SO small was the quantity o
candy in each bag that the contents
four of them would not lie more than cal
: be purchase tor penny at any cand.
store In the city.
Wilmington is not the first plac
where Larue practiced his little game, a
) | he did the same thing in Philadelphl
, under the name of "Zera," and in Read
! inc under the name of "Larue.o How
ever. his game has been effectuall
p blocked, and it is doubtful that he WI
! aver try it IN this section of the countr
again. c.rnar..,
Jr. became surety for the accused, an
they were released.