The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1880-04-22
s.Fakir.,, scoop in = s.laao Gent.


Tuesday Mr.. Ford from up about
Salado, visited the city on business,
aud during the evening drank little
too much beer, sDd while browsing
around the Casino theatre, fell into the
hands OF that Inimitable steering"
''fakir"
JOE BURLAGE.
who has Just returned from passing
pleasant tern In the State penltentiary
at Huntsville. Joe was affabie and
with smiles child-like and bland, threw
dust int D his eyes and skilfully decoyed
him into ''fakir kiosk" adjoining
the Casino theatre. 4 monte game Hss
on the boards and one Perkins
was dealing the cards and taking in the
ducsts fIcm the.
US5oPHIsTICATED.
Joe Immedittsly commenced to plank
down the ''blunt," and wss lucky from
the word go, and took In every bet TO
the great astcnIshment OF Ford and the
apparent disgust Of the festive Perkins,
VINO looked as if he was ruined man
and wanted some one to give him dose
of soothing syrup aud carry him home
on q shutter. OF course this was sim
ply ''euy" TO assist in taking in the
innocent Ford. The game waxed hot
and the inimitsble Joe continued 10 tap
the bank. "Won't you go halves with
me?" be said, az be turned to Ford,
who half drunk, was as.onished at his
success. Ford refused to 60 halves,
but commenced to bet, and strange to
say, lost as regularly as Joe won and
was soon minus all the money, about
$40, ne had about him. OF course he
vas disgnsted and the observing eye Of
the willy ''steerer" 'Takir" Burlage
saw it. "Ah, you don't understand,
20 halves with me-" and be slyly pull
cd a card out of his shirt sleeve, "see,
| Eve stole this card out of the deck and
kaow what I'm about" The unsophis-
ticsted Ford swallowed the bait, but
had no money. He had god watch,
however, which ''fakir" Joe had an
earnest longing to buy, and offered
sixty dollars for it. Ford half drunk
and Gated over Burlseo's success, and
having discovered IS he thought, the
reason of it, took the money and con-
cluded to
GO HALVES
/ with him. The game had been we'll
played and the victim WIS now fairly
IN the tolls of the willy 'fakirs," and
they were ready TO spring the trap and
fl zee him without stint. "Shsll bet
II all on the next turn?" asked the
cheerful Joe, "No its too much," says
Ford, II don't want to bet so. much. "
But the money, sixty dollars and the
gold watch, valued at ninety dollars,
were put on card, notwithstanding
the protest, and were lost as was in
tended by the "fskirs." They had
been playing with the half drunken Ford
like cat pla, s with mouse, and after
they succeeded IN getting all his money
! and his watch into their clutches, they
with one fell swoop took him in and
| pocketed the pile. Ford was indig-
nant and denounced them in no ul-
measured terms, but to use his own ex-
preston. be had been scooped and the
"fskirs" were ready to swear anything.
OF course they were. There is not q
"fskir" IN town who. if he found him
self swearing the truth under such cir
cumstances, but what would go luto
the nearest alley and kick himself to
death. All The time the "fakirs" were
drugging this man from the country,
who knew about as much of their little
game as a monkey with his tail burnt
off, docs OF the
SEVENTH HEAVEN
Of Mahomet, officer Lock, whose
| sworn. duty 1t is to arrest all men be
sees gambling, was in the room a calm
| locker on of the whole proceeding
On yesterday, when asked by the
STATEsMAN's reporter why he dldn't
arrest the "fs KRIS" he sald he had NJ
instructions to do so and he didn't feel
that it was any of his business to com.
menCe the raid when it was we'll known
that nearly every policeman and
deputy sheriff in the county, frequent
such places and were familiar with the
way things were carried on in them.
We warn strangers everywhere to be-
ware of the affable ''fakirs" of this
city. Their business is to rob and
steal everything of value they can, and
if they can't do it ole way they will
another, should you ever be 50 unfortu-
nate as to be decoyed into theil
"kiosks." Should you see an officer Of
the law within, you needn't fatte:
yourself that be will protect you.
They have received mo instructions"
to do so, for you know these ''fsklrs'
are destitute of honor, and at cleo
ton times can vote early, late and often,
out woe betide you should you get
drunk on the side walk, or punch the
head of "fakir." In that case, in.
stTuctions or DO instructions, you viii
be arrested at once.