The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1881-12-30
Tricky People.
How jewelers. Get Fleeced.
New York Paper.I

New York Paper.I
"Of all the tricks, devices, subterfugss, sharp
lodges or deceptions ever saw" said jewell
er to a reporter twas one by which sharp
fellow stole from me three pair of diamond ear
rings. He evidently knew when 1 was not in
the store. He came in one day and said to one
of my clerks:-
= is Mr.. johnson imp
'' No. was the reply.
" 4 am sorry for that, he said, 1 wish to buy
pair of diamond earrings for my wife,
"This was repeated ON four or five successive
days. The last time he said he would not wait
to see me, but would look at some earrings,
The clerk showed him an assortment, and he
finally selected three pairs, valued at $3.50, and
said: Il guess will let my wife select from
these. She will be at my store in an hour,
and want you to tell Mr.. johnson to bring
these around himself, as he is acquainted with
my wife,
GAN right, sir, will replied the clerk.
'''By the way said the fellow, If you will
permit me, 1 will write note to Mr.. john
son.
Certainly said the clerk, as he showed
him to desk, and pointed out where he could
get paper and envelopes. He sat down, wrote
a short note, folded it, and put it in an envel-
ope and directed it to me. Then he went back
to the counter and said to the clerk: i think
you had better put three pair of earrings in
here, 50 that gfr johnson win be sure to bring
the right ones.
Every well, said the clerk, who handed out
three pair Of earrings. The fellow dropped
them in the envelope before the clerks eyes,
and was apparently about to seal up the envel-
ops, when he said, suddenly:
"'Oh, I guess you may putin that other pair
pointing to a pair which the clerk had laid on
the shelf behind him The clerk turned and
got the other pair and handed them to the fell
low, who dropped them apparently into the
same envelope, sealed them up, handed them
over and said: Let Mr.. johnson bring the four
pairs to my store as soon as he comes back,
giving the address of Well-knOwn store in the
vicinity Then he left and tho clerk laid the
envelope to one side until returned: Of
course we found but one pair of diamond ear
rings in the envelope which was the last pair
droDped in The other three pairs were paste,
about the same size. The fellow had taken two
of my envelopes, and into one he had placed
the three bogus pairs. When the clerk turned
to get the fourth pair the fellow had put the
genuines into his pocket and substituted the
others. We never saw him afterward, but
heard that he had practiced the same game in
other places.
HOf course, the imperative rule is not to let
goods 20 out of your sight until you get the
money. The trick of having goods sent TO no.
tells and boarding houses with bills for couec-
ton is so stale that the undertaking rule IS TO
keep your goods in sight. But shrewd fel-
low once managed to get three watches from
me by clever dodge. A bright, sharp
looking customer came in one day and sald.-
'tI am from Ohio and have commission to
buy some goods for my sister, who IS about TO
"He picked out a bill of $500 worth of vari-
Gus articles and said:-
s Just send them round to my store IN
Broadway at u o'clock, naming well-known
carpet store in Broadway.
'The goods were sent BY clerk, who found
the customer apparently engaged IN showing
carpets, and perfectly at home. he recognlz-
ed the clerk and said:-
/" 'Ahl Just step this way and will give you
agcheck.' He went with the clerk to the desk.
drey a check and tookthe goods. He appeared
to be so perfectly at home that the clerk mad
not the slightest suspicion OF course the cneck
was worthless, and we found that he had Sc
cured the desk privilege at the carpet Store py
pretending that he was buying large STOCK OF
carpets among other purchases in the city. lie
fooled five jewelers. in New York and others IN
other cities.
stOne day a swarthy, foreign-looldng we'll
dressed young man called on prother-leWeier
and handed him his card, Alexander Dumas,
Prussian Legation, Washington He said no
was with his wife and child at the ST. NlcholaS
hotel, and wanted to buy some watches ana
iewelry, for which he would pay cash: lie
said his wife was too sick to leave the hotel,
and wanted the goods sent with the bill. The
ieweler thought he would make a sure thing
of it and take the goods himself lie WeHt 10
the St. Nicholas, was told that Mr.. Dumas was
stopping there, and was shown 10 ms room; Mr. ,
1.,axr tf1,nh nat a
jeweler cordially.
:. 'Ah' he said, 1 am glad to have you come.
1 am sorry that my wife is confined to her bed.
will just step into the next room and let her
make her selections.
1sThe ieweler, in a moment of weakness con-
sented. After waiting five minutes he began
to get nervous. He did not like TO disturb
sick lady, but went to the office to make some
inquiries. There he found that Mr.. Dumas
had Just stepped oGt, and had no wife and child
in the house. He was finally caught, after nc
had PLAYED the same game on number OF jew
eers, and lodged in Sing Sing.
''In showing lewelry it is custmaory 10 snow
only six watches at once, or some uniform
number. If the customer wants to see another
one of those already on exhibition Will ee TAX
en- away. The same rule is observed WIN
rings. The tray is always full, or with q known
number of holes empty so that II ring was
taken the loss would be instantly detected.
Sometimes swindlers will watch an opportunl-
ty to slip in a worthless ring and take away
good one. One jeweler of my acquaintance
found five plated .rings thus substituted for
plain gold rings in one day. The trick was
PLAYED upon a number of jewelers. about
the same time, and then the rogue was cap
tured
"a common trick in buying goods on the in-
stallment plan is to give wrong name, mem
tioping some isolvent person. The reference
will, OF course give a good report, and 1t Will
not be discovered until too late that the good
character does not belong to the one who pur-
chased the goods.