Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1881-08-03
The Work of a Confidence Man.

The work of the confidence man in Hunt
ingdon is thus related by the Huntingdon
Journal of last week. Read it, and profit
by the unpleasant experience of Mr.. Deck
er sour honest farmer friend, Andrew
! Decker, of Henderson township, was made
the victim Of sharpers on the day that p,-ch
eller & Doris circus exhibited at this place.
He was standing at the corner of Fourth
and Penn streets, when he was approached
by well-dressed, aifable stranger, who soon
succeeded in insinuatIng himself into Mr..
DeckeI's confidence. The stranger repre-
sented himself 10 be a sewing machine
agent and that he was desirous of purchas-
ing land in this vicinity for his sister-in-law,
who, he said, had money to invest. Mr..
Decker gave all the information he could to
the gentleman, and talked with him until
they almost ceased TO be strangers. After
their acquaintance was established to the
satisfaction of the agent, he told Decker
there was very fine horse over at the cir
Gus which he was very anxious to see, and
suggested to Decker tha; he should go along
| over, and he readily consented TO accom-
pany the agent. On the river bridge at the
foot of Fourth street they met a man whom
I the agent seemed to know, and whom he
addressed as Judge and expressed great
pleasure and surprise to see him. An inyi-
tation was extended TO the Judge to go back
=, al. L
| said, as he had come down from Holidays
burg with his family and had left them over
in town and was just on his way over to
look after them. He added, however, that
he might possibly return before Decker and
the agent would leave the ground, and, if
so, would see them. The latter then went
but few minutes when the Judge made his
| appearance. Mr.. Decker had been inform
ed in the meantime that this was an ex-
Judge from Blair county, man of very
high character and standing. The three
went together in search of the horse. They
met a man who seemed to be connected
with the show and of whom they made in
quiry. He told them that the horse had
Just been taken from the ground, but world
| be brought back within half an hour and
advised them to wait. As means of pass
ing the time until the return of the horse,
| the Snowman introduced game played with
cards, the name of which Mr.. Decker, of
course, does not know. The agent turned
a card and won five dollars. Then Judge
then turned one and met with equally good
fortune. Mr.. d. declined to take any part
in this game and remains ignorant of what
his luck might have been. This amusement
having come to an end, the Judge COM
mcnced talking about his business here at
this time. His statement, in brief, was that
he was engaged in the temperance cause
and was establishing agencies for the dis
tribution of temperance literature, tracts
and books; that he wanted TO open an
office IN this town and procure an agent to
attend to business, and that he would like
to find a good, responsible man for this po-
sitiOn. There was to be a profit of five
hundred dollars to the agent out of the busi-
ness. Mr.. Decker was asked to accept the
agency, which, after obtaining full under
standing of the matter, as he thought, he
concluded to do. He was then informed
that it would be necessary TO furnish some
evidence of his responsibility, or, in other
words, to put up sum of money as guar.
antee of the faithful performance of his
duties, which sum was fixed at one thou
sand dollars. Mr.. Decker said he hadn't
that amount, but could ges eight hundred
dollars by going to bank. The agent came
at once TO his relief, stating that his, the
agents, wife was in town and had some
money, and that he would go and get two
hundred dollars of it to loan to Decker to
make up the required amount. This was
very clever and pleased Decker very much.
Decker thea started to the hank and soon