The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1881-11-29
TRICKS OF sHAspeas.

" fuges, sharp dodges or deceptions
ever saw" said New York jeweler to
reporter, "was one by which sharp
fellow stole from me three pairs of dla-
mond earrings. He evidently knew
when was not in the store. He came
in one day and said to one ofmy clerks.'
'Is Mr.. johnson in 2''
mo-" was the reply.
81 am sorry for that" he said, 81
would like very much to buy pair of
diamond earrings for my wife,"
This was repeated for four or five sue
cessive days. The last time he said he
would not wait any longer but would
look at some earrings. The clerk showed
him an assortment and he finally select
ed three pairs valued at $3.50 and said:
81 guess will let my wife select from
these as she will be at my store in an
hour, and you please tell Mr.. johnson
to bring these around himself, as he Is
acquainted with her."
CAN right sir, 1 shall do SOL replied
the clerk.
''By the way" said the fellow, elf you
will permit me, shall write note to
Mr.. Johnson
Certainly" said the clerk, who
showed him to desk and pointed out to
where he could get paper and envelopes.
He sat down, wrote short note, fold
ed it up and put it in an envelope, and di-
rected 1t to me. Then he went back to
the counter and said to the clerk, "I
think you had better put the three pairs
of earrings in here and will seal them
up so that Mr.. johnson will be certain
to bring the right ones.''
"Very well," said the clerk, who
handed out the three pairs of earrings
and the fellow put them into the enve-
lope before the clerks eyes, and was APP
parently about to seal the envelope when
he suddenly said
"Oh, guess you may putin that other
pair; pointing to pair which the clerk
had laid on the shelf behind him. The
clerk turned and got the other pair and
handed them to the fellow, dropped them
| apparently into the same envelope, seal
ed them up and handed over, and said:
"Let Mr.. Johnston bring the four pair
to my store as soon as he comes back, -
| giving the address of well known store
in that vicinity.
Then he left and the clerk laid the en-
velope to one side until L returned. Of
course we found but one pair of diamond
earrings in the envelope, which was the
last pair dropped in. The other pairs
were paste, about the same size. The
fellow had taken two of my envelopes,
and into one had placed the three bogus
pairs. When the clerk had turned to
get the fourth pair, the fellow had put
the genuine into his pocket and substi-
tuted the others.
We never saw him afterwards, but
heard he had practiced the same game in
other places.
"In showing jewelry it is the custom
to show only six watches at once, or
some uniform number. If the customer
wants to see another, ,one of those already
on exhibition will be taken away. The
same rule is observed with rings. The
tray is always full, or with known
number of holes empty, so that if ring
were taken the loss would be immediate
~ detected. Sometimes swindlers will
watch an opportunity and slip in
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 number of jew
elers about the same time, and the rogue
was captured.
"a common trick in buying goods on
the installment plan is to give wrong
name, mentioning the name of some
solvent person. The references will, of
course, give good report, and it will
not be discovered until too late that the
good character does not belong to the
one who purchased the goods"
One of the shrewdest and boldest tricks
ever played on jeweler was done by
woman of nerve in Cincinnati not long
ago. One day middle aged woman, of
fine personal appearance, well dressed,
and of most attractive manners, called
at private lunatic asylum and asked
to see the superintendent. That official
met her in the parlor.
81 wish to make arrangements for the
confinement of patient here" she said.
"What are your terms and the condi-
tions on which you receive your in
mates Yn
"Our terms azetzI5 pea week and you