The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1881-12-23
CONFIDENCE MEN.


How They Operate Between New lYork
and PHILADELPHIA.
A Philadelphia letter to New York
paper says: The bunko men who
operate between this city and New York
have been reaping harvest Of Late.
The leader OF the gang has in four
instances represented himself as q
nephew Of Anthony J. Drexel or o
member Of the well-known banking
house OF which Mr.. Drexel Is the head.
One Of the victims was Mr.. Evan Ran
dolph. an experienced business man,
whom he swindled out Of $40. The
second was Mr.. Hazlehurst, q leading
member Of the Philadelphia bar, whom
he caught for $1,000. The third was
Mr.. j. A. j. Sheets, prosperous
lumber merchant, who lost 81, 900 by
his confidence in the scoundrei. The
fourth victim is no less o parsonage
than the Hon. George Sharswood, chief
justice of the supreme court Of Penn.
sylvania. In the latter case, however,
the amount involved was only So
The story OF this operation was given
to your correspondent as follows:
"As was strolling up Broadway, in
New York, well-dressed young man
addressed me by some name not my
own, which do not recall, and seemed
both confused and incredulous when I
told him that he was mistaken. He,
however, apologetically said that bore
striking resemblanceto the gentleman
who he supposed me to be, and that he
would be grateful il ! would tell him
who was. gave him my name, and
he left me with every mark Of courtesy.
had not gone much further when an
other gentleman, youthful, we'll dressed
and of remarkably pleasing manners,
crossed the sidewalk toward me. and
extending his hand, addressed me By
name and professed to be delighted TO
have met me. His face did not seem
unfamiliar to me, but I could not re.
call his name, and I supposed my puz.
zled look led him to relieve my mind,
as he said: 'Ah, I see you don't remem-
Der me. am F. A. Drexel, Jr. I have
been studying art in Paris, and returned
only last week. He then asked many
questions about the welfare Of promi-
nent Philadelphians, with whose names,
occupations and social standing be
seemed thoroughly familiar. He also
conversed very Interestingly on
art matters abroad, mentioning
incidentally that he had been an
extensive purchaser for the account OF
his uncle's rs well as himself. We
walked uptown, chatting thus pleas
antly, and not suspicion that my COM
panion was not what he represented
himself to be entered my mind. At
length he mentioned that he had Just
received very expensive painting from
Paris-one for which Belmont's and
Vanderbilt's agent had bid against him,
but which he had bought for $4,000
francs. Tt was very steep price, and /
don't know how father and Uncle Tony
will like ig he said. He then invited
me to look at his treasure, which, he
said, was only a block or two away.
Nothing was occupying me particularly
at that time, and consented. Turning
down one of the cross streets we came
to handsome brown. stone house, into
which we entered after ringing the bell,
While we stood on the steps my COM
panion told me that he had drawn the
grand prize, 1000 francs, in lottery
designed for the benefit OF some Pari-
sian art association, and was only wait
ing in the city for the mont y to come
to hand. He then would 90 to Phila-
delphia and visit his relatives. The
door was opened by liveried porter,
and we were admitted to saloon parlor
that seemed to have been turned into
an office. Mr.. Drexel introduced him
self to the gentlemanly individual who
occupied the desk, and said that he had
brought me, mentioning my name. to see
his famous picture. The gentlemaniy
individual was sorry that the picture
had just been sent to Philadelphia, and
he showed the express receipt in con-
frmation. Apologizing for the disap-
pointment, my companion made move
as though to 60 away, when the gentle
manly individual, after brief consulta-
ton Of what seemed to be book OF
entry, said: 'Mr. Drexel, received the
remittance of your grand prize, 1000
francs, this morning. Here is the
money! and he counted out what
seemed to be that amount. The gen.
tlemanly individual then suggested
that it would be well to take some tick
cts in another lottery drawing for the
benefit Of some other art association.
OIcAci Whe Wiling. no salu ne p8brOn-
lied such schemes for the benefit Of
art, and always turned his prizes over
to deserving artists. I had scruples
against such methods, but he insisted,
and handed him $40. Then they
brought ont a numbered chart, and
gambling implements. / saw at once
that the whole thing was trick and
device, and I repossessed myself Of the
$40 which had given my companion,
and which was lying on the table, and
made my way out Of the room without
opposition. The pseudo Drexel came
along, and agreed entirely with me in
my estimate Of the character Of the
place. I still had confidence in him,
losing it only after suits had been
brought to recover money falsely so
nhf aimed -