The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1882-07-05
No. 81
SwlndIers Swindled.


passes that complaint is not lodged at
some one of the police stations by Il
stranger in the city who has been VIC
timized By confidence operators but
sometimes the confidence operator picks
up the wrong man, and instead of swind-
ling him gets the worst OF the game
himself, as the few instances given be-
low will show.
The neighbOrhood of the Astor house
and the City Hall park is {; favorite re-
sort for these CROOKS owing to the
proximity of the Jersey ferries. Not
long ago gentleman was noticed by
one Of the fraternity Of swindlers cross
ing the park, and as he stopped to in
spect the architectural monstrosities of
the post-office the operator approached
him and said "Can | be mistaken? Is
not this Mr.. Edwards, of Boston ~
mo, sir, | am not,o was the reply
my name is Andrews. Pm from Chi
cago.' The operator begged his pardon
The likeness to his friend, Mr.. Edwards
Of Boston, was so remarkable it misled
him, and he withdrew. The gentleman
had hardly gone fifty feet from the spot
where he had been accosted when a.
well dressed man Of perhaps 50 slapped
him on the back and said: ''Why, An
drews, old boy, how are you? What are
you doing SO far east as this? How are
all the boys in Chicago? Come in and
| L. i, - II
Mr.. Andrews accepted the invitation,
and bottle after bottle of champagne was
ordered and drunk, p -ays at the ex-
pense Of the operator. Mr.. Andrews..ex-
planned that he only had about $40 in
his porket and check for SS, 500 that he
was going to cash at the bank the next
morning. This he showed his friend
and the sight Of that and the diamond
studs and gold watch and chain he wore
were enough to make the "crook" de-
ternine to "play" him. Mr.. Andrews
dined with his old friend went to the
theater, and then Oh q spree all over the
city, the friend paying all expenses and
ct O'Clock in the morning they
parted, after Mr.. Andrews had made an
engagement to meet his companion at
9:45 the next morning and go to the
bank, get the check cashed, and then
'1own the town." AS he stepped into a
cab the "croob" called and paid for, he
said feeling in his pocket: ''By the way,
some one in the last dive must have
picked my pocket Of that SO bill. Lend
me $50 till the morning, as / hayen'ta a
cent in my pocket Certainly, here
it is. Remember, 9:45 tomorrow, or
rather to-day, sharp. Good night"
Mr.. Andrews has not yet shown up.
He has probably returned to New Or
leans, where, under his own name, he
runs a very popular and veli-paying faro
bank
Mr.. p. I. Parnum was picked up Il
few weeks ago at the corner Of 5th
avenue and 23d street by gentleman
who insisted that he knew him, and
that his name was Robinson and came
from Scranton, Pa. It was not till
Mr.. Barnum had convinced him that he
was p. T. Barnum, Of Bridgeport, Conn,
and had owned 10000 bigger frauds than
he was, that he was induced to depart.
A confidence operator in Chicago,
with whom the reporter was acquainted
picked up a man on State street one af-
ternoon and took him to Skin
gambling house on Clark street where,
as he said, they delt perfectly square
game, and ushered him in. The "cap-
pers's surprise can be imagined when
the dealer vacated his seat behind the
faro table in favor Of the proprietor, who
had just been picked up OH the street as
q c0untryman and a fiat.