Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-10-11
Nharps in-Kansas OitY.

The following from the Kansas City
Star, OF recent date illustrates a new
method of swindling:
A detective Of this city tells a story
at the expense ola well known pawn
broker. A few days ago, so the nara
tive runs, a detected looking mau,
whose closely buttoned coat savOred OF
a scarcity ot shirt, entered the estab
hshment Of my uncle" and produe-
ing a fiddle asked how much he could
get on it. The instrument, he said,
weeping, had been presented to him by
his grandfather, and was so old that il
may have been the identical one that
Nero executed a solo on when the
Roman fire department we're getting
to the front.
The Israelite looked it over and re
marked thathe notwithstanding much
on ~pedigrees just now said he guessed
be could risk $3.50 on the chance Of
its getting out Of hook
The seedy stranger said that nothing
but his d~elicacy about starving TO
death would induce him to pawn it at
all, aud taking the amount mentioned,
departed, but not before he warned
the p~awnbroker to be very careful not
to mix his precious instrument with
Others Hc UU4 U. tLHW
Several hours later another man
stepped in and said that he would like
to buy a violin if he could fud one to
suit him. Several were produced, but
he tossed them coutemptuously aside
and asked to see one that he noticed
hanging in the real of the Office. Il
was the self-same instrument that the
seedy man had SO recently pawned
and the proprietor explained that il
was not for sale. The would be pur.
chaser, however, insisted on lookinl
at it, and turning the ancient instra
ment over in his hands, a cry Of de
light escaped him, and, apparently
involuntariIy he murmured, "A rea
Ceremonial Worth $500 if a ceLt!' ant
then turning to the bewildered pawn
broker, he said: II must have thi
violin. | will give you $3.50 for it a
it stands. You can give the man wh,
pawned it some other one
The proprietor, however, remem
bered the last stern warning of tina
individual, and fearing to sell, Blu
unwilling to lose so tiue a customer
promised to see the party who had th.
pawn ticket, and the visitor in hi
turn said he could call sgain towarl
evening. or4.
Apparently guided hither by Provi
dence, less than an hour had elapseI
when the seedy man strolled past
apparently looking for a lunch route
The pawnbroker hailed him, Gale,
him in, and told him in an off han,
way that he had taken something OF
fancy to the violin, and would buy j
if the price was not too high. TIL
owner at irstrefused to listen to an
proposition, but finally after infnit
bargaining, decided to part with tn
precious heirloom for $50. Three 50
bills were handed over TO him, hi
pawn ticket relinquished, and, clasp
ing the fiddle p~assionately to his heart
he FASTENED out, evidently unable +
conceal his emotions.
Long, long and earnestly the pawn
broker has looked for his connoisseu
customer. He may be looking vel
as at last accounts he had not turne,
up, and the idea begins to vaguel
dawn upon his mind that hehas bee.
vietimized by a couple of cleVe
sharps to the tune Of 500 minus 81 x
the amount that experts pronounc
the real Uremona to be worth in th
market Of the hard, unsympatheti
world. 1o