The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1883-10-24
THE "BUNKO'' NAN In PARIS.
How One OF rweed's Benehmen Works
the Game.
Billy Cooks Career in Paris, and How He
R"ined Young Tweed-A Gambling
Club for Americans

PARIS, Oct. 1.-The ''bunko" man has made
his appearance in the French Capital. To a
partial extent only has his game been sue
cess as yet. The probabilities are that it will
never be so successful method OF swindlina
as il has been in New York. The Paris police
haven't that feeling of friendliness toward
these disciples of Hungry Joe" that,
specifically at least seems to
exist between them and the DO.
lice OF New York City. Encouraged, / pre-
sumo, by the success they have met with in
working" visitors to your side OF the Allan
tic from various European countries, notably
in the case of the now short-haired and
wholly unpicturesque aesthetic Oscar Wilde.
two expert bunko men came here fresh from
New York successes. Their game was di-
rectly, Englishmen, incidentally, Frenchmen
and the credulous of any nationality. Two
young Englishmen with a super:luous amount
OF money and a very limited amount OF
brains became very easy victims to the wiles
of these sharpers. Both of them did what
was to be expected of them. They COM
planned TO the police, or ''squealed," as you
very expressively term such performance
The success of their game was duly chrol,
icled in the Daily News and the American
Register. our purveyors of news in the En-
gilsh language here 1t cost one oil these
young Englishmen 10000, to learn the mys-
teries attaching to the latest importation
from America. The other escaped with loss
of about one-half that amount. The police
of Paris being more vigilant than are the
members OF tho Broadway Squad, and the
laws being much more promptly and rigidiy
enforced the bunko men temporarily ceased
operations. But they have begun again,
reinforced in numbers and confident OF
their ability to outwit the authorities.
The particular interest attaching to the
arrival of these men here, so far as New
Workers are concerned, is that it brings To
the front the once notorious Billy" Cook
He will be remembered as one of the fol-
lowers of the late Boss Tweed Two indict-
mentS for forgery repose in the pigeon-holeS
of the District Attorneys office in your CITY,
unless they have been disposed of with other
waste paper. Cook was brought lnto.proml-
nence by his connection with Tweed in the
ballot-box stufiing in the Sixth Ward, he
operating it was said, under the direction
and control of Police Justice Joseph Dowl-
ing and Tweed himself. So useful were his
services that Tweed made him Deputy Su-
perintendent of Repairs and Supplies i'm the
Board of Public Works, which enabled HIM
to perpetrate frauds which are popularity sup
posed TO have Melted him $780, 900. That sum.
or a considerable amount of it. he brought
with him 10 this city. With it he entered
what is known as the betting ring" He
was but moderately successful, however and
his talents for the past few years have been
devoted To fleeing Americans His plan
has been to form the acquaintance of Amer
lean strangers in strange land, and, on the
pretense of making their visit to Paris pleas
anter, introducing them 10 the American
Club. This is in reality but a gambling house
conducted on the most approved American
plan. Short cards, cold decks, cOncave and
convex cards. and the Sanded back decks for
faro are the appliances. The American once
introduced, his plucking is a matter of but
q yer short time. Cooks profit comos from a
division of the spoils with tbeexpert gamblers
who run the Club.
0flate Cook has been brought into notoriety
among those who know of him by the fact
that his wife had separated from him for the
second time. He married an actress named
Moore a beautiful woman with many per
sonal and mental attractions. This second
separation occurred but a short time ago and
some people are invidiOuS enough to say that
it has grown out of the fact that Cook IS heavy
losses in his gambling operations OF late and
his dissolute habits have made him a less
agreeable and desirable companion than he
was when his money was more plentiful.
In order TO recOup his fallen fortunes Cook is
reported TO have imported the bunko men TO
THIS city, ana IS now generally accredited
with being their hacker. He must be in
great financial straits when he resorts to this
dangerous method for winning back his for
tune and his reputed to be extravagant wife.
Our portion of the American colony at
tribute the downfall OF young Tweed to
Billy Cooks influence. Tweed is now the
inmate OF an Insane Asylum in the city,
and il is currently reported that his mental
derangemei,t is of such character as to pre-
clude the possibility of his recovery. Com
ing here with a considerable amount of
money, young Tweed is now so reduced
financially that he is a veritable pauper He
was quite intimate with Cook, and under his
tutelage was introduced to the mysteries of
horse. racing gambling on the Bourse and to
the various games of cards used TO relieve
young Americans and Englishmen who have
more money than brains, of their superfiuous
cash. Cook is supposed to have fastened
himself upon young Tweed, after the fash
ion of a leecb. and to have obtained from
him the greater portion of his money. At
all events Tweeds money is gone and Cook
had plenty when he had young Tweed as his
protege The complete downfall of Cook IS
deemed certainty at no far distant day,
now that he has fallen back on the gam
bler's last resort-bunkO. His fall would
not be greatly regretted among the French