The Arizona champion., 1883-12-29
THE STRANGER FROM KANSAS.

Mir. B. Ashley, of Abilene, Kansas, with weak eyes, on his way to Europe, registered himself last August at fash ionable New York hotel. He was warned against bunko steerers, but fell into the hands of one of the worst of 'em, thin-lipped man named "Hungry Joe" He kept drawing his money in big sums after this until it was all gone One night after long talk with several of his new com panions, they went away and tele- graphed as follows: "Postmaster, Abilene, Kansas: Do you know Ben iamin Ashley, cattleraiser? R. Dick son, New York" The reply was evidently in all respects satisfactory, and within two days Mir. Ashley re- ceived in his room at the hotel visit from the three confidence operators and a lawyer. The visitors withdrew, and Mir. Ashley deposited that night the sum of 1000 cash in the office. Two days afterward he took passage on a steamer for Liverpool, having ex- plained that he had sold half-inter- est of his Kansas cattle ranch to his friends, and that "Hungry Joe" had expressed wish to retire from city life. Mir. Ashley had been gone from the hotel eleven days, when tall man came in and signed himself "Benjamin Ashley, London" This was appar- ently another Benjamin Ashley Early | In .I,,, ll,.,. was the thin-lipped young man, who asked to have his name send mp to Mir Ashley's room, and the tall man from London came in, advanced cour- teously, and said "Did you wish to see me? am Mir. Ashley" "Eh ?" queried Hungry Joe, with startled look. "Youre not Mr. Benjamin Ashley" "Precisely." "Not of kan sas ?' "Yes, of Abilene, Kansas. How can, serve you?" The thin lips of the confidence man were rather white by this time. "Do you own large cattle ranch thirty-five miles south of Abi- lene ?" "l believe l do. Why do you ask ?' "Been to Europe to have your eyes doctored? "Yes." I have now been aboard four months. Please ex- plain yourself" "Well," echoed the Broadway man, eff you are Benjamin, Ashley, and you do own that ranch the cleverest man in the country has given me deal, that's all. Why, it ain't two weeks ago that me and two friends bought hali-interest in that l oh md hui tho u.l. sold us stopped in this same hotel. y The previous Mir. Ashley had repre- sented himself as the owner of the Ash ley ranch, and at his request the speak CT had telegraphed the Abilene postmas- ter, who had replied giving detail as to the property, which is valued to about $50 ,000 and had added that Mr. Ashley had gone aboard for medical treatment. The man had represented that he wanted to make certain expen- ditures in Europe, and that his card losses would prevent unless he could dispose of an interest in his ranch. He produced deeds to establish his owner ship, and they seemed satisfactory even to the lawyers. Thinking he had a chance to get $25 ,000 worth of meterial for $l4 ,000, the victim had taken two friends in with him, and by clubbing together they had raised the necessary amount"
 "Really," observed the Englishman, "1 am very sorry for you, but you have unquestionably been swindled."
 "And that's the cuss who got off tc Europe with my money, hang him, burst in the defrauded confidence Oper- ater angrily. "What's worse, he went away full of my champagne, and smell ing of my basket of flowers. That mans q d--d swindler, that's what he is."