National Republican., 1883-07-18
DAN rARIEY,s WAYS.
A New Workers. Experience with BnnI,c
Mem.

Mem.
A New York correspondent of the Utica
Observer writes: Dan Farley is an actor who
does not mako the mistake of hiding his at
tractiyoncss of person. Ho enhances it with
good clothes and gcntlemanly manners. IIo
is playing the character of an honest man
abOut-tOwn under his own management, aud
with great artistic and pecuniary success
He is the rOpor-in for bunkO game. The
private detective of the Fifth Avenue hotel
showed him to me, and said that If | was in
creduous as TO his employment, i could
satisfy myself entertainingly and without
much trouble.
Don't fattor yourself" said he, that your
city cut will prevent him from operating
upon you, If you throw yourself in his way.
His easiest victims are those who ought to
know better, and who think they they do
Try him-and, | say you'd better report to
me, as soon as he gets through with you, just
what you've DONE" did put myself in tho
way of Dan Farley, making him believe that
| was a stranger from Chicago. The proceed
ings were not essentially different from what
is usual in contience swindling. He told me
that he had drawn prize in lottery, and
was going to get it. Did l care to
take walk and SEQ him ask for
the money! We sauntered up Broad
way, and through Twenty-sixth street to
No. l22. This is block which is in that
state of social chaos which lies between tho
expulsion of indecency and the acquisition of
prcscnt1ble responsibility. That is to say,
the evil resorts with which il was until lately
filled have boon closed through the action of
u majority of tho property owners, and rs yet
neither regular business nor well to do resi-
dents have been introduced. The tenants,
therefore, arc ut present poor people, and to
Il considerable extent negroes. 1t was in
such au improbable neighborhood that wo
found the office of Dams lottery. II was %
room that had been rather Clumsily made to
look something like place of business
"Tho police are so down on lotteries just
now" he apologotically explained, on seeing
me scrutinize the make shift furniture, that
/ suppose these folks have to move too often
to it up their places handsomely"
A much-whiskorcd man, with colored
glasses on to disguise his countcnauce, sat
behind desk. llO did very well indeed mt u
prete nse of irritation when Dan laid down
the ticket, calling for $780, but counted out
the money without dispute. AS for Dan he
was elatcd To tell the truth, he remarked,
he hadn't more than half expected to be paid
at all. Then sweat board was introduced,
in the usual manner and Dan lost few dol
lars on it. lIoasked me to play for him with
his money, and ut first won, aud afterwards
lost. At length was told that | was on my
own account indebted to the board to the ex-
tent of $500
Il haven't the money with me-" said.
"Thcn give mo II check, was the fellows
suggestion. l suppose you have bank ac.
count. Or won't that be COnveniont?"
1t occurred to me that TO sign u check
would cost me nothing, since could go i'm
mcdiately to the bank aud stop payment. So
L readily agreed to meet my loss in that way.
4 blank check was produced and filled it
out The gambler scrutnized it, remarked
parcnthetically that payment could be forced
whether had an account in that particular
bank or not, and then dried the ink with q
newspaper in lieu of regular blotter. Dan
had been quict for while Now he suddenly
broke out:
''fhis Is friend of mine" he exclaimed,
savagcly, "apd won't SEQ him swiudled He
shant lot you have his check for a cent" l
wondered what this meant, and was abso-
lutely dumbloundcd when Dan grabbed tho
check, tore it into bits and threw them on
the floor.
Come" and he seized me by tho arm I;
lets get out of this dem"
There was an excited protest by tho other
chap, but we went out unhindered, and
parted with Dan on the corner, receiving his
congratulations on having escaped unscathed
On returning to tho hotel l gave to the de-
tective the promised account of what had
happened, explaining that had intended to
stop payment on the check, but that no such
precaution was now necessary. ,.a.. az
Don't you lose Il minute in going to tho
bank" he said, or they'll get there with tho
check before you. IL was destroyed? Not q
bit of it. A newspaper lay on the desk,
didn't it aud he put the check between the
folds, face downward, as if to blot it. Then
the stool pigeon snatchod out, not the check
itself, but u blank one that had been pre-
viously placed there. Hlis dummy was what
Dan tore up, and tho real check was left safe
and sound. That's the way they prevent
their victims from stopping payments"