The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1883-11-08
FASCINATION IN FRAUD.


Through the Mails-An Expert in
the Art Tells How Susceptible
Young Men Are Made Victims I'm.
aWa1es.
New York Times.
A petite woman, richly and Hastily
dressed in modest colors, walked rapid.
]y past Fifth Avenue Hetel just before
noon the other day. A Times reporter
came out of the hotel and started leisure.
ly down the avenue just behind her.
There was about him that air of indif-
ference which un"onsciously attaches
itself to all reporters who are not con-
Eected with the only paper which cir
culates Exclusively amongthe best fam
ilies." The fact that the brilliant drip.
pings of his pen were not fated to OBJ
security in its pages made him pensive
as we'll as Indifferent, and caused him to
third street corner the young woman,
who had hesitated and finally stopped,
approached him and said:
Excuse me for troubling you, sir; but
might ask you to do me slight favor?"
The reporter lifted his hat and uncon-
sciousy IT marked: "You might, but
warn you in advance I am not connected
with that paper which boasts of the
largest circulation among the best PEG.
ple."
The petite woman looked up, and with
somewhat peculiar smile, said: "But
didn't think you were Police Gazette
reporter" The young reporter felt re-
lieved, and willingly offered his services
in the execution Of any commission that
might be given him. Daintily-gloved
fingers dropped dime into the hand of
the reporter as the woman said: Twill
you step to the newsstand in the Fifth
Avenue Hotel and get me copy of the
Hotel Reporter Of this morning? It will
cost ten cents. It is high-priced, and
contains little that one wants to read !;
but, unlike any other paper, it is useful
for my purposes"
The request was an unusual one. The
speaker was bright and intelligent, a
woman whose manner betokened some
thing of refinement. There was, too,
something in her manner which seemed
made him involuntarily think of his
New England home. AS the impronlptu
messenger went into the hotel be met
Detective Pryor, who said, "Be little
careful, my boy, she's shrewd one"
"Who is she, and for what does she
want to see Hotel Reporter"
ASK her: perhaps she'll tell you.
Then 60 ask "Hnngry Joe" what he does
for living. He'll tell you too"
The ''tip" was sufficient. Might it not
be worked successfully for solution of
the strange commission. The familiar
face and voice haunted the reporter as
he went down the corridor to the news
stand. The picture OF little school
house in busy Connecticut town haun-
ted him, and the central figure of the
picture was the face of the little woman
outside. 1t was younger, fresher, less
carevorn. Yet it was the same. There
was the same music in the voice, the
same color in the eye. The child, de-
ve]oped into the woman, would be like
that woman on the sidewalk. The
name came back, too. But 1t was that
OF an old playmate, the daughter Of a
prominent manufacturer. Could the
two be Identical?
"YOur commission is fulfilled. Here is
your paper, Miss Blank
The experiment was successful. the ef-
as though she had been struck, for the
'Do you know me, then" The little
woman looked at her inQrisitor. lit is
fifteen, yes twenty years, since I saw
YOU, If you are, as L suppose yOn to
be-" The little woman had called the
auestioner by his correct Christian name
and surname. The identity of both be-
ing established and acknowledged, the
little woman said: "Let us walk
down street; some one might over
hear or observe U.S."
"It is lunch-time. Let us go and get
luncheon, and then tell me why you
wanted copy Of the Hotel Reporter, if
you can crafty my curiosity" The sug'
gestion was the reporters. Seated at
the table in coy corner, the waiter
having been induced to make himself
agreeable by watching the demolition OF
the meal from distance, the little
woman related her story. It was rev.
citation of phase of life which attaches
to great cities only. It was
the story of an adventures.
It's peculiarities are known to
the detectives, to the victims, to the
people of the class to which the little
woman belonged, but not to the public
only Of the successes of the male half Of
tAlo CIdoSs AAC ptOAaSO "a AACA GeOAy "eS
the sad one which belongs to the life Of
so many hundred women. 1t is old
yet always new. Its le7son is
often taught is never learned
save by experience. It was that Of q
beautiful girl, highly educated. There
was summer filtration with chance
acquaintance. True love was an element
in this one. 1t has remained one
through many years. Though the young
man was a graduate of Harvard, con
| nccted with one of Boston's best tamil
les and with some little fortune, hel
parents opposed the marriage, which
took place clandestinely. He became
gambler. Dropping name and associates
| he went west, failed to retrieve his for
tunes in legitimate business, and became
| a professional gambler. A few years
! ago he made New York his home. The
wife had been pressed into service as
his assistant in the west, first as hostes:
| at his establishment, where her quiet
| lady.like ways, her vivacious CONVERSE
ton and ready wit served to lessen the
| sting of the losseg sustained by victims
| the faro-table or took hand at poker
casino or cribbage. Her ten years OF
married life and the life of gambler
| have not materially lessened the charms
of the little Connecticut woman, and
| she counts her victims with tens where
| her husband counts his with units.
| ''The Hotel Reporter serves us in lieu
of 'cappers,' said the little woman
There is no division of profits with the
| publishers. Do you never meet gentl =
men at the hotels who receive mystic
rious letters from unknown correspond
| dep,s? They are always written on ma:
terials of the finest, couched in Language
not only polite, bnt sufficiently familiar
to induce the recipient to conclude he
knows the sender, though he is wholly
unacouainteh. They often take the
shape Of invitations to dinner, to the
ater party, or, if an inspection of the
person warrants it, to a clandestine
meeting. In the last named case they
! are signed by my own or my assumed
name. These are addressed onlv K
such men as think know me by reason
of chance meetings in cities where
have lived, and who do not know ny
business. Every man is more or les
susceptible and wicked, and is legiti
mate game to such as I. =
You spoke OF an inspection warrant
ing q familiar style Of address. How j
that inspection brought about or Oh
tained2"