St. Landry democrat., 1883-03-24
TRICKS OF BUNKO MEN.

Ingenious Devices for Swindling Unsus-
pecting Countrymen.
A New York Sun reporter has recen t
iy interviewed a confidence operator in
that city, with the following result:
An introduction to {. Confidence Sam"
was managed by the reporter in such a
manner that while the reporter knew all
about the bunko man, that individual
had no idea who or what the reporter
was beyond the supposition that he was
the friend of friend.
'How do we work the confidence
racket? In the first place, you must
know that we work in sections of four,
and each has his professional title, ac-
cording to the part he plays in leading
up to the grand finale of the comedy
the pocket-book. Artist No. is the
hand-shaker. Artist No. is the steerer.
After him comes the artistic player.
who is No. 3 in the combination; and
last. but by no means least, in the COM,
pany, is the joint keeper, whose pres
ence is needed to give an artistic and
efficient completeness to the whole con-
Germ.
The ranks being complete for work,
all that remains, my boy, is to wait for
money to come along like fish for the
bait. And it comes every time, you can
bet, If you 60 about it right. just
stand in the Bowery and watch it. I
tell you what, the old Dutchmen who
were bossed by Peter Stuyyesant did
not know what gold mine they were
creating when they started that feauti-
full Bowery. A fellow coming from the
country wants to see the BoWery, and
we. show him some things he never
dreamed were there.
WELL as was saying, we stand out
side the joint and wait until guy
comes along The guy, you know, Is
what IS commonly known as the green
horn from the country. 1t don t re-
quire physiognomist to pick him out
OF crowd. He gives himself away at
once. You can see him looking around
everywhere, with eyes and mouth wide
open. taking in all he can Of wonderful
New York. We at once take a philan-
thropic interest in his welfare, YOU
know, so we retire and leave the field to
the hand-shaker, to get the guys name.
He arranges his attire with scrupulous
care, adorns his face with most win
ming smile, and saunters down slowly
toward the guy to- give him the duke, !
as the boys say. What is the dukeP
Why, the duke is the hand.
There, he's met the guy, and smiles
in recognition Of the stranger. The
countryman, you'll Il find, is delighted to
meet some one in the big city who
seems to know him, d We see, and takes
the outstretched duke of the hand
shaker. Then the latter opens plav
with the remark:
WIS, Mr.. Herkimer; how are you,
old fellow? it's months since I've seen
you.' If the guy didn't repudiate the
name. why, Jack, I give you my word,
would be completely nonplus sed. /
euchred; as it were. But the moment
he hears the guy say he is not the
man he is taken for, why. thar
very moment Jack begins to get in
his fine work to hook the fish. And he
begins the work by pretending to be
that he has made mistake.
We'll. ,pon my word, that's very re-
he exclaims. with that cult
ured flow of language, for which the
confidence man is peculiar. Beg your
pardon. but really, I never saw any
one who. looked so much like Fred
derkimer Why, I give. You my word,
can hardly believe now that you're
lot Fred PLAYING a practical Joke on me
~ denying your identity. Ha! ha! it,
! pretty good one on me.
"The countryman sees the Joke, or
kinks he does, which is the same thing !
o all intents and purposes. and chimes {
n with Jacks hearty gufiaw.
I" Oh, ne. he volunteers. 4 be MT {
Ierkimer, ha! ha! my names John {
rapley. | be down from North Adams S
.isitin' some city frien's. Jest got inter t
own yester mornin'. Fine place be s
It it?' {
Jack does not prolong his converse
ion. He has pressing business, and {
rops Mr., Tapley, of North Adams, like
hot potato. But his hurry to get !
- I i