Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-07-12
ESCAPE PROM sWINDLERs.
He Was from the Country but He
Wasn't Taken In.

DQNttAtbFc
Mr.. George Anderson, farmer from
south River, Anne Arundel county, was
standing at the corner Of Pratt and Light
streets about 9 o'clock Saturday morning,
when he was accOsted by a well dressed
stranger, GLOW do you do, Mr.. Ander-
SOM" followed by kind inquiries about
a number of Mr.. AndersOn's South
River neighbOrS. Mr.. Anderson did not
remember the man, and so stated. but the
stranger continued: ''My name is Sher-
bert, and | am of the Sherbert family of
Anne Arundel county. l left there some
years ago and went to Philadelphia,
where am connected with large cloth
house. / am anxious to have my bust
ness circulars distributed about your sec
ti0n. and if you Will go to my boarding
house, on Camden street, and take num-
ber Of these circulars for distribution I'll
give YOU pattern OF cloth for a suit
Mr.. Anderson accompanied the man to
a beer saloon on Camden street, opposite
Hanover market. The cloth merchant
retired to the rear for the alleged purpose
of getting the circulars and samples of
cloth from which Mr.. Anderson was to
make his selection. They sat down at a
table, when two strangers came i'm and
sat beside them. One Of them, claiming
TO be a kentuckian, poured out a pa
thetic story of losing over $500 the previous
night at a game Of cards in dance house.
Meantime his companion had gone to
the front door of the saloon, doubtless for
picket duty. The cloth merchant became
interested in the story of the kentuckian,
who was ''tOtal stranger" and asked if
he had any cards like those with which
he had been swindled. He had, strange
to say. and quickly produced them. The
cards were shuffled, the cloth merchant
turned the corner of one of them. nudg-
ing Anderson as he did so. and bet SO on
il and won. Then the cloth merchant sug-
gested that Anderson and himself should
90 in and win 800 from Kentucky, not
''fOr keeps,' but simply to show the West
eTn greenhOrn that ''sOme things could be
done as we'll as others"
Mr.. Anderson is not a betting man, but
he cOnfidingly placed a roll of notes on
the table supposed to contain $50, and the
cloth merchant added $lj. This time the
farmer turned the corner of the card, but
some gOtheF corners were also turned.
Kentucky won the pot, and quickly
pOcketed it. The cloth merchant was sor-
ry. but determined to submit to the loss.
Mr.. Anderson at this point opened his
eyes very wide. and his braWny hands,
too. He cOllared both men in an instant
and demanded his $50 or their lives.
He Vas brOad-shOuldered and mus
culafs and at the moment some
What desperate, and he gave the
sWlndlers such shaking that
they begged for mercy and agreed to re-
turn Anderson's money and call it quits.
His roll was counted out three times and
each time $50 was found. Anderson in
sisted he had ''antied up $50 and would
accept nothing less. The confidence men
added the 81 and were released. and made
a hasty exit. On putting his hand i'm
another pocket, Mr.. Anderson found
S4 90. and then recOllected that he had
taken a s. bill from his roll, out of which
he had paid 80 cents for breakfast. So he
came out of the saloon $4 90 and break
fast better off than when he entered it,
and with a large addition to his knOwl-
edge of the wickedness of the world.