Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1884-12-04
CATCHING GUDGEoNS..
from the New York Herald. ]

There IS probably no swindlln2 scheme
carried or with greater success il this city
than that OF the horse sharper. Like the
buuco steerer, he selects the countryman
for his victim; unlike him, he does not seek
out his prey, but waits until il falls into the
trap set for it voluntarily. The bait used
is the newspaper advertisement, nicely
wortied and run in among 9 mum Der OF
genuine bargains in horseAesh. The a nimals
are invariably described Us sound, kind and
gentle In order to throw the countryman
oil his guard aud dispel guy suspicious he
may have Of fraud the sharper has variety
ol reasons Ia give why the sale should be
made. At one time it is "a widow who
will sell Il fine horse, cheap, on account of
the death of her husband :" at another, "a
Young man whose father has recently died
will dispose of first class horse at q reason
able price" The sharper then retlres to
his place of business and keeps lookout
for the rustic gudgeon, who turns up soon
aiterward.
Farmer Green, Of Wayback, l.. l., sees
| the advertisement in one of the papers, and
thinks that that the widows cheap fine
horse is just what will suit him. He goes
to the stable OF the sharper, and finds
horse bedded to his knees in straw aud
| well blanketed. The proprietor informs
him that the price is $500, but that the
horse is worth at least $500. Green says
that the price is too high at either figure and
goes away. He has not proceeded far when
| he is accosted by two strangers who inquire
| if he has purchased the horse. Simple far
mer Green says that he has not, because tue
| price was too high. Thereupon the strang-
ers, with charming confidence iu the man
| from Wayback, tell him that they wanted
| to buy the same horse, but that they could
not, as they were known to the proprietor
as horse-men. They hand farmer Green SO
to 60 back and secure the horse, agreeing to
take tho animal of his hands and allow him
the $40 for lis trouble. Good, simple mind
ed old Green tries this on with the proprie-
tor, but is told he cannot secure the horse
for smaller deposit than 800, and con-
cludes to risk that amount for the $40,
which will pay his eYpences to and from
the city He accordingly pays out 500
| 1910 Of the strangers and 800 OF his own
on account to secure the horse When he
returns ~ the spot where he left the sllang-
ers they are nowhere to be seen. He makes
back to the stable, but tho proprietor will
not give him back his 800. Indignant far
| mer Green refuses point blank to pay the
remaining 5000. The smiling proprietor
keeps his $50. Farmer Green returns 10
Way back $50 out and without the widows
| fine horse.
Squire Brown, Of Saugerlies, attends
| sale at a reputable horse Dealers in New
York and does not find what he wants.
While he is hcstaiinIs as 10 what to do hc
| is accosled by lnau who offers to show
him stable where he can get good horses.
| The squire accompanies him to stable
and is introduced to II third party, who ap-
| bears 10 be in charge. This man exhibits
| four good looking horses, and Brown pays
| 1915 down for them after ho is assured that
| th. animals are sound, kiud and gentle.
| Brown asks for references, and the pro-
prietor refers him to Tom Collins, Cort-
| laudc street furniture dealer lin his mind,
| who he saws can be found 1T that moment
| in i stable in the Bowery. Brown goes
there and, sure enough, meets Collins, who
speaks of the proprietor III the highest
terms. That is enough for Squire Brown.
He buys The horses and set OF double har
ness AZ they are concluding the bargain
u well dressed stranger enters and an
Eouuces that he has come To pay Tor the
| horse his friend selected the day before.
| He explains that he and his friend are
| nors,, dealers The proprietor is overcome
.,s the information and says, My dear
friend. | am sorry, but / canuot let you
have the horse. 1t was left to me by my
father aud in his will he forbade me to sell
it to 4 horse dealer. He wanted some prl-
yate person to have it who would treat it
| kindly"
The proprietor then retires, and the straE-
.er es1,la,ns how distressed he is because be
| cannot buy the horse. The squire there.
uoon has an idea. He asks the distressed
stranger why ne does not get some one TO
!bur the horse for him and turn it over to
him aiserward The stranger is delighted
nj the suggestion. He claps the squire on
the back and cries, splendid, I'd be willing
to nav S25 to the man who would do it.
Squire Brown receives $3.50 from the stran-
ger, but the proprietor, upon his return, re-
| fuses to sell the horse to Brown, saying :
'rbis won't do That is not your own
money. Hand him back his money and
nav me with your own. That will clear my
conscience and you can fix it afterward be-
tween you."
SQUIRE Brown thinks the plan all right,
| return the $3.50 to the stranger aud parts
with $3.50 of his own money, the stranger
disappearing, in the meantime. he gets
receipt for bis $3.50. Then he begins to sus-
pect that all is not right and demands oaek
his money. The proprietor will not return
it. Brown goes for policeman and the
proprietor goes through back window.
The squire then exercises the four horses
he has bought. Two are balky, another is
wind broken and the fourth is vicious. They
are turned over to the Society for the Pre-
vention of Cruelty to Animals. The squire
returns to Saugerties S525 out.
These two cases are not exaggerated.
They are cases that have actually come up
in the police courts. A Connecticut justice
of the peace not very long ago came TO