Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-09-24
BUNKo AND A BLAINE MAN.

BUNKo AND A BLAINE MAN.
How a Connecticut Church pillar Was
Swindled-He Meets Mr. Enmons
Blaine" in the Crowd that Welcomed
the Candidate at New Haven
Among the many visitors who came 10
New Haven on Thursday, says Ne"
Haven special to the New York Times, 10
get glimpse of Mr.. Blaine, were some
business men and substantial farmers
from up Naugatuck way. Most Of thenl
had business or purchases to make III
town, and staid over till evening TO see
the Republican candidate on his tour.
AS the number OF picked pockets SHOWS,
there were other travellers IN Mr.. Blame
company than the distinguished states,
men whose names were puDlsheu' an
who made themselves conspicuous a.
every gathering Of the people Put
it was not supposed, until To-Day, Lho'
auy money had been felOniously taken
aJyay exceDt in unwillingly distracted
pocketbOOOks. Then an mixing came 70
the Tines representative that some con,
fidence men had been in the dlstln gulsHeu
company OF Mr.. Blaine, and the cum
mon pickpOckets, and that they reapeu a
heavier harvest than their humber pIe1n-
rem in the pocket tightening ART. IhSe9
tigation showed that several persons nau
been taken in and lost sums varying run
$50 to $780, 1t was noticeable that no eases
were reported to the police, or II thg5
were, the public have not heard aOOuI IL,
and the game must have Deen WI I NJ
with great skill. The only victim whose
name has been found out IS a prominent
church member, whose motive LOT ueslIeu
cOncealment was fear that the khO"Ieuse
4 MS 00Wn-
fall in the church. II the OtheFs VINO lost
by their greediness were IN the poslliOn
he occupies it is no wonder tnat q sense
OF shame has made them keep quiet.
William Berry is the owner OF rather
small but fertile farm in the Naugatuck
valley. His wife wanted SILK dress, ana
by much saving had accumulated ABOUT
$50 which she intrusted to her husband.
MIR. Berry had some business IN New Ha-
ven. and his wife asked him 10 get dress
pattern like the sample she gave him.
Were it not that Mr.. Berry returned with
out the dress pattern or the money II
would not be known how the gang oper-
ated. Man like he forgot TO get the dress
pattern in the afternoon, bnt consOled
himself BY thinking it would be an excuse
TO stav over till the next day and see Mr..
Blaine's reception. He went 10 the sta
ton, heard the cheers, cheered some him.
self and felt happy generally. When the
train pulled out Mr. Berry was near the
west end Of the platform, few feet from
the rest of the crowd. As the last car
had dashed around the curve a young
man whom Mr.. Berry describes as very
we'll dressed, in a checked gray suit, very
high collar, striped necktie, and black pot
hat, ran hurriedly into him, stumbled and
fell. He scrambled to his feet and start
ed to run on, but the train was gone.
"What can | dOE' said he, and he
turned around appealingly to Mr.. Berry.
whats the matterV
.'Father went off and he'll wonder what
became Of me. | went into the station to
get lunch and when l came out the train
had started. When does the West train
leave?"
auerIed Mr.. Berry, who had heard that
one of Mr.. Blaine's sons was with him.
EYES," answered the young man. ''pm
EmmOns Blaine"
as there anything l can do for you,"
said the kind-hearted Mr.. Berry, 'let me
know"
Mr.. Berry felt little exalted to be in
the company Of the son of such dis
tinguished gentleman.
''Will you direct me to hotel" said
Certainly and Mr.. Berry started off.
AS they were walking up from the sta
ton the young man asked Mr.. Berry to
step into a tobacco store and have cigar.
He accepted. Behind the cigar store was
bar. "Come in and have drink"
quoth the young man. As rule, Mr..
Berry does not drink. At home, he steers
clear of all intoxicating beverages, except
cider, but now he hated to disOblige and
he assented. The bartender must have
given him something very hard or Mr..
Berry must have poured a pretty big
drink out of the bottle, for he felt, as he
expresses it, ''a little Illustrated 1t
CHANGED that there were a couple OF men
playing cards at a little table near the
bar. They and the bartender were the
only men in the room. The young man
from Maine looked over the mems Shout
ders and began to look interested. In
few seconds he leaned over and whispered
to one of the men and slipped dollar up
on the table. That hand was played out,
and the man handed 81 to young Mr..
Blaine.
That's cheap" said young Blaine.
ssWhy, thought that fellow had good
hand. and let him bet a dollar for me-"
1t was the first time Mr.. Berry had seen
real gambling. He had always before
thought it the height Of wickedness ever
to play at ''devil cards. but Mr.. James
G.. Blaine was great man to him, and
the best circles. Besides, a dollar was
great thing to Mr.. Berry.
''Please bet one for me next time you
think that man will win," he calculated.
''Pd rather not" said young Mr.. Blaine.
'sYou might lose it, and / bet that one
only for fun, you know"
Mr.. Berry insisted. "All right, won't
take any responsibility for the conse-
quences, though
M Dnry-1y1a dollar vTaOcrnd Mr.
Blaine put up one of his own too, and the
player over whose shoulders they looked
handed four back. Mr.. Berry felt jubi-
liant. He treated young M. Blaine and
eagerly bet again. He won again. Lay
ing aside his natural caution, he offered
to treat the crowd. Young Mr.. Blaine
told him he was getting reckless and
should subside, but he would not. He
kept on. and began betting on his own ac-
count, when young Mr.. Blaine quit and
tried to get him out of the saloon. He
got ahead about $50. Poker was the
game and the man whose luck was car
rying Mr.. Berry through got full hand.
Queens up. To Mr.. Berry's avaricious
eyes this seemed to be fortune.
"Whatn you sell that hand tor:'' he
whispered. hoarsely.
'Play it yourself, if you want TO-" re-
piled the innocent player.
Mr.. Berry played. Down went the $50
winnings on the table. His opponent
raised him $50.
"You can't do that" said Mr.. Berry.
This game had no limit, and the player
who had dropped out explained a few
technicalities that the green farmer had
never dreamed Of.
"Better let him keep the S2O,' said
young Mr.. Blaine.
DASHED if l do" said the pillar of the
church, and he pulled two S20-bills and
one $40 from the wife's dress morey. The
other man had four twos. Mr.. Berry was
indignant. He charged fraud.
II told you not to bet," said young Mr..
Blaine. "You would do it though
This was too much. Mr.. Berry went
out. He took the first Derby train the
next morning. Mrs. Berry met him at the
door. where's my dressF" But dress
there was none. She stormed. Then 1t
all came out how a pillar of the church
had gambled. MIR. Berry tried to keep it
quiet, but curtain lectures are sometimes
overheard, and there is a delightful
church scandal to interest village gossips.
There is a rumOr that Mr.. Berry's friend
was not Young Mr.. Blaine