The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1884-11-29

seven different languages. He came
from Baltimore originally. 1t was a
favorite scheme of his to board an emil
grant train, and DOMINIC a hat that oaye
him the appearance Of an official of the
train, pass through the cars and inform
the emigrants, in whatever LANGUAGE
they might speak, that it was necessary
for them to change their money for
American currency before leaving the
train. They readily produced their
gold, and silver, for which he gave
them worthless paper money. One night
he took over $1,000 from emiprants
on the Central Road between Auburn
and CanNdaigua before the swindle
was discovered. He had the name of
being one of the most remarkable card
manipulators ever known, and it is said
that many Of the wonderful tricks with
cards performed by sleight-of-hand per
formers fifteen and twenty years AGO
originated with him. Big jersey went
to Texas in 1869, and was killed there
in brawl by man whom he had beat
en- out of large sum of money by card
tricks.
ut is notable fact that all of the
confidence men | remember in those
days either met violent deaths or died in
poverty or Indebtedness, as Red Shirt
did, and as Rush Wakeman has lust
died. John Baily, as nice a little gen
tleman, apparently, as ever walked, and
who could walk right away with the
confidence of people you would never
think could be taken in, died in the har-
ness. In the character of drover who
had been robbed he worked on the SYM
pathy of an old farmer on an Erie train,
in the vicinity of Hornellsville, ard got
one hundred dollars out of him. Before
the poor drover could get away with his
booty the farmer was informed of the
swindle. He necked John as he stood
on the platform of the car waiting for
the train to slow up as it entered Add
son, and the two fell off the train. John
fell in under the wheels and was cut into
a hundred pieces. His family was prom
inent in a border Pennsylvania county,
where his father was Judge.
at is a singular fact that nine out of
ten of the swindlers who operate on
railroads are not the graduates of New
York city schools of genteel crime, as
one would naturally suppose them to he,
but are natives of the country along the
lines. Thus, on the Erie, some of the
most expert operators belonged in Bng-
hamton, ElmirR, Waverly, Port Jervis,l
Hornellsville, and similar places. From
all | ever saw, / think these country
sharpers can work way around the New
York swindler. They presume on their
knowledge of the country and acquaint-
ance with railroad employees, not a few
of whom, in the old days, were well feed
by the sharpers. The most of the opera
tors were liberal, good-hearted fellows,
and q good many instances are remem-
bered OF their generosity in time of need.
remember once a brakeman was killed
on road | was then running on, and
as he had left a family in desti-
tute circumstances the boys were
making up a purse for him.
A subscription list was being
handed around at the station one day,
and pious-looking gentleman who was
waiting for train said he would do
something for the dead mans family
1hO SNtOSSiIDSO SibHs MY uOlldIS. L
afterward learned that the pious-looking
gentleman was none other than the no.
tOrious John Baily.
But, while once in while some
green or Over-credulous person is now
adays plucked on railroad trains. the
CONFIDENCE business is almost played
out. Besides the fact that the games
are now all well known, the railroad
companies took the matter in hand
few years ago and made it too warm
for the sharpers to work either with
comfort or profit. Several of the oper-
ators who came on some ten years or so
ago are now in prison, and it is a bold
member of the fraternity who ventures
to work passenger train on through
Eastern roais nowadays. IN. y
Times.