The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1884-03-12
HUNGRY JOE BEATEN.
A Discounted CONFIDENCE MAN.
How Bunko-Steerer Was Beaton at His
Own Game-At the Supreme Mo-
ment the Victim Discovered
that the Thing Was Loaded.
IN. Y. Tribune.1

A patriarchal farmer stepped from the
ferry-house at the foot Of Liberty street
yesterday with a grip-sack in his hand,
and, stopping in the midst of the mud and
the profanity of the draymen, gazed OPEN
mouthed at the long procession of slowly
moving carts and wagons Of every descrip-
tion. He was not lost in wonder long be-
fore short, stout, neatly dressed man,
with another grip-sack, collided with him,
and blurted out:
"Hello, Burt, old mani How are you"
"M-my n-a.lame isn't B-Burt; its
H-a-a-rry Ma-a-son, and Live in Mid
d-letown," stammered the farmer.
An apology and the short man disap-
peared. The farmer continued his way;
suffered at the baggage'boys at the cor
ners; leered longingly at the whisky
stores, and was about entering an eating
house, when up rushed tall, fine looking
man with long, black mustache, and,
grasping the farmer by the hand, ex-
claimed:
"Why, my dear Mr.. Mason, when did
you get in from MiddletownW
"O-o-who are y-you~ demanded the
surprised farmer.
And then the ine-looking man explained
that lie was an intimate friend Of Mr..
Rober son, the Vice President of bank at
Red Bank, AMI how he had met Mr. Mason
at his friends Office last summer-he
thou ght last August. The farmer didn't
exactly remember meeting the gentleman,
but he knew Mr.. Robertson wall, and then
conversation followed in which the farm
er was astonisbed with the familiarity Of
his new acquaintance with the towns along
the New Jersey Southern. After dinner,
which confirmed the intimacy, the farmer
was asked if he did not wish to buy some
good Kentucky stock; that he had friend
living In Thirty-seconi street who was the
agent Of one of the large stock-raising
farms there, and that he could 6 It heavy
discount on any purchases. The farmer
bethought him that he had come into town
for that purpose, and acquiesced with con-
siderable earnestness to his new friends
suggestion.
The trip up town was made, and the far.
mer was ushered into a neatly furnished
office, whose walls were elaborately deco.
rated with chromos of well-known horses
The young man at the desk welcomed the
farmers companion as "Joe, old man,
and an exhaustive conversation ensued in
relation to horses. Letters and so on were
shown to the farmsr, and visit was made
to stable in an adj ,ining street to set
some Of the stock. The farmer saw and
coveted, and asked the young man wha
he wanted for a pair Of heavy -limbed Nor
mandy horses. The answer was one-half
one hundred dollars, down, and the res
when he got the horses. A return 10 tht
neatly-furnished Office, and, the term;
seeming sa is sfactory, Mr.. Masol drew ou
his wallet and laid down ten ten-dolla
bills; a receipt was given and he turned tC
go out, when he saw the young man winl
affectonately at "Joe."
The farmers suspicious were instantl,
aroused and, turning on his heel, grasp
the money, which was still lying on tn
desk, and drew q heavy Colts revolver
Clutching "Joe" by the collar he place.
the muzzle against his cheek and slut
tered
~ Iw-want you to s.sh-ow me d-d.ow
downstairs. This th thing is l-l-o-loaded.'
"Joe" said nothing, but followed by tn
cooked revolver led the way downstairs
Mr.. Mason went last night to police head
quarters and told his story. H. was in
formed that Joe" was known more widel
under the sobriquet of Hungry Joe."