Bridgeton pioneer., 1885-09-03
FOOLED BY BUNCO MEN.

wears of age, and who has beenin bust
ness in Philadelphia for over fifty
years, was victimized out of $4,000 by a
brace of bunco men in Atlantic City,
on Sunday. Mr.. Fields and his son,
who is associated with his father in
business at No 242 Market street as
general agents of the Clark spool-cot-
ton, have cottages adjoining each
other on Illinois avenue, nearly oppo-
site the Traymore House. He is a
we'll ll-preserved old man, with smooth
face and white hair. He dresses in
full suit of black broad-cloth, and he is
rather of jolly turn of mind. Mr..
Fields, Sr., Sunday afternoon took
stroll after dinner on the boardwalk,
when he met a young man of good adj
dress, who, after q courteous hand
shaking, stated that he was an old
friend of his, alleging that he had been
a clerk in the Penn National Bank,
and since his resignation had been
abroad. The man told old Mr.. Fields
that he had brought several fine pic
lures from Europe which he would be
pleased to have him inspect. The
young man was so entertaining that
Mr.. Fields did not observe the route
they took except that the house had
high steps. Here he was introduced
to game, played on a board with
numbers on it and with a spinning ar
row. Two other gentlemen were intro
duced, and they played the little game,
each winning over $100. Mr.. Fields
was invited to join them, and he lost
over 800, but continued to play
During the process of the game the
young man kept Mr.. Fields interested
by talking over the affairs of the bank,
it's earnings and investments After
playing some time the buncoman
coolly asked the old gentleman for his
check for SO 500 drawn to himself as the
collateral for a grand prize he (Fields)
had drawn on the sweat-board. Think
ing that the bunko man was really an
old friend, he told him to fill out a
check and he would sign it, which he
did, drawing it to the order of Charles
Fields, Sr., and indorsed by him. The
check was on the Penn National Bank,
of Philadelphia. AS receipt for the
amount invested he was given a piece
of paper about the size of a physician's
prescription blank, on which was writ
ten the following:
ATLANTIC CITY, N. j., August 80, 1885.
| No. 2S. B.
| The young man made profuse apollo
gies for his connection with the little
scheme, declaring that he had never
played at games of chance before.
Later in the day Mr.. Fields, realizing
| that he had been swindled, started out
to find the house, but was unable to
! find it, He then told several gentle
men of whom he had made inquiries
for the office Of the Art Emporium
about his big loss. Despairing of find
ing the house or the swindlers, he
wandered into the United States Hotel,
and, on account of his distressed ap-
pearance, he was approached by a
gentleman from Baltimore, to whom
he related the circumstances of the
| fleeing Mr.. Fields went to the resi-
dence of Cashier Kent, of the Atlantic
City National Bank, to whom he also
related the story, and of whom he had
been asking information in reference
to the negotiation of the check. Mr..
Fields said Sunday night: II cannot un-
derstand how could have been induced
| to give check for such large amount
on the mere recommendation of a
talkative young man. l was of the
opinion that l had seen the young man
in the bank and that he was protect
ing me in the matter. l have not vet
informed my family of the loss, for ]
rather feel ashamed of it." 1t is
thought that the bunco men carried
the check to New York and negotiated
| it at q large discount