Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-09-09
TAKNGNAsAwDUsT SHARPER
Good Money Sent TO the Oil Country as
samples of Counterfeit.
From the ge,o Yort sun.


From the Neu York Sun.
BRADFORD, Sept. 5.-"The killing of
Tom Davis, the sawdust man, in New
York, by sman from Texas reminds me
OF an experience ! once had with a gang
OF his kind" said n well known oil region
sport in the bar-room of the Option house,
night or two ago.
Tell the story" came from a dozen
thrOats.
"Well, boys, you all know that am
somewhat Of a sport. So was my dad be-
fore me. The old man was up to all kinds
OF speculatiOns. Nothing was too risky
for him. II he wasn't in lottery it was
horse race or a rattle. One time he got
one OF those entcing circulars, such as
| Tenn Davis sent out 10 the dupes At
that time the old man WAS flying in hard
luck. He had lost a century or so on a
horse race, and speculation in mining
stocks had turned out disastrOusly. The
offer OF the sawdust chap struck him very
tavorably. Tim, if can collar a thou
sand or two OF the queer, he said TO nae, Il
know that can pass il without trouble
IN the oil country. Pve great notion to
try It on and trust to luck 'All right,
dad said |, try IL ON
''ln few DAYS ne received another let
ter from the sawdust man, appointing a
New York. Il can't raise the wealth to
CO. said the old man to me, so must get
my grip on some of that bogus
money | thought the matter over, and
concluded that would give the old man a
lift. | took the crooks letter, and, with
the assistance of young fellow in the
newspaper business, cooked up a reply
which l calculated would catch the
swindler in as neat a trap as he ever set
n ~ All 81 ~ In fh..l af fsAr. 4 fa.lN ha
chap that New York was not the place
Tor him to do business in. The oil coun-
try was then booming, and | advised him
TO come here, or al least open an agency.
l pictured to him how easy It was to
| shove wagon loads Of the queer. A min
ing or oil town afforded superior adVan-
tages tor showing bogus money. In con-
clusion, told him that had $4,000 TO in
| vest, but that, like other Oil men, | was
not in the habit of buying pig in a
| poke.
"'Send on samples I wrote, by mail
or express, and / will examine the goods,
| and If they are as slick as represented
will take $4,000 worth IL was utterly
impossible for me TO meet him in New
| York. II he wanted to transacubusiness,
he must either send samples or come on
himself. In few days neat express
| packet was delivered at the door OF the
old mans house. With trembling hands
he tore of the wrapper, revealing "A long
and narrow pastebOard box. Carefully
hidden under lot OF papers was long
package done up in oiled silk. In it were
four crisp new bills of tie denominations
81, So, $40 and $40. They looked like
genuine, and were pronounced as such
by the cashier of the Bradford National
bank.
''But am getting ahead OF my story
When the package arrived the old gentle
man sent for me. He was nearly wild
with excitement.
'''Ain't they beautiesY he cried, as he
tenderly fondled the crisp slips of paper.
"'They look good l replied, but that
don't hinder their being counterieits.'
"'Tha1s exactly what they are,' said
my dad in triumph. w g amt paying fer
good money, are weP
Il admitted the force of the logic. Then
proposed that / take the bills to a bank
for examination. If the banks say they
are good said, then We'll have a picnic
In passing them l had an idea that the
money was genuine, and wanted 10 gel
my hands on it before the old man had a
chance TO shove it. 1t nearly broke dads
heart to part, even for little while, with
the beautiful new notes. hustled to the
bank, and asked il the bills were really
good. Certainly replied the cashier
after scrutinizing glance, they are IA
good as they make. Here are some cOun-
! terteIts,' and he produced a bundle OF
bills. Some of them were brand new.
persuaded him to loan me a crisp $40.
across the face of which was stamped in
red letters, Counterfeit
"What then ?" queried one OF the crowd.
"Why. showed it TO the old man and
said that the bank had taken all of the
money from me and branded it as bogus.
1t cured dad of his fever for queer; but
he never really got over the belief that
had played roots with him. Somehow he
caught on to the idea that the money sent
by the sawdust man was genuine, but ne
never had a chance TO spend it,"