Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-06-11

is q great accommodation to the
house breaking fraternity, and are
armed with a ridiculous staff, five feet
long, terminating in pike.
After dark deeds Of personal vios
lence may be feared. and indeed they
are not infrequently perpetrated IN
daylight. There is a man stopping at
this hotel who was seriously stabbed
on the Parade at o'clock one even-
ing this winter. The plan usually
pursued is for two or three despera-
does to step up behind man, pinion
his arms so that ne caa not draw a
revolver, and then, if it is necessary
to their purpose, bury a long knife
ia some important part o. his ana
tony.
1T is THE KNIFE SYSTEM
that is most followed here. A we'll
dressed man jeopardizss his life if he
attempts to walk alone in the evening
in many public parts Of the city, and
in any of the dark lanes. It is Gus
tomary for two or three to go together
as a safeguard.
Doubtless the hard times are respon
sible for much of this lawlessness.
Five Or ten years ago, when it was
possible for the majority Of the peo'
pie to get d living honestly, there was
not nearly SO much of this sort of
thing going on. But every industry
is depressed, many Of the most sub
stantial houses have failed. nobody
places confidence in anybody else,
and the masses that are out Of en-
ployment feel that they must earn a
| living by illegitlmate methods or die.
The condition Of Cuba to-day as com
pared with her condition before the
war Is enough to wiring tears from the
stoniest. The prices for everything
are way down, and the largest planters
are scarcely making out an exist
ence.
In their desperation some Of the
brigands of the interior have been SO
bold recently as to capture tourists and
| hold TIA EN- for ransom
I know of men who recently went
into the interior toinspects some mines,
but finding it impossible, as they be-
| leved, to remain there ia safety, they
returned to this port
IN HIS DIGUST
one of the gentleman called upon the
Captain General, and referring to a
certain notorious gang of robbers,
asked:
"Why is it, sir, that you DO not or
ganiz8 force and expel theso pirates
from the country?"
Indeed, sir" responded the Cap
tain General, Il have done all I can.
[ have offered the leader a large sum
if he will quit the island, but he per-
sistently refusesi"
OF course all this is not saying but
that a man may remain in Cuba all
his life and by proper watcnfulness
escape harm.
The methods of genteel swirdling
are commensurate in number with the
needs and UnscrHpulOusness Of the
people. The mOney~changer with
whom [ have lodged what exchange
transactions I have had to effect
showed me a ring the other day set
with five cheap stones IN imitation Of
diamands, and said:
This cost me $100, and isn't worth
81. A man kept coming here day af-
ter day to get money changed until I
recognized him as customer. Finally
one day he came ia distress, asking
for loan of $100 on diamond ring
worth $400. / could see at once that
! the ring was worth what he claimed,
but told him I had no license for that
| sort of business and referred him to
the pawnbrokers.
BUT THE PAWNBROKERS
will change the stones, he said. Still
| refused. He came several times af-
ter that, with repitition of his re~
quest couched la words Of most ear
nest appeal. At last he came one
morning when the office was very
full, and | yielded to his importantly
in order to get rid of him, Of course
he substituted this duplicate ring set
with glass, and IN my haste I did not
notice the change till too late"
''Do you know Of any other conf
dence games that are being practiced
Lowe"
"Only last week I had friend vic,
timized out of S2,5 A man came
around with some gold centenes for
sale, which, he confessed, were case
of clever cOunGerfeiting, and might
be had at half price. As an earnest Of
WnaG might be expected ne sold him
| three samples (the samples were gen
uine), telling him to try them at any
bank. This the prospective purchaser
did, and as they were of course
promptly accepted he agreed to ac-
company the stranger to a village
across the bay and purchase $1,000
worth. So he took the 50, 500 with
him, and they crossed the bay on a
ferryboat.
The swindler counted him out
81, 600 worth Of genuine centenes, and
put them III carpet bag for the pur-
chaser Then said:
IN GOING BACK TO THE CITY,
and you might just leave your 50, 500
in the same bag till we get across,
when I will claim it. .
$50 they took the return ferry, the
bag being slowed under the seat, Of
course there We're confederates about.
rbo substituted onOkbor hoo while