Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1885-11-26
narinr in a saweust swlndler.

taking in sawGust Swiudler.
..Tbe killing OF Tom Davis. the saw
Inst man. in New York, by Il man from
,Tavas reminds me of an experience l
ance had with a gang OF this kind,
said 4 weli-Euown oil region sport, in
Tho bar-room OF the Option House, AT
bradford. Pa, night or two ago.
TELL the story, came from dozen
throats.
well. BOYS, YOU ;tll know that | am
somewhat of a sport. SO was my dad
bofore me. The old man was up to
oll kinds Of specuatons. Nothing was
too risky for him. Ii he wasn't in
lottery it was horserace or rattle.
One time he cot one OF those euticing
circulars. such rs Tom Davis sent out
10 his duDes. At that time the old man
was living in hard luck. He had lost
n century or SO on horse race, and
specuatloI in mining stocks had
turned out disastrOusly. The offer OF
the sawdust chap struck him right Ia
vorably. Tim, ii | can collar thous-
and or two of the queer, he said to me.
Il know that | can pass it without
trouble in the oil country. I've a great
notion TO try it on and trust TO luck.
All right, dad, said Try it on.
In Jew days he received another let
ter from the sawdust man, appointing
q meeting ut hotelin Chatham square,
in New York. i cam raise the we;!th
TO 90. said the old man to me. so
must get my grip on some OF that boz
Gus money. ] thought the matter
over. and concluded that would give
the old man u lift. | took the crook
letter. and, with the assistance OF
Young follow in the newspaper BUSH
ness, cooked up a reply when | calcu-
lated would catch tine swindler in as
neat a trap as he ever set to catch
sucker In the letter / told the chap
that New YOrE was not the place for
him TO DO business in The oil coun-
try was then looming, and / advised
him TO come tere, or ut least open an
agency. pictured 20 him how easy
it was to shove wagon loads of the
queer 4 mining or oil town afforded
superior advantages Tor showing bogus
money. In conclusion, told him that
had $4,000 to invest, but thai like
other oil men, / was not in the habit
OF buying pig in poke.
"'Send on samples, | wrote, by
mail or express, and | viii examine
the goods. and. if they are as slick as
represented win take $4,000 worth
1t was utterly Impossible for me to
meet him in New York. If he wanted
to transact business he must either
send samples OF come on himself In
few days neat express packet was
delivered at the door OF the old mau S
house With trembling hands he tore
OH the wrapper, revealing long and
narrow pasteboard DoX. Carefully hid
den under lot oil papers was a long
package done up in oiled silk. In il
were iour crisp new bills Of the denom-
nations of -, -, $40 and 500. They
looked like sgenuiHc, and were pro-
nouHccd rs such by the cashier OF The
Bradford National Bank.
"But ! ann getting ahead of my sto-
~. When lie package arrived the old
gentleman sent Tor me. He was near
ly wild with excitement.
"'Ain't they Doauties?' he cried, as
he tendcrly tondIed tue crisp slips OF
paper.
They look good, | replied, but
that don't hinder their being counter
folts.
That's exactly what they are
said my dad, in triumph. We amt
paying Tor good money, are we?"
Il admitted the force of the logic.
Then proposed that l take the bills
to bank tor examination. If the
banks say they arc good, | said, then
wei, have picnic in passing them
had an idea that the money was gem
uine, and ! wanted to get my hands
on 10 before the old man had chance
to shove it, 1T nearly broke dad 5
heart to part, even for Il little while,
with the beautiful new notes l hust-
led 10 The bank and asked if the bills
were really good. Certainly, replied
the cashier aftera scrutinzing glance.
They are as good as they make. Here
are some counterfeits, and he produced
q bundle OF bills. Some of them were
brand new. persuaded him to loan
mo a crisp 800, across the face of
which was stamped in red letters,
Counterfeit "
"What then?" quericd one of the
crowd.
why, | showed it to the old man
and said that the bank had taken all
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 scott by the sawdust man
was genuine, but he never had a chance
10 spend IT,