Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1885-08-12
Confidence Games.

people caution their fellow citizens OF the
swindline work of confidence men, there are
lot of people who bite at the bait Of the
confidence man every time that he presents
il. 1t is for the benefit of the honest and
unauspecting that the bad work of the con-
fdence men are exposed. II men and boys
would read carefully such accounts Of the
work of confidence men ss the following,
their knowledge of the bad ways Of the
world would be increased and they would
be better able to avoid pitfalls, and snares
| that are sometimes set TO catch them.
SAMUEL BELLS Sl259
A dispatch from Pittsburg dated the 2sth
day of last July says Cincinnati sharpers
played daring game on farmer At West
Newton, twenty. five miles from this city. A
circus was exhibiting there and among the
couDtrymen who visited it was Samuel Bell,
q farmer of South Huntingdon townrbip,
who Is well TO do In . financial sense. A
stranger sccosted him about the character
Of the farming country in Westmoreiano
county, and said be had . brother that was
a hard drinker and he beljeved if he could
get hi m interested in agricultural pursuits
it would be to bis beneeti therefore he
thought of buying him farm. Did Mr..
Bell know of . good farm for sale Mr..
Bell was willing to sell his own land, and
they found the strangers brother in one OF
the side show tents.
He was with some companions, and they
were seated at table engaged N playing
three-card monte. While Bell watched them,
they won as high as 500. Suddenly one
fellow turned to Bell and his newIy-fouDd
friend and said: al bet you $500 can win
that $500 back" "Let's take him uP, said
the agricultural inclined stranger to Bell
"l've got $3.50 myself, and you put $3.50
more to it, and, as know something shout |
the game, We will clean the place out by
winning the bet" 81 can get the money in
ten minutes" Bell responded hesitatingiy. |
He then went down the street to James a.
Dicks bank, and on an endorsed note drew
out of the bank $3.50. Returning to the tent
he laid it down alongside of the strangers
$3.50. In less than two minutes the man
that had offered the bet jumped up, snatch
ed the $500 and made his escape.
Bell WAS dazed. The stranger protested
bis sorrow for the occurrence, not for him
self but for Bell. Bell went with his son-in
law, Morrison Painter, to the alderman's Of
flee and swore out a warrant against the
whole concern. Constable David Orr served
the warrant on Mr.. o. 'Brien, the owner of the
circus. He declared he did not know the
strangers, who are the three-card monte men
from Cincinnati and who had s'tsken in Mr..
Bell,n but was willing to make good ths far
mer's loss. So he went to the ticket wagon
and counted him out $3.50. There the mat
ter dropped.
CHARLES Q. PrcKErT's CASH AND CHECK
The Philaielphia Times Of the 3lst day
OF last July tells how . citizen of New Jer-
sey was taken in As follows: Charles S.
Pricket . retired Quaker farmer residing at
Mount Laurel, Burlington county, came
down to Atlantic City, for weeks visit to
. friend and while wandering around yes
terday afternoon was sccosted, at the City
Hall, by young man, with smooth face
wearing a white high hat, who called him
ssAr. Thomas"
ssThee is mistaken; my name is Charles S.
Prickett, from Mount Laurel" !" was the frank
admission of the farmer. He had scarcely
gone three squares further when an elegant
ly attired gentleman approached him and
said: SHOW is thee, Brother Charles 2"
Mr.. Prickett told the gentleman he did
not remember him, when he said: 81 am Q
son of S. K. Caldwell, president of the
Mount Holly National Bank. You know my
father we'll"
The subject of crops was discussed in all
its bearings and then Mr.. Caldwell told Mr..
Pricket: that he had drawn three pictures in
9 lottery and had just received them by ex-
press. He was going to give one to his sis
ter, one he would keep and .the third he was
going to give away and would be pleased to
have him accept it. Mr.. Prickett was invited
to get on q car and 60 up to the house and
examine them. They boarded . car and
went as far as the Hotel Albion. Then they
walked down Massachusetts, avenue and
made, according to Mr.. Prickett, several
turns and went into q cottage. There were
no pictures to be seen. They were being
unpacked, the alleged Mr.. Caldwell said,
and while the men were taking them out of
the box he would join some friends in q
game Of cards. In twenty mnut es Mr.. Cald-
well had won $500. Friend Pickett was then
invited to play, but he declined, saying
'sThee is better acquainted with such mat
ters." He consented to 60 in with Mr.. Cald-
well as partner, however, and lost SIS. The
next game he invested $45 and his partner
$45, which was lost. He became excited
and staked $500 and this he lost. He gave
them all the cash he had-some $50 and a
check for $3.50 on the Burlington County
National Bank, at Medford.
Mr.. Prickett is unable to locate the cottage
in which he was feeced on account of the
roundabout way he was taken to it. The
police authorities are now investi ating the
affair.
A monument recently erected on the sight