Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1885-07-12
BLEEDING THE NATIVES.


River Points.
Your notice in this morning sspsper re-
gsrding Richard circus recalls to my mino
some things ! saw on recent trip to
Charleston" said gentleman to a reporter
last evening. 81 was up at Charleston q
couple Of weeks ago, when twenty-fve.ceni
show struck the town. Of course the people
for miles around hocked in and the way the
host of sharpers in attendance upon the ex
hibition heeced the natives was caution.
The show was good enough as quarter
shows 60, but I'll bet more money was gath
cred in by pickpcckets, confidence mep
ard shsrpers than was taken in at thu
ticket wagon l watched one chap
in particular, who had very neat way o.
turning dishonest penny. He and semi
fellow swindlers ran candy and peanu
booth, and their specially was changing fv,
and ten dollar bills. They had laid in a!biP
stock of silver dollars, and went out Of theiI
way TO accommodate folks. saw my man
change two tens. In each case the owner
Of the bill had a girl and when the damsel
had made her selection of candy, pea NUT
and lemonade the beau passed over the bill
The cbsrper displayed nine cart wheels OIL
palm which seemed one.hslf larger
ran across before, and held thep
out in full view of the zap, but first handing
him the small change out of the tenth dollar,
all the time talking volubly regarding the
crops or something of equal interest. The
beau held out his hand for his change and
got the traction of dollar first. This b.
counted and transferred to his pocket
Then the hand containing the nine dollars
was held out and turned upside down, dump
ing the contents into his customers hand,
who, having seen the cash, tool
it for granted 1t was all right
and putting his money in his pockel
walked of. The fun of the matter is thai
when the sharper turns his hand over he
holds from two to four of the dollars With
his thumb and only let's seven or six or five
fall into his customers hand. saw this
act played three times very successfully.
Of course the countryman would miss his
money in the course of time, but he had
seen bis change all right in the peanut sell.
ers hand, and would naturally conclude he
had lost it or had his pocket picked. There
were dozen other skin games Of q similar
sort, while the pick pockets, Judging from
the lamentations l heard, did thriving
business. There we're innumerable
chs d. ring the day from
cheated counrymen, and as 8
consequence, fights were frequent and
bloody. The circus gang worked in Ca
boots" of course, and the minute man
showed disposition to raise row, he was
bounced by two or three and hustled GU
Of the road, or beaten numerically. A
Point Pleasant / struck the same show
again, and passed an entire dayin lookin.
up the barefsced swindles perpstrated, On
bench near the circus tent saw q young
man and two girls seated. The dsmseh
we're gazing lovingly toward the
candy booth, and while thu
direction one of the fskirs slipped up and
poured pound or so Of candy into one Of
the girls lap. The girl at first protested
she did not want it, but her gallant but un
sophisticated companion said she might as
well keep it, and after ordering similar
portion for his other girl, rendered ten
dollar bill in payment Then the candy
man did his great act He first
counted out the change for the odd
dollar and then skinned out nine dollars
turned bis palm over and dropped five Of
them into the countryman's hand. The
money was put away without being looked
at, and the candy man skipped. walked
up to the jakey and said: YOU have been
sVindled.' He seemed surprised, and asked
how. / told him to count his money. lie
searched his trousers pocket but could only
find $50 when he should have had 1910.
In moment he had shed his coat and
started for the peanut stand on run. he col
! Jared his man and demanded the other four
dollars. Of course be didn't get it, and in
a moment one of the hvehest fights one can
imagine was in full blast. The countrymsn
was big six and half footer, with arms
ike Windmill, and the way be did those
swindlers up was caution, and worth the
entire price of admission. After demolish-
,ps the stand, scattering the contents over
something ,,ssss than quarter pfan acre
and sending the proprietors to grass unui,.
they looked very much fatigued the indig
nant sgriculturahst was driven off BY q
SQUAD Of employees and peace once more
reigned But this is the only time saw
the swindlers worsted. Almost invariably
they got off clean with their plumber"
"RoYAL POLISH fer ladies and children's