The sun., 1886-12-16
BEATING THE shARPERs.
Grand Army Vets Who Were Too 6hs
for tho Bunko- Men.

BEATING THE sHARPERs:
0rana Army Vets Who Were Too sharp
fsr tho Dunko- Men.
Notwithstanding the popular news
paper fictien Of sharpers meeting green
strangers and getting hoist by their
own petard, the fact is, that when IN
expert confidence man puts his tenta-
clcs upon sucker" something usu-
ally comes before he lets 60. The en-
campment here has furnished . few
bona fide exceptions to the rule that
arc worthy Of chronicling. The low
fares and the presence of so vast
number Of strangers have Of course
drawn great number of sharks to San
Francisco. This class is distinct from
pickpockets and thieves. 1t is formed
Of confidence operators, pure and SIM
ple, prepared to victimizo the Grand
Army Of the Republic strangers at any
thing from bunko to monte. Some OF
them come from Chicago, some from
ST. Louis. and there are two or three
faces on the street that are familiar to
Inspector Byrnes and his detectives at
New York. One of the metropolitan
"outfix'' was lamenting his lack of
luck to party of friends in Kear-
ny street sporting resort the other
evening.
"I had been reading up army his
tory for about month, he said, land
was we'll posted on the leading battles.
You see l wanted to be able to talk to
the veterans, but it turned out that it
got me into pretty tight fix. l got
acquainted with an old fellow and
found that he had been in the battle of
Gettysburg. l wanted to draw him
into u poker game and to make myself
solid, and said: why, l was in that
fight, too
"'Is that SOP he said. You amt
q G. A. r., are you?'
"'No,' l answered.: L DON'T care
to join for private reasons
$50 you were at Gettysburg? the
old fellow went on. What division,
now, did you belong TOP
"'To Sickles'.'
"Yes, yes-why, belonged to that,
too. Where were you the night after
the first days fighting?'
/ answered, cautiously, for felt was
getting into deep water.
"'No! he exclaimed. What kind
! of . looking barn was it?'
"'Well,' said, at random, as near
as / can remember it was . small,
single-story building, with one sid:
| partly blown out
"'No! Was there straw-rick in it7'
81 don't know said, desperately:
Il believe there was.
"'You don't say SOP he replied; and
the manger busted?'
"'Yes, l think so.
"'Was there another fellow there
"I think there was,' said, like q
! blamed fool, not knowing whit was
coming.
".You scoundrel, you.' yelled the
old man, that was me! Give me back
my wallet!'
"'What wallet?'
40. you know we'll enough. The
blasted thief that slept with me that
night stole my wallet and two hundred
dollars in greenbacks. I've been look
ing for him now for twenty-five years.
l thought I knowed you when you
come upr
1T took some Of the hardest talking
I ever did in my life to get rid of him
I dent want any more Grand Army in
mine"
Another story was told in the Ore
gon Headquarters Il seems that 8
couple of smooth-tongued gentry
fastened On to one of the veterans, and
proposed to 60 out and see the town
Bot before starting he excused himself
. minute, and stated on coming bacl
that he had left his money with {
friend for safe-keeping, and only taker
along few dollars. They told him j
was all right if he knew where HI
could find his friend when he waAtet
him. He said he did, and the party
started out. The two cenfidence-mcI
spent about ten dollars apiece enter
tanning the victim, and then proposed
that he look up his friend, get his casl
and play poker.
can't get it from him to-nig ght
said the veteran.
.'Why, thought you knew wher
to find him." protested one of tn
shaxps.
$50 do" said the veteran, "but i
happens he's the same friend on who's
account I'm wearing this badge.
mean Uncle Sam. You see, for pre-
caution, put my Money in an envel
ope before I started, addressed it tt
myself and dropped it in the letter
box. No, gentlemen, can't get an
tonight San Fnracisco CaronscIe