Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-10-04
THE FOOLS STILL LIVE,


How the G'ittsring Brass Deluded Them.
Saturday forenoon J. II. Dalton, alias G.
". McCurdv, who was arrested in Bath
Thursday, on the charge of swindling, ap-
nesre1 in Augusta and found a most lucra-
tive field, reaping a rich harvest. He ap-
pcared in Market Square at 1915 in a
barouche, driver being in attendance. He
was dressed perfectly and welded smoothe
and glib tongue. He began by doing several
for crowd of men and boys to gather around,
among which he was to find his vic
tins The operator then opened his jewelry
case and began to show sleeve buttons. He
asked twenty-five cents a set for them and in
a short time disposed Of a dozen pairs at
twenty FIVE cents each After he had finished
he made each man a present of fifty cents
This bait had its effect, dazzling the eyes of
the crowd so that when he opened his second
class. as he termed it, selling watch chains
at 81 each, there was grand rush, and for
WUllt lie tObh dS ldSt d5 Hd COulU
handle them The chain was brass
one with big links thinlv washed
1t was evidently not worth five cents
The fellow would hold the chain up and say,
"DOn't you buy a cents worth of goods I'M
less you think their worth a dollar. Mind
you don't ask you to purchase this chain ;
you can buy it or not, just as you please.
Don't think you are going to speculate. |
don say this chain is worth a dollar, but
can ask dollar for it if l wish. l am here
to do business with good honest class of citi
zens, not for speculation. Well, the result
of this talk was that the tenderfoots kept on
investing, many well known citizens beng
drawn INTO the snare. One young merchant
put IN four dollars and a clerk as many more
One young man connected with the "Bala-
brega" show invested three dollars, and his
employer led him away. SO McCurdv con-
tnued his game for over an hour, constantly
supplying his cheap chains for dollars. Each
dollar taken was put with another. and laid
on the cover of his desk so that when he had
finished, he had tall pile before him. This
led the inexperienced spectators to think that
he was going to return their money with =
big gratuty besides, as he had done in the
beginning with the sleeve buttons. Many
put in their money because they
thought this was not the
closing class, and the fellow, after returning
them their money, would open another class
Me Curdv told the crowd that they need not
buy the chains unless they wanted to. Sew
ersl went so far as to give three dollars for q
chain
Once he did return several of the buyers
their money doubled or trebled and this start
dmsny others to buying. He also gave away
several cheap brass watches to keep things
moving. Finally, after relieving the pockets
OF the gullible ones of the spare dollars, he
held up a watch chain Of another style,
attached one of his brass watches to it and
asked $40 for the chain with the timepiece
thrown in. No one took it, Of course. Then,
picking up $40 note, he apparently inserted
1t between the cases of the watch and
again offered it for $40, saying
that the buyer would receive the
lewelry and a one dollar bill. But this did
not receive any encouragement, and a second
siV was apparently added to the watch and
Doth bills could be seen between the cases.
ms time he said he presented taco dollars
with the watch and case. A gentleman in the
crowd soon invested $40, thinking to ind $50
The watch. But 10! there were but 81, the
VI bills having by trick been substituted
Or those of the higher denomination. The
Investor offered to present McCurdy with the
'a'eh' which was received by the latter, who
gave 81 in return for 1t our speculative friend
0sIng 81 ont. The man after giving away some
.ueap pens closed his jewelry case and
a'ove Of in state towards Hallowell,
'eaSihg his victims aching with chagrin, and
"'ia the jeers of those who had the sense to
Aeep out of the trap. He relieved the crowd
" aoeut 500 10 all. The game was so
,s'efiy managed that legal men say that he
Ioes not come within reach of the law. as
we purchasers knew just what they were
,aslhs and everything was precisely M
"cCurdy represented it to be.
ncCurdy after leaving Augusta drove to
AAlowell and began business at noon, taking
"ef 500 in the same manner as here. He
,e'urned in season to eat dinner at his hotel
"'ourdy's partner, who was here Saturday
A0fning proceeded to Gardiner on the fore
1O0n Train, and at 1890 o'clock A. NJ, began
operating on Water street, at the foot of
suureh Hill, playing the same game as that
~ augusta. He sold a large number of
.a'ns and number of watches, placing a
' o'ii between the cases instead of $40. One
n r, lost 500 on watches and another $40.
As proceeds of his little scheme amounted
days work.