Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1886-09-28
SLICK SWINDLERS II
CAUGHT Up AT MARTINS FERRY YESTER
DAY AFTERNOON
W.P. BrandOw Sent Back to the Scene Of Former
Operations FUm Martins Ferry, O.-Sl7OO
Made in Two NOnthS-FrOm Dakota to
Ohio With Circus.

|
Central OHIO. During the day, three men,
protesting, and evidently truly, to belong
to the show, called on Postmaster Horace
B. Eaton, and thanked him very profusely
for his kindness in allowing their litho-
graphs to adorn his office. Their genteel
manner pleased the willy postmaster, who,
by the way, is over seventy years old, and
an invitation to go down to the show and
look at the fine horses, and pretty trap
pings, caught him
IN A'wEAK PLACE,
and he readily assented. After he reached
the grounds the first place to be visited
was the side show where the fat woman,
brainless negro, tatOoed man, and other
stereOtyped attractions held forth. After
looking through the place to his and his
companions satisfaction, he was led
through a small alleyway in the canvas,
where man with glass case filed with
numbered cards, a package Of envelopes
containing numbers, held forth to trade
and hold up
THE UNWAR1 SJChER.
Here . companions expressed surprise,
but soon commenced betting on their abil
ity to tell the number of q card. They
won and lost in turns, till they thought
it time to rope in the old man. But the
old gentleman refused to be drawn in, and
as last resort, he was requested to change
a bill for one OF his companions. He had
hnr lnl Of ;n.,
$50, from his pocket, when large man
in the party snatched it and ran through
a break in the canvass and was seen no
more. The old postmaster yelled "p'lice"
at the top of his voice, and was almost in
stantly surrounded by a crowd of rough
canvaSSmen who all at once inquired,
whats the matter" and begged him to
keep still and not
STAMPEDE THE CIRCUS,
and assured him that the villain would he
caught, and made so many promises and
acted so sincerely that he believed for the
time being that all hands were his friends,
except he man who stole his noodle. But
the Doodle did not come back and the old
man not caring to let the world know of
his gullibility, made no effort to bring the
parties to Justice.
The next day, however, friend of Mr..
Eaton, named Frank Taylor, y lawyer
by profession, became aware Of the occur
ence and drew the entire story from him.
Taylor ut once concluded TO follow the
show up and if possible bring the william
who carried off his (EatOn'S) money to
justice. Accordingly he went to Monroe
Vile, and then to Bclleville, and finding
that the show was sill day ahead Ofhim,
he came to Martins Ferry yes
terday, the show being in Oper-
alton in that town. Mr.. Taylor
struck the town early, and at once pro-
ceeded to inform Mayor Keller of his bus
iness and intentions. He then went to the
Sherman House, where he had learned the
men he wanted were putting up. He
"cllad and nut on his grccncst look,
ROLL OF BILLS,
and proceeded to lead the sharpers to
catch him. At the dinner table three of
the gang prOfeSsed to be drummers, and |
stated that since the show was i'll town
there was no chance for business. and one
proposed u game of euchre to while away 4,
the afternoon. There being but three of
them, they proposed that Taylor take a
hand and complete the sitting. Taylor |
played pretty good euchre, and
spoke of poker Us u game ne
knew nothing of, and about which
he wished to be better posted. He said
the trio Immediately commenced dealing
him the most beautifift-pokcr hands, and
took great delightin explaining their value, !,
if the game was poker instead of euchre. |
But Taylor dip not want to play poker, his
idea being to be fleeCed Just rs his friend |
Eaton had been ut North Baltimore, and |
heaccOrdingly proposed that they 80 to the
show. At the show they were met by n
VERY OBLIGING EMPLOYE,
who passed them into the side show free,
and found particular pleasure in showing
the curiosities. When the show was
through, he expressed the hope that
Mr. Taylor would speak 4 good word
for this show out among his friends. |
His trio of companions became appar-
emily muddled and bOlted into an opening, |
and instead of entering the me-
nagerie. emerged into little room, set |
apart on purpose, where a large man ma |
nipulated cards in cnyelOpS and made |
them correspond, or do otherwise, with
cards in glass case, as suited his pleasure |
One of the "drummeTS' caught on in q
minute, and Ostensibly dropped $40,
while Mr.. Taylor looked on in APP |
parent ignorance and innocence. The time
at last came for Taylor to bite, and one oi
his companions pulled up an envelope 50
that the figure al" was plainly visible
on the card inside, and the dealer, drop |
ping dollar, stopped TO opick 1t up while
Taylor's friend opened the envelope
cuough to show the supposed sucker the
"ll'' plain rs day. Taylor still not ex-
pressing his willingness to bet, the accom- |
plice, and the dealer, repeated the opera
tion three times TO make him
SECURE IN BETTING.
TAYLOR then became enthusiastic, and
said he wanted to bet, but had no
cash. and only 800 New York draft,
which he would 90 to the bank and cash
and return, and either double up or go
busted. Accordingly he went away, ar
ranging to meet his three friends at the
Sherman House in an hour, and returned
with the Mayor, REGISTER reporter and
three policemen, the latter wearing their
badges under their coats. The two men
wanted most, had gone down tOtthe ferry
landing, and the police hurried thither,
but through misunderstanding Of their
orders only took one, the other going on
toward Bridgeport, and being cap
tured by Marshal Joe McCOnnaly later
in the day. The other two were
caught up later by the Martins Ferry Off
GERS. At the lookup all the prisoners
claimed to be members of the show crowd,
and professed to figure as candy butch
ersr and Lemonade fakirs." Mr.. Taylor
having left the gang before he was feeeed,
could make no charge against any except
one whom he felt confident was the man
who had
DONE UP THE POSTMASTER
at North Baltimore and accordingly the
Others were not searched and their release
was promised. The names of those arrest
ed, according to their say so, are w. 7.
Brandow, George Gilt, Frank Long and
George Osterstock. 0sterst9ck was identi-