Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1886-10-14
BEATING THE SHARPERS.
Grand Army Vets Who Were Too Sharp
for the Bunko- Men.

BEATING THE SHARPERS.
Grand Army Vets who Were Too Sharp
for the Bunko- Men.
Notwithstanding the popular news
paper fiction of sharpers meeting green
strangers and getting hoist by their
own petard, the fact is, that when an
expert confidence man puts his tenta-
Giles upon sucker" something usu-
ally comes before he lets go. The en-
campment here has furnished few
bona fide exceptions to the rule that
are 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
pie, prepared to victimize the Grand
Army of the Republic strangers at any
thing from bunko to monte. Some of
them come from Chicago, some from
81. 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
"outft'' was lamenting his lack of
luck to party of friends in a Kear-
ny street sporting resort the other
evening.
II had been reading up army his
tory for about month, he said, land
was well 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 a pretty tight fix. got
acquainted with an old fellow and
found that he had been in the battle of
Gettysburg wanted to draw him
into poker game and to make myself
solid, and said: why, | was in that
fight, too
is that SOP he said. 'You amt
a G. A. R., are youP'
Ono | answered.; i don't care
to join for private reasons.
so you were at Gettysburg?' the
old fellow went on. What division,
now, did you belong TOP
"'To Sickles'.'
"Yes, yes-why, l belonged to that,
too. Where were you the night after
the first days fghtingP'
al slept in barn on Culp's Hill,
l answered, cautiously, for felt | was
getting into deep water.
"'No! he exclaimed. what kind
of a looking barn was itp'
"'Well, | said, at random, 'as neal
as / can remember it was small
single-story building, with one side
partly blown out.
"'No! Was there strawrick in itP
"I don't know said, desperately
Il believe there was.
"'You don't say SOP he replied; 'ant
the manger busted?'
"'Yes, think so.
"Was there another fellow there
with youP'
al think there was, l said, like +;
blamed fool, not knowing what wa
coming.
you scoundrel, you,' yelled thu
old man, that was me! Give me bacl
my Wallet
"'What walletp'
80, you know well enough. TIL,
blasted thief that slept with me tina
night stole my wallet and two hundred
dollars in greenbacks. I've been look
ing for him now for twenty-five years
thought knowed you when yo1
come up!'
ut took some of the hardest talking
ever did in my life to get rid of him
| don't want any more Grand Army il
mine."
Another story was told in the Ore
gon Headquarters II seems that
couple OF smooth-tongued gentr
fastened on to one of the veterans, an,
proposed to go out and see the town
But before starting he excused himsel
a minute, and stated on coming bac
that he had left his money with
friend for safe-keeping, and only takel
along few dollars. They told him
was all right if he knew where h
could find his friend when he wante
him. He said he did, and the part
started out. The two confdence-me
spent about ten dollars apiece enter
tanning the victim, and then propose
that he look up his friend, get his cas-
and play poker
4 can't get it from him tonight,
said the veteran.
why, | thought you knew wher
to find him." protested one of tn
sharps.
80 l do" said the veteran, "but
happens he's the same friend on who's
account I'm wearing this badge.
mean Uncle Sam. You see, for pr,
caution, put my money in an enve
ope before | started, addressed it t
myself and dropped it in the lette
box. No, gentlemen, 1 can't get an
tonight. San FnraciSco Chronicl