Daily Tombstone epitaph., 1886-01-05
A CONFIDENCE TRICK.
How an American Judge Narrowly Es-
 capped Robbery in tbe strand.

men and sharpers is well known. They have an excellent field for their work. London is SO vast that it is difficult to find them even if the detectives are promptly upon their track, and they change their quarters frequently. Then the number of visitors to this great Babylon is so large that victims are found without much difficulty. As many of these are transient visitors, if the bunco men-as they would be called in America; I do not know what corre- spending term is used here-make a good "haul." they leave the city or lie in hiding until they feel sure that their victims have gone. Then they can not be identified, if arrested, and of course will escape prosecution. v ~
 An American gentleman whom l met the other day told me of his narrow escape from being robbed by what am told is an .'old London trick" He is. 8 criminal judge in one of your Southern States; and one would suppose that such an official would be on his guard against tricks of all kinds. He has been in London many times before his present V; 'it and thought he was pretty familiar with the city and its ways. Let me re- late his experience in his own words:
 Il have been living" he said, "in 8 private hotel in one of the streets lead- ing from the Strand to the Thames, not far from Temple Bar. It is convenient place to reach and found it comfort able and satisfactory in every way. l have been in the habit of going 10 my lodgings at all hours of the day and night Twas on my way thither through the Strand about 1 o'clock one morning. and had almost reached the street in which my hotel Is situated. when l saw aswoman not far in front of me ap- parently stumble and fall to the side walk. She was alone. She cried out as if hurt, and hastened my steps and ran to her assistance. I helped her get up, but she complained of great pain in her ankle, and could hardly stand. She began to cry bitterly, and said she didn't see how she was to get home. l asked her where she lived; she named the street, which l knew was more than mile away. I told her that she would have to take cab, and that I would call one. Still crying and complaining that she was severely hurt, she said she could not take cab, as she had no money to pay for it. My sympathies were aroused, and l said that 1would give her enough to pay her cab-fare. l put my hand in my pocket and pulled out some silver coins. At the same time, 1 stepped toward gas-lamp in order to pick out the right amount.
 Quick as flash of lightning the woman seized my wrist, and some of the coins went rattling down on the pavement. At this moment three other women appeared. I had seen nothing of them before. They seized me by the arms and around the waist. instantly comprehended the situation. was the victim of a confidence game, and was being robbcd--or would be in moment unless l made vigorous resistance. l had my umbrella in my hand. strug- gled violently with the four women, and at length managed to break away from them. l started on a run at full speed for my hotel, only a few rods away. All the women were in hot pursuit. You know all those streets running from the Strand down to the river descend pretty rapidly, and as l was going down got under such headway that 1could not stop when 1 reached my house. l stopped just below it. however, and tried to turn, when the women seized mo again. They pounded and kicked me viciously, but did not get anything out of my pockets. used my hands and feet and umbrella as best could, but am afraid they would have been more than match for me.
 By good fortune, however, while the struggle was going on in front of my hotel, the door suddenly opened, and the landlord appeared in it. told him needed help, and he came out. The women then set upon him, and, taking advantage of the opportunity. 1 broke away from them, and ran at full speed into the hotel. Hound that my umbrel- la was pretty badly used up, and my arms and shins and body were sore for several days. Since then have carried stout cane whenever l am out late at night. never asked the landlord how he came out of the fight I was too glad to get away myself to bother about him; but 1 fancy he suffered little dam age. only lost few shillings."
 Why did you not make an .outcry and alarm the police?' l inquired.
 "Ah." was the answer, that was the very thing was careful not to do. Don't you see, they were four to one, and, if policeman had come, the chances were that they would accuse me of assault and would be locked up for the night. Or. if my story had been be- lieved, they would have spent the night in the police station--a matter of no consequence to a woman of that class and, if the matter had gone further, should have to go to the Police Court to prosecute them. did not care for pub hcity in that way. Oh, no, l didn't want the police to have any hand in the matter so far as was concerned. You may think was stupid to be taken in by such trick. have been told since that it is a trick very commonly prac- ticed in London, but I had never heard of 1t before. l am sure that it would readily impose on any one who was ignorant of il" ."-N r. Tribune.