News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1886-07-08
Swtndied out of $4,000.

William Meehan was arrested on q
body writ in Burlington last week
Tuesday night, to recover $4,000,
which, it is charged, he assisted in
swindling Abraham Owen, of South
Burlington, out, of, last September.
He secured bail without difficulty,
however, and was not taken to Jail.
Ovens story of the alleged swindle
partakes more of the nature of a west
ern romance than an experience in
staid old Vermont. He says that one
day last September he was accosted
on Church street, in Burlington, by a
slim, well dressed young man, who
asked him if he knew of farm for
sale, stating that he wanted to buy
one for rich uncle of his in Rutland.
Owen replied that he would sell his,
whereupon his interlocutor informed
him that he would 60 out to see it the
next day. True to his word the
Young Spectator drove to the resi-
dence of Owen the next day and
looked over the place, with which he
expressed himself we'll pleased. The
Young man then confdentially in
formed Owen that he was a fur deal
er, and asked permission to post
some bills in a favorable position a
short distance from Ovens house,
toward which the pair directed their
steps, in the meantime keeping up
the negotiations in relation to the
farm. When near the proposed bill
board Owen and his visitor were met
by powerfully built man, dressed like
a Texan, who drew some cards from
his pocket, and, naming the winning
card, asked the younger of the twain
to draw it from the number, which he
had spread out on his overcoat, OH a
bet of $50. This the latter readily
accepted and received his money. The
manipulation of the cards then told
Owen that he would bet $4,000 that he
could not pick out the winning card,
at the same time spreading the cards
so that Owen could see their faces as
each was turned down. He of course
drew the right card, when the Texan
said if Owen and his companion could
show that they had $4,000 to put up
he would pay them the $4,000. The
young speculator said he could raise
$4,000, and Owen thought he could
raise the other $4,000. Leaving the
Texan at his home, Owen and his
companion drove to Burlington, where
the former drew $4,000 and started
for home again. When on a cross
road they were surprised to meet the
Texan, who asked them if they had
their money. Owen and the young
man replied that they had, whereupon
the former said "here's my money"
taking $4,000 from his pocket. Owen,
flushed with success, Immediately
drew out his bundle of notes and said
"and there's my money!" when the
Young man who was seated with him
snatched the roll of bills and jumped
from the wagon. The Texan at once
said "We have got to get away from
here at once, or there will be some
lively shooting about here" and the
pair left Owen in a somewhat dazed
condition. Owen says he made up
his mind he would never say anything
about it, but he finally told his fami-
ly, not allowing it to get out outside.
He noticed one popularity about the
supposed Texan, and this was the
fact that when at the house the latter
kept one of his hands in his pocket,
and when they met in the road the
same hand was wound in handker-
chief. While in Burlington recently
Owen met Meehan on the street, and
claims that he recognized him at once,
in spite Of his changed appearance,
and he also noticed that some of the
fingers of one hand were missing.
Confident that he had struck the right
man he took steps to secure Meehan's
arrest, with the above announced re-
suit. The outcome of the case will
be awaited with interest Press.