Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1886-08-06
STATE AFFAIRS.
uULLIB1E RUrLANDERs.


- An old swindle, with a variation or two to
fit the times, was played on a gullibe street
crowd at Rutland last Saturday. A glib talk
ing man appeared on the street at dark with
livery team and torches, and a woman on
the back seat, and began selling cheap sleeve
buttons. With considerable display the ven.
der returned each mans money after deliver
ing the goods in several cases doubling the
amount. Some cheap yellow watch chains
were next produced, and the man promised
present to every one who bought one OF these
gaudy trinkets for dollar. From this source
$3.50 was quickly raked in. The vender neat
offered gold watch and chain" for So and
found numerous purchasers Of these. He
then made another venture, all the time ask
ing the purchasers of watch chains TO be sure
aud keep near the wagon and get their pres
ents Taking paper case he reokessy piled
up glttering watches and chains into it, until
the eyes OF the unsophisticated gamins around
fairly bulged out in astonishment. To cap
the climax he shut $50 bill into the face of
one Of the watches aud offered the whole for
80. There was dash for this article, and
the man who stood nearest and could get a
$40 bill into the hands Of the vender FIRST cap.
tured the booty. Then the speaker rallied
watch chain holders around the carriage and
as they waited in eager expectation he drew
out box Of steel pens from his vest pocket
and condesoendingly presented each of his
victims with pen. A general howl arose,
but the man was ready for the emergency,
and had his things packed, the lights went out
in twinkling, the team whirled away, and
before the crowd had recovered from its as
constituent the sharpers were safely slowed
away in their hotel. 1t is needless to say that
the victim who captured the big prize didn't
find any $50 bill when he got a chance to
open it. The parties who did this interesting
stroke Of business registered ut the hotel IS
s. W. McCurdy and wife and j. H. Bolton,
the latter acting az an assistant. They were
arrested Monday morning and N, Curdy WAS
fined $50 but he skipped out before paying
the fine. Bolton was tried before n jury,
which disagreed. The judge held him in
bonds of So, which he Immediately hand, i
out snd left. The fellows probably carried
$500 out Of town.
The ,iQhth annual festival Of the parish
choirs Of tue Episcopal churches OF the state,
conducted by Prof s. B. whitney of Boston,
will be held in Trinity church, Rutland, on
Thursday, September 30, with public re-
hearsals on Wednesday.
Judge Taft OF the supreme court has
made a decision which authoriz insolv, ncy
proceedings against Cashier Albert Sowles Of
the collapsed FIRST National bank OF st Al
bans.
-Rutland's new $4,000 Catholic school
building will be opened September /. There
will be y teachers and $50 scholars in the new
building and the schoolhouse which was put
up under Father Boylan in 1884.
Elk Gov St John of Kansas il booked to
speak at three temperance camp meetings in
the state this month.
The camping ground of the National
Guard during the annual muster will be the
Englesby lot in the south part Of Burlington.
First Lieutenant WIN. H. Coffin OF the Fifth
Artillery has baen detailed by the S, cretary
of War to inspect the camp.