St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1886-07-29
CIRCUS SHARPERS.
They Clean Out a st. JOhnsbury Man to
the Tune of $500.

st. Johnsbury, in common with about
all the other places in the state visited
by Doris's circus, furnished victim
for the sharpers in ARA West, an hon
est, fairly we'll to- do old gentleman of
rs, who was feeced out of $500. The
various stories of how the thing was
done are somewhat conflicting, but
from them all are gathered these par
ticulars:
Mr.. West, who lives on the road to
the Centre, drove down to the village
on the morning of the circus with his
wife, who got out of the team on Rail-
road street. While he was driving
along alone he was accosted by gen.
tlemanly appearing fellow who said
that he was nephew of Emerson Hall
of this place, that he was from Bur-
lingtOn where he was interested in a
banking institution, that he talked of
buying horse and thought, possibly,
if he could find a good trade would
buy an entire outfit. After some talk
Mr.. West thought he might be induced
to sell his team if his son Charles ap-
proved.
"Charlie West ?" said the stranger,
81 know him well and would like to
see him.
Upon this he got in and tried the.
horse and finally began to talk of bor
rowing money at heavy rates of inter
est and then of the price of real estate,
saying that a wealthy lady of Keene
whom he knew desired him to pur-
chase for her nice place in st. Johns
bury where she could educate her chill
dren, the price being no object. AS
to sell his place he responded cheer
| fully and the stranger said he would
go up later on and look it over.
By this time the fellow had become
very intimate and sOciable and was
anxious to show his appreciation for
courtesies received. He had a nice
book, he said, which he had intended
presenting his Uncle Emerson, but as
he found that Mr.. Hall already had
one, the duplicate was at Mr.. Vests
disposal if he would come to his room
for it. Mr.. West readily assented and
was conducted to the parlor in the
Hutchinson house on Railroad street.
| AS they entered the room another
stranger was seated at the table, who
looked up and greeted Mr.. Vests new
found friend with, allow dye do, Mr..
Hail." and, when asked if the books
had come, answered no. Mr.. Hall was
very sorry but would certainly send
the book by mail being very careful to
take Mr.. Vests address. At this juno
ture the stranger said to ''Hall."
"By the way, Mr.. Hall, your share
of the last drawing was $780," and paid
over the cash on the spot.
Then followed the old game. Cards
were presented. "Hall" tried his luck
again and drew another handsome sum
and finally Mr.. West was induced to
draw card just for fun, when to his
astonishment he was told that he had
drawn $4,000 and the bills were count
was the biggest draft on the Burling-
ton constitution" on record, proper
report must be made to the officials
before this sum could be delivered,
Mr.. West must prove that he was re-
spOnsible person. If he could prove
that he was worth $1,000 the money
was his. Mr.. West hadn't $1,000 but
could show $500 and offered to draw
his check for that amount. That
wouldn't do, the cash must presented.
ThereupOn Mr.. West went home, and
despite the protestatiOns of his wife
got his book and started for the bank.
He was met on the way by his friend
who urged that he drive up Maple
street to Main instead of going up
Eastern avenue. When they reached
School street, "Hall" said his wife was
visiting Mrs. Chadwick and he would
step in there and await Vests return.
Mr.. West went on to the First Nation
al bank, drew out his deposit of $500,
remarking that he would be back with
it in less than an hour, took it to the
Railroad street headquarters and laid
it on the table for the sharpers to
count.
Mr.. West was so confused that a
clear statement of what followed is not
given. One story is that the moment
the $500 was laid on the table "Hall's'
ed out !; another is that Mr.. West was
induced to draw another card, failed to
win second time and so lost the
money. Anyhow, the fellow took the
} money and left West and his "friend'
in the lurch. 'Hall' expressed the
greatest sorrow over the result, swOre
literally at and about his confederate
, insisted that it was an outrage, mean
} swindle, ct cetera. But all this availed
nothing. The rascal's greatest feaI
was lest his uncle Emerson Hall should
find it all out, so he pledged Mr.. West
to secrecy, saying that he had plenty
of money himself and as he felt that he
had unwittingly got his friend into
r trouble he would send him a check fol-
| the amount of his loss 10y August
: So thoroughly did he have his victim
, under his influence that, even after al
r this, it is said that the old gentleman
generously took the rascal to ride OIL
l the Plain and kept his secret until hi: