Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1886-07-24
aail9E eagle
AFAKIR:S CONFESSION.
PROFITABLE TRADING ON THE WEAK
NESS OF HUMAN NATURE,

NESS OF HUMAN NATURE.
Some of the Wicked Wiles of Men Whs
Travel with Shows-What Is Paid fol
the Privileges of Cheating the Guys
Sly Games.
Il tell you now, it amt no use to talk
dey can't run a show widout fakin' any
more den you kin talk widout wind. Ior
hear me-"
The speaker formed one of a group wh(
sat at a round table in beer joint" mucl
frequent d by "showmen" They had beer
relating their experiences of last season
ION the roadn with "Spangls & Sawdust'
Monster Shows and Triple Conglomerat,
Aggregation" with which most of them hae
been more or less associated. One had re
lated how he had "downed an old guy wo
was a merchant in der town" by steering
him into a "bunco game" Another haC
delighted his hearers by recounting how b.
had laid out the jays" with a "jewelry
case" A third gloried in the way b.
played "the push back game" on lone o. dem
fly blokes wot thinks he knows it all"
They were all slangy! They called every
body Of whom they spoke "Guys" Some
the more important persons-were desig
mated as Main Guys" Countrymen wer'
"Jays," "Hayseeds," 'Blolles," and Suck
ers" Money was called Blunt "TIn," Of
Ceases" beer" or other drinks was spoker
Of as Lush" clothes as "Togs" or Harness,
food as Grub, con ersation as Weddings,
the verb to see was rendered Stag" eye!
were called "Ogles,"a hat a "Dicer" or q
"Cady," while ladies were spoken of al
"Dames," girls as "Molls" arguments a.
Cuff" clowns as "Joeys," and bank bills a
"Flimses
They sat for some time, each vieing with
the rest in telling of the smartest trick, q
most cunning devise used in depicting thu
wallets of the countrymen they had victim
lied, until at lasG the began to drop away
one by one to keep appointments with Other
"pals" or to get their grub" until but ont
was left. He had been the most volublt
talker OF the lot, and the reporter, who hat
listened to ali that was said with interest
resolved to interview him.
A few glasses of beer and cigar or two
with sandwich, sutficed to break the ICE
and establish confidence, when the pumping
process was begun.
"How long have you been in the show
business" the reporter asked after a Short
preliminary conversation leading up to the
inquiry.
@Well, about eight years this season.
began by helping around der menagerie,
fetching water and dom odd jobs about del
lot Den got in wild der candy butchers
was hired To peddle lemonade on de seats
by der man wot had der privileges"
"What are the privilegesf'
"Well, der privileges is wot dey pays
der money for to run Oh der lot wild the big
show, such de side shows, der concert, deI
candy stands, der sellin' o tickets outside
on der lot or in der town at slight advance
on the price at the ticket wagon, jewelry
cases, weighing machines, and der fakin
generally"
"You say the pay for these privileges"
"Pay: Well you kin just bet your life
dey pay! How much. Why, sometimes
$1,000, some times $1,000 Why, 1 know
one show wot gifts $4,000 year for der
privileges"
(Which show gets that and who pays its'
the reporter eagerly asked.
ooh, 1 amt gon' to give any names
away. But what | say goes You hear
mel Why, dere's lots o. shows started that
way. A guy gets hold OF lot O. old show
stock, a tent, some jacks and stringers and
seats, and den he goes to a privilege man
and gets him TO put in enough money to
start der show for the right of der privil-
eyes Maybe its only few hundred dol
lars, If it's small cross roads show, and
maybe its $1,000 or 900 if ita big ag-
gregation-'"
Here's an old fake" said the Snowman,
In the course of the conversation. Every
body plays it, The outside ticket seller, the
candy butcher, der boys wot sells lemonade
ON the seats and concert tickets and pea
nuts, besides the men who is always asking
the jays to Civ, small bills for large ones
they all does it You see, when a Jay goes
to der show he always takes his best gal
with him if be isn't married, and his whole
family il h. is He goes to the tickets seller
to buy his ticket and gives him a -, $40
or $40 t. pay for EN-. Why, I've known
the suckers To hand III a SlU0 bill. Well,
whatever it is. the ticket-faker gives him
his ticket :irst-then lie gives him his change
but h. turns over one OF two bills in such
way that when he counts tie
change Lefore the Jays very eyes he
makes the hil he has turned back count
double Maybe he turns back a s. or a 10, or
only 81 or s., but, Win hever it is, he
turns Iach. The jays change is short jist
that much. all rs he sjv- pushed away Dy
the crow, or The clippers, he Shoyes it into
his 90 let anl hurTies into TIE 81 " To git
q G OF pla e When ao gifs into the sa0"
he haj,'s on. bis money alt counts It, ben
he see his chs se is ha,- aua.asr iaeir
wot has 1s As we On .lm 4o.s To him and
ass hiu 0ots tAe matter. lie sells is lit
tie Ia DAB IT, j. SAT. ri-ed. May be this
jay is pitai,an. So be counts over for
him, tugus aro lrr iia On aiE, sut c does
the uic ~ ming $50 s..a.y taat = ay
thinks all +- after 3 a. pats his
" Il bac into poe ea 4hs e3.u ~ and
can Y re- .ulyrs pay tsa same ratlleo when
ever I'll ev ct h.Il over % chan e, and