St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1886-07-29
SEEING THE ELEPHANT AT DOR
IS' CIRCUS.

Among those WHO CdDn0 from OUner
towns to see the show was Mr.. Levi
BOyden of GuilfOrd, uncle of Selectman
G. A. Boyden of this town, and a re-
spectacle well-tO-dO old gentleman of
some IS summers, who was accOmpan-
led by two or three of his grand chill
dren. Previous to the afternoon ex-
hibition, while lingering about the
grounds, he was accOsted by young
man of pleasing address and fine APP
pearance who asked him to change a
five dollar bill. Mr.. Boyden acceded
to the request, and was gradually led
into conversation, the young man in
Producing himself as a sOn-in-law of
Hon. B. d. Harris of this place. At
length, it being a little tiresOme stand
ing, the two took seats at the young
mans suggestion under convenient
side tent, where there was man sta
TONED who had a queer little game in
which people were invited to invest by
guessing at numbers. After some fur
Their conversation the young mans at
tentiOn seemed to be attracted toward
the game, and he began to try his luck.
He soon found fortune in his favor and
after trying few times he won $500
at one stroke.
He then attempted to get the old
gentleman interested, and not having
much money with him, Mr.. Boyden
drove home, accompanied by his new
found friend, and though privately
warned by his grand daughter, who
suspected that all was not right, re-
fused to listen to her, and took his
bank books, of which he has several,
and drove back to Brattleboro, and
went to the old savings bank and
wanted to draw out $IIO0 with the
privilege of re-investing it the same
day, "and some more with it.n Mr..
Moody, upon questioning Mr.. BOyden
a little, had his suspicious aroused and
warned him against the. danger of be-
ing swindled by strangers. Mr.. Boy
den took the advice kindly and at last
asked Mr.. Moody to refuse him the
money, which he did. AS soon as he
returned to the glib tongued young
man, however, he was again persuad
ed, and went to the other savings bank
and drew out 5000, which his young
friend proposed to double, the two to
go halves on venture in the guess
game and divide the "profits." I'm
fortunately, however, the guess proved
a poor one this time and Mr.. BOyden's
5000 was gone in twinkling.
The old gentleman kept the matter
to himself as best he could, but his
nephew, Mr.. G.. A. BOyden, got his
suspicious aroused, and drove out to
Guilford, drew the whole story out of
him, and Monday, accompanied by
Sheriff Herrick, he went to Bellows
Falls, where the circus was to exhibit
that day, and failing to find and identi-
fly the two swindlers, writ was sworn
out against Mr.. Doris, the proprietor
of the circus, and served on him as he
was taking tickets for the evening
show. His cOuntenance fell in very
decided way, and after little parley
he said that he should have to see his
brother about it and took BOyden, Her.
rick, and Sheriff Starkey, who had also
come upon the field, inside the tent,
and in ten minutes time the $500 was
handed over and Mr.. BOyden and the
sheriffs walked off.
Several persons were defrauded of
money in buying tickets of the numer-
GUS scalpers on the grounds. Usually |
this was done by calling for bill and
the wrong change; but the
of George Chandler, a rail-
road employe, seems to have been a |
little different. He went to the circus |
with two twenty dollar bills in his
pocket. When he stepped up to buy
tickets for himself and wife, rendering
a silver dollar in payment, the agent
asked him if he could not give him
larger bill, as he had surplus of small
money, which he would like to dispose
of. Mr.. Chandler thereupon drew out
one of his $50 bills and received in ex-
change, with his tickets, (as he sup
posed) three $5s and four $ls. When
he reached the circus tent and went to
buy reserved seats, the same operation
was repeated. Everything appeared
TO have been done squarely, but on ar
irving home and looking over his mon
BY he found that the supposed s. bills !