Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1888-06-07

Pres't; William A. Snow, Sec; John Porter,
Cshr.
Smith County-John Pisgsnan Pres't and
Sec.
The bunco man. trained to this
work, needs not to write these entries
down to remember them. He runs
them over twice. and can then recall
them to the letter at any time until
the job is over. He approaches the
victim. who has moved leisurely along
in the meantime, pleasantly bows as
he reaches him, coughs slightly and
says:
"Why, good morning, Mr.. Smith.
1t is pleasure to meet you in New
York. How are your folks, and how
is my uncle. Jabez Jaggs?"
He may vary this according to his
man. He may address him as squire.
Judge, Colonel. Major and Captain.
He is pretty certain to use military
title if upon Smiths person he has
seen Grand Army button, badge, or
other insignia. He may use the judi
cial title if the victim looks as if he
had ever been a justice of the peace.
court clerk. constable or other official
For to all such the words squire and
Judge have a strangely sweet and
fascinating sound. 1t makes but little
difference what words are used. Those
which are employed are pleasantly
put and make Smith believe at the
outset that here is some one who
knows him and his and who is glad to
see him in the great wilderness where
he is already lonely and unhappy.
There may be some mistake. however.
So smiling at his new-found acquaint-
ance lie slowly drawls out:
II reckon you've got the best of
me, my friend. can't place you to
save my burned old eyes!"
The victory is half won. The bunco
in second has seen that the man is
glad to meet an acquaintance. and
what is more important, that he does
not suspect. He adds. heartily:
"Well. l wouldn't be surprised. I
haven't been there now for three
years, and the last time l was on l
only stayed week. I'm Charlie
Jaggs. son of Edward, who is the
brother of Jabez, the president of your
First National Bank. met you last
talking one day on some loan or other
business to Snow, the secretary. How
are all your folks?'
This ninety-nine times out of hun
dred more than satisfies Smith. In all
probability he has slight acquaint-
anccship and profound awe for
Jaggs, the local millionaire. Snow he
knows better from having had slight
financial operations with him. As a
result he is delighted at being regarded
in New York as the friend of a man
who has intimate relations with the
Treasury at Washington and the Stock
Exchange in Wall street. He un-
bosoms himself to the banker nephew.
and for dreary quarter-hour tells the
interminable tale of measles among
his children, pip in the chickens, dry
rot in the potatoes. his daughters en-
gagement to bis neighbours son. and
all the other details of bucolic life.
The next step is to further impress
Smith as we'll as to please him. The
bunco man takes his victim to the bar
of some first-class hotel where mer-
chants. politicians and prominent men
congregate. A popular delusion is
that it is low saloon or dark grog-
gerry. 1t never is except by the least
skillful cooks" Up to the bar they
go. If Smith uses intoxicants so much
the worse for him. AS they stand
near the cleaning crystal and silver
the bankers nephew points out the
celebrities
That's Chauncey Nj. Depew'' (bow-
ing to some politician who family re-
sembles the great wit and Railroads.&c.
and who bows effusively in return,
as nearly all New York politicians are
in the habit of doing.) "That's ex-
Mayor Grace there drinking cham
paigne with his brother. They are
worth s1O,OOO,OOO and never drink
any thing else. That big man is the
hotel detective. He arrests every
criminal who dares to come in the
house. It's good thing. because it
protects man from desperate char
acters, and that what makes this place
so popular with gentlemen and bust
ness men,"
So runs the glib talk of the bunco
man. 1t is calculated to deceive the
best critics." rs the Bank Note Report
er appropriately phrases it, and it docs
deceive the listener whose horizon for
years has been the boundaries of his
town. The audacity displayed is
sometimes bewildering. They have
taken their victims into the rogues'
GA lery. into the mayors Office, the
common council chamber and the
court of sessions. They have intro
duced him to editors, hotel keepers,
public officials and on one occasion, it
is reported. to the mayor himself
Confidence one gained the operator