Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-07-20
rAnmEn RElrr-s ZIG LOSS.
swindred ont OF $4,000 by Bunco
sharps.

i 3aaEP"s
philadelphia Times.l
Jacob ReifT. a gray-baired, smooth-fsced,
seventv-iye. year-old retired farmer from
Centre Square, aye miles from Norristown.
came 10 Philadelphia Yesterday with Chief
of.POllce Roudenbaugh, OF Norristown, TO
bunt FOR two fascinating bunco men who bad
feeced him out 81 $4,000 worth OF negotia-
bic railroad bonds. The bonds were adycr.
tised in the morning newspapers and 5000
reward offered for their recovery.
Dir. Reiff hasslways considered himself
very smart old gentleman. especially at
driving a bargain. and had gained quite
reputation for skrewdness among bis neigh.
bors. He lives In a substantial-lookin
mansion prettiiy located In a spacious lava
aud surrounded by smiling acres OF highly.
cultivated lapd, all Of which be acquired by
good business tact. He also has the reputation
OF being worth about 100000, but yesterday
be bad host so much cOniidence In himself
that be hesitated about paying the advertising
rates demanded by the newspapers.
AGESTEEL STRANGER.
Mr. Rei1's misfortune dates from last Fri.
dav. on that day about s O'Clock In the
morning q well-dressed. genteeIlooking
stranger about five feet five inches high, light
complexion. light moustache. and suaye
manners, hired a team at John WILSON'S
livery.stable in Norristown to 60 to Centre
Square. He gave his name as Mr. Cook, and
presented business card OF n. l.. SNYDER
| e. Co., OF 90 south Second street, stamped
"Presented by "H. X. Nonamaker' he
vent to Centre Square and drove up the spa
cicus avenue leading 10 Mr.. Reiff's mansion
in great style. Mr.. Reif was not al home,
and the prepossessing stranger appeared
greatly provoked. He said something about
wastng, valuable time, and, leaving bis name
as DR.. Hopkins, said be would call the next
morning.
The next day he hired the same team and
again called on Farmer Rei1. Farmer Reitf
was home aud the gcnteel stranger was de-
| lighted. So was Farmer Ren after the
nnable stranger had conyeTsed With him
few moments. He told Farmer ReiH that
prother-in.law had recently died leaving his
widow 800. 00O all Of which was invested
IN Philadelphia bank. The widow had in-
/ structed her brother. the atfable stranger, to
invest her fortune in real estate.
AREAL ESTATE EXPERT.
The aliable stranger bad heard that there
was some desirable land near Centre square.
/ His friend, Mr.. william SlugerY, who
/ owned the big stock farms on the North
/ Penn Road. he SAID had spoken 10 him about
| the Centre Square farms and had mentioned
/ Farmer Rein rs q real estate expert, whose
advice was very desirable. The a0able
| stranger also mentioned the name OF Or.
/ Taylor. IN NOrristown, who, he said, was his
/ brOther-in-law.
odd Mr.. Reif know OF any desirable
property for saley"
"Mr ReiT did but had au engagement.
| Could DR.. Hopkins call on Tuesday,"
"Dr. Hopkins could call, although time
| was money TO him."
! On Tuesday DR.. Hopkins hired Livery
/ Stableman Wilson'S newest and handsOmest
/ outfit. lie drove out b Farmer Reif's. The
! farmer got into the buggy and they took
drive to look ct some property which Farm
| or RelT was Interested in. They had not
/ gone far before they met TAIL stranger
about thirty-6ye or forty years old. The
| stranger was over six feet high. weighed
about 200 pounds. was dark cOmplexioned
and very seedy lie stopped the team and
inquired the way TO North Wales. The two
strangers entered into conversation and
finally the dark man pulled out pack OF
cards and offered to show DR.. Hopkins a
( trick.
AHgAyY BET.
/ Or. Hopkins said he did not think much
| OF the trick and that he could do 1t himself.
! The tlll stranger bet he couldn't, and pulled
out Of bis pocket thick roll OF bills. DR..
( HOPKINS pulled q roll OF money out OF his
rocket and offered TO make the bet $4,000.
! The tall stranger said he would 90 him and
I suggested Farmer Ref as stakeholder. Then
dispute arose about security and Farmer
I Ricf was asked 10 put up 4 like amount as
security. The farmer said he hadn't the
money, but TO accommodate such big cap
I f,I 81 ia n
/ their clothes, he would get $4,000 worth Of
securities out OF his bank IN Norristown.
| DR.. Hopkins drove him into the bank, where
he took ten $1,000 railroad bonds out Of his
private box.
They then drove out Swedc street about
/ hallway 70 Centre Square, where the tall
stranger Was waiting for them. The money
was put M on Farmer Reih's lap. the tall
! man taking it out Of a tin box. He then de-
| manded the bonds as security. Farmer Reih
saws he refused 10 give them up, when the
tall nan "held him up" with pistol and
took the bonds from him.
DR.. Hopkins then interfered and said /:
"Put the bonds and money in the box and
let Mr.. Reif keep them until tomorrow.
Then we Will settle the bet"
The tall man said all right, put the bonds
and money in the box, locked it, stuck the
KEY in bis pocket and hsuded the box to
Farmer Rei1.
"DOn't open the box until tomorrow"
said the tall man. 81 will come around then
and unlock it,
THE BOX WAS EMPTY.
Then the two Strangers jumped into the
carriage and drove toward the Germantown
pike. Farmer Reif took his precious box
OF bonds and bankn notes TO the bank. Not
satisfied that everything was rigst, he had
the box broken open. Then be dropped
breathloss into a chair. The box was empty.
This Is the story Farmer Reif told Chiei-of
Police Roudenbaugh and the detectives.
Chief-Oi.Police Roudenbaugh telegraphed to
the surrounding cities a description Of the
men, and about O'Clock Tuesday night
Llyery-Stableman Weaks, Of Jenkintown,
brought the team in to Mr.. Wilson, and said
two strangers had given him ten dollars TO
return the team. They said they were going
to Philadelphia to pay some notes. They
took the 2:lS train In the afternoon for Phill-
dephia.
WHAT TIE DETECTIVES THINK.
Yesterday morning the case was put IN
the hands OF Detective KurtZ, and he detail
ed Detectives Bond and Murray on the case,
The detectives do not believe the pistol story
and think that Relff played the cards with the
sharps and lost his bonds on bets. Detective
Kurtz says be does not think they are the
same people who buncoed Thomas ). Gill,
but are pIObsby the same men who caught
the Wilmington dupe the other day. lie
thinks they have gone to New York, where
they will make a play for compromise,
Offering to give up the bonds for from $4,000
to $1,000.
The bonds are per cent. coupon first
mortgages, OF the Columbus, Cincinnati and
Midland railroad, Issued January, 1894. and
due January, 1914. The interest is payable
in January and July at the Farmers Loan
aud Trust Company, New York city. The
numbers OF the bonds are LAO. 1,47l,
1913. $40, $40, s2l, 1,4Cl, l,465, 1865, GJ2,
and COS.
A Metallic Disruption.
lBY telegraph TO the Dispatch.l
pTr7.ePfrPGu IulV l0--1be DISRUPTION