The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1888-03-08
4 Two sleek Fellows From the City
of Pittsburg,
Work the "Change Racket" Among Busi-
ness Men But Eave No Sue
cess When They Reach
Canton,

have read of Frank Cook, better known
as "Cookey" the dude. They first went
to the One Price Clothing store, on
West Tuscarawas street, and inquired
if they could not give them twenty
dollar bill for two lives aud ten. One
of the assistants told them that he
could not and they then prevailed upon
him to send out to a neighboring store
TO get the desired change. This was
done and The parties departed.
Soon after this they went INTO
Durbin, Wright e Cos, drug store and
asked if they coul& not give them
twenty.dollar bill for four tiye dollar
bills and one OF the clerks referred them
to the cashier. They went back to the
cashiers desk but thy did not get what
rhev wanted. Some man was standiEg
in the store and hearing them nqmring
for change said that he cou!d give them
twenty-dollar bill for four.hye collar
hills. and the money was accordlI'ely
changed. They wanted some twenty
dollar bills to work their racket Wi"h.
The business man and the reader VIII
soon see how it was done
They first went into the dry goo0s
store of Mr.. F. Herbruck, on East rus
carawas street. They had been stand
inc there some little time before they
we're waited upon. They called on
some one to wait on them and sald they
wanted a couple of q. hsndkerchiets'
Tbey were given the handkerchlefs
and said that they had not change
enough to pay for them and would have
to oct a twenty dollar bill changed
The change was given in three five doi
lar hills and silver dollars. Then they
asked to have the two tives exchanged
for ten and in the confusion there
was a mistake made in the change
which left the sharpers some SIX or
seven dollars ahead.
Flushed with their success they next
nroceeded to some Of the stores on
south Market street. The jewelry store
of Rose & Chance was their first lnva-
sion They bought collar button ana
1aid down twenty-dollar bill. The
hntton was % cents and Mr.. Rose WHO
waited on them gave them $3.50 change
among which was a ten dollar bill. They
then wanted the ten dollar re-changed'
hnt Mr. Rose had then tumbled to their
racket and refused to do so. The tel-
lows then requested Mr.. Rose to give
them their twenty dollar bill back and
they would pay for the button but he
rafrsed to do this and the fellows went
ont, They next tackled the . and III
cent store. At this place they bought
two combs. They handed twenty
dollar bill to the girl who gave 1t
"a Mr. Ashbaugh to change,
Mr.. Ashbaugh gave him his change
and the fellow then asked to have some
nf tbe small change exchanged for a
ten dollar bill. lie at once saw through
the scheme and told them they could
not come that game on him.
Keplinger's dry goods store WI S
the next place they visited and Miss
Alice Slabaugh wited on them. They
honcht two handkerchiefS and handed
y 100 biu to her to change. After the
change was made he wanted his $50
bir back again, and she told him he
would better get out as quick as he
could. ,,
success had not favored them since
thew had left Herbruck's dry goods
store They next went. into the lea
" store at the corner of Eighth and Mar
Let streets. About thirty people were
present at the time. In this store his
paI did not accompany him, as in all
the others before, but stood on the out
side and waited. The attendants at
the store were very busy and finally the
fellow picked up two bottles OF catsup
ont of a basket, and took them to MI
Charles Frazer, who was at the money
drawer and laid down a twenty dollar
hill Mr.. Frazer gave him $3.50 cents
in change. He picked it up without
counting it and put it into his pocket
In doing this he pulled out a silver
dollar and said he did not know he had
dollar about him. He then pulled
ont $3.50 of the change but left the ten
dollar bill in his pocket, and after he
had taken away 80 cents and put the
dollar that he found in his pocket to 1t
he requested Mr.. Frazer to give him a
+on dollar bill for his ten dollars in
change. Mr.. Frazer consented to this
ond nulled a ten dollar bill out OF the
roonev drawer and laid 1t on the counter.
Tha fellow then said that ne wanted
the twenty dollar bill to send to a friend
IN a letter, and as he showed the money
over toward him, (ten dollars OF which
helonped to Mr.. Frazer he asked for
the twenty dollar bill. Mr.. Frazer
then grabbed his ten dollar bill from
the counter and walked toward the
door to head the fellow OIL. The
sharper also grabbed his ten dollars
and in the excitement of the moment
threw down quarter to pay for the
catsnp which he had already paid for
and struck for the door, getting there
first. He turned the corner and went
ont West Eighth street, whle
his accomplice walked down on
South Market street. Mr.. Frazer
walked after him and soon both started
to running. Mr.. Frazer then blew his
, n lice whistle and shouted to the fellow
to halt OF he would shoot. When in
front of the engine house he pulled of
bie under and over coat to increase his
sneed and dropped them. Mr.. Frazer
niCked up the coats and took them
hack to the store, while about thirty
p"0N rellnred the sharner. lie raj