Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1888-01-03
euNkoEp IN CHICAGO.


Casn In the darQan City.
You read about the bunko game
every day or two. but do you know
what it isp Something was said In a
Chicago paper the other day about my
being bunkoed In that city couple
OF weeks ago. / deny the allegation
in the most vigorous manner. / can
take the reporter who wrote that item
by the heels and make him wish in
about minute that he had been born
hus5-ad years earlier or later 1t Is
the s,.sest slander-the meanest cam
paixn scandal--ihe boldest falsehood
sin ~ 1432
Before proceeding further let me say
that he word bunko Is sometimes
| spelled bunco. You can have it either
way ,ou like. but the game is nearly
alwass the same. and al; victims feel
the o~me,
| Play the bunko game on meP Why.
knew that game thirty years ago.
and claim to be able to tell bunko-
steerar from a lawyer a whole block
away. Indeed, I've had bunko men
drop around to tell me that was the
very last man on the face Of the earth
they'd think of running up against.
might be roped in with gold brick.
but bunko-never.
had just come out Of the fremont
House and turned up State street,
when a good-looking young fellow halt
| ed me, extended his hand for shake
and exclaimed:
why. Quad. old fellow. how are
you, and how are all the folks in De-
/ troitP'
/ smiled. smiled because l know
he was bunko-steerer He had go.
my name and town from the hotel reg
lister. after the usual fashion. But
shook his hand and replied that l was
| pretty well, and that Detroit was daily
improving. What's the use of trying
to crush bunko-steerer into a lifeless
mass without word Of warming? B :
sides, / wanted little fun. and |
thought L d see how far he'd go. Mind
you, knew he was bunko-steerer-
knew it as well as knew that was in
Chicago.
I'm awful glad to see any one from
Detroit" he continued. Il suppose
you see father almost every dayP"
l assured him that l saw his father
semi-daily, and that the old gent was
looking as happy as a Hubbard squash
at fair ii lie. This seemed to relieve
his intense anxiety on that point. and
he invited me to have cigar. No man
who can get good cigar at the ex-
pense of a bunko-steerer should refuse
it We entered gilded den of devil
try. devoted to The sale of tobacco, and
got our weeds. and as we sauntered
up State street we seemed band OF
brothers. knew what his next move
would be. and was ready for him.
We had not gone two blocks when
he halted and said:
"Ah! this calls to mind / bought a
lottery ticket the other day and ii
drew a little prize. This must be the
place where they cash it. Yes, this is
The place.
l congratulated him on his luck.
told him l had been buying Iottei y
tickets ever since the year one, and
had never ,et struck prize.
by the way. come up with me a
minute" he said, as he looked at his
ticket. These fellows may be all
right, or they may be full of tricks. Al
any rate, I'd like friend along"
went Who's afraid of bunko.
steererP was chuckling to myself al
the time, and was willing TO give the
fellow little more rope. We ascend.
ed TO the third floor and entered an
office. There were two well-drcssed
men in there. They didn't seem tt
know my friend. and he looked around
him as if he hadn't been in that very
room five hundred times before.
"This-this ticket hit "a prize yes
serday, didn't it?" he asked, as he
produced the paper.
Yes, sir-three hundred and fifty
dollars" was the reply. Jim. give
the gentleman his money"
1t was counted out. Then the gen
tlemen explained to me that they hat
daily drawing. and cashed prizes a
once. That's the way the bunko gam,
is always played. and nobody need b,
taken in.
I invest! Ring in on me an OLE
chestnut of that color! Take me TO
granger from Posey County! But
after little reflection. l thought L,
try it. 1t might be all right afto
all v lille they looked lik
bunko-men. one can't always judg
by looks. l invested six dollar
and hit prize of ten dollars. 1 wa
four dollars ahead. and I'd give then
the grin and walk out. L. But if
inves ed the ten dollars I'd probabl,
hit twenty dollars, and -and-wen.
invested the ten dollars. lost it. bu
was assured that I'd have better lucl
next time. knew that as we'll as the
did. No bunko-man can teach NJ
any thing. l invested ten dollar
more and lost. Then invested TWEEN
ty dollars more and lost. Then l pu
in thirty dollars and lost. Then re
membered that had agreed to meet
man at the First National Bank at te
O. clock. and babe them good morn
ing and tripped gaily down airs
stopping at the door long enough t
ask them if it was good day for suck
ets.
, Now. that's all there was 10 it, an
;. that's all the foundation that Cbicag