, 1888-02-17
III

"NR- AND MRS. ERIN" IN COURT.
The occasional capture of a valuable prize
by city shnrps of como sort, has tondod to
give the dwellers in cities a somewhat low
conception Of the intelligence of tho average
countryman- But the fact is That not ono in
10000 of tho people singled out for victims
by tho shnrpers ever "bitcs."
And one reads Of n city dupe almost as
often as a country victim.
But however much one may desplse tho
character of the grocn goods man and his
like, we must admit that he always puts tho
loser in tho wrong. The latter thinks he is
going to get something for nothing. In short,
the victim is, at heart, n thief he tries to swim
die the dealer, and is himself swindled. Tho
customer deliberately makes up his mind to
violate the law and swindle his rural neigh
bors; he goes or sends to New York for coun-
terfeit money, pays for it and gets-sawdust
or grcenbacks-or nothingl Between sharper
and victim tho moralitieO are equal; and, IL
public policy permitted, tho honest pub
lie could well afford to let tho game
go on. But is it not an amazing
thing that the swindled would be
swindler should 'squealn-thnt he should do
liborately appeal to that law he hns been try
ing to violated 1t shows that whilo the city
rogue is n rogue only, tho rural rogue is often
both o rogue and n sneak.
'Grcen goods men havo boon unusually
activo OF late Tho fate of tho dealer SHIN
by Texas Holland. and of others imprisoned,
instead of inducing reform has caused tho
manipulators to adopt moro secure methods.
Tho methods GRO various, but wo shall do
scribe but one, aud That because it is OK
tremely ingenious and proved o brilliant sue
cess. On the 2d Of December, 1886, tho dnily
papers contained an item to tho effect that
tho anCrat naryiCN pf1rCra If tho TTnfto1 Gtotos
treasury had seized n small painting In Thco-
dore ewart' saloon in New York city, said
painting being an imitation of a e5 green
back, SO perfect TINT 10 nineteen men out of
twcnty 1t looked exactly like n real g~reenback
pasted on n smoothly polished block of wood.
Even the mucilago, which would naturally
show around the edges Of tho bill, was so per-
fectly initiated that close Observers would
not believe 1t unreal till convinced by feeling.
Tho artist wns released with n roprimnnd and
q marked warning to initiate something else
In tho future. Not many weeks after q news
Item went tho rounds of tho press TINT some
government plates wero lost or stolen-dc-
nomination of bills not stated
Both items wero IONA ide, but at this point
tho operator" comes in. Shortly after,
when the newB had had time to filter into tho
most remote settlement, various parties in
the rural regions of Indiana, Illinois and
Kentucky received circulars, delicately call
ing their attention to the foregoing now
items and suggesting that "some business
might be done.n II tho receiver was ordin-
arily honest he throw tho circular asido us
ono Of tho innumerablc fakes with which
patent medicine men and others are perpetu-
ally flooding the west. But II no was q trihe
dishonest and not very talented he "bit."
Correspondence followed, and the Operator
soon had q List of "good names" Indeed, tho
way in which New York shnrpers and
'faiirsn secure lists Of approachable men and
possible victims In tho country, is ono of the
most curious things in tho annals of fraud.
1t is highly probable That tho most expert
Operators have confederates In various
places who look up 'safo men, for them.
Suffice 1t that when enough preliminary work
had been done, each victim received this or a
similar circular letter:
D=Aa Sm-You name and address wan given
TO me by my confidential agent, who said he
thought TINT you were a man In position TO handle
my goods In safety, 30 l concluded to write to
you. nIhavo made q mistake do me no harm
and let matter0 drop. My motto is mover harm q
man who Ia willing to provo himself q friend. My
business Is not exactly legitimate, but the green
articles l deal in arc safe and profitable TO handle.
The sizes arc 81, g., IS, slo-do you understandf
/ cannot DO palmer until I know you. l mean
business, and II you conclude to answer this letter
i viii send you full particulars and terms, and l
will cndeIvor 10 satisfy you on every point; that
II you are my friend ! will prove q true and last
ing ono 70 you. Remember, / want simply to
convince you that / am just ns l say-n friend to
o friend Whom you write be sure to return this
letter; then l Will have confidence In you. Never
Gcnd registered letter, as / will not sign for any;
and 10 sure and eend me your name and post
Office address, as l might lose tho ono l now have
before hearing from you again. can and will
hcip You out of cny money troubles you arc in,
and no one on tho faco Of this earth need DO the
wiser uulcsJ you bc:ray nc. Trusting that you
viii take 20 Oncuse from tho above, l remain,
yoursin confidence,
O. LEwI1, 1855 Broadway, New York City Cbox 10.
or course tho swindler change their id
dress frequently and employ many devices
to evndo tho police. From this point the
Operator works according to the degree of
the victims gullibility. If the latter sends
tho money-usunlly 800 for 81, 1000 in coun-
t~crfcits, but sometimes Us much us 800 for
$1,000 printed from the alleged government
plates7-:hc sharper pockets it and that's the
Last of H. If the victim goes to New York,
any one of q score of devices Is employed.
Sometimes he goes to the secret room by APP
pointmcnt, 10 pay for and receive the goods
and is simply knocked senseless and robbed
outright. Sometimes good money is counted
out in his presence and he pays the stipulated
price for it; it is then done up in a package
and put in his vGlisc, as he supposes, but by
o skiiifu twist of tho wrist the Operator
substitutes u package Of waste paper.
This was tho game attempted upon Texas
Holland, but ho grabbed the real money and
shot the Operator dead when the latter
tried 10 recover it In some cases a bogus
policeman rushes in and arrests both; the
Operator" hogs for mercy and the victim
joins MIN in buying off tho supposed officer.
Many other devices arc employed, but Ii is u