The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1888-02-19
THEY WERE HOG SHARPS.
And 3tnbieman DaiIey's Gun Started mn In.
vrstixntisu that Kesnited surprisingIy

LLEwELLYN GROVE. Pa, Feb. 1S.-The loud
report Of n gun broke the midnight stiffness OF
this peaceful hamlet last night and awoke sew
eral people who we're asleep in the vicinity OF
the spot whore the shot was fired. The spot
was the bnck yard Of Quiller's Hotel. AS tho
firing of a pistol or a gun was a most unusual
occurrence In the community. several people
left their beds. dressed, and went out to soc
what was the occasion of the midnight dis
turbance. They found Hotel Keeper CUTLER
and his stableman. John Daley. in animated
and excited confab in the back yard. close to
the hotel pig pen. where a number Of big hogs
were Erunting. These hogs have boen fattened
for use at the annual hog guessing at Level
lyn Grove, which comes of on Wednesday. In
response to the voluble inquiries OF the per-
sons who had been drawn to tho spot the agl-
tated hotel koener simply replied:
Yes" added tho man John Daley. ".nnd II
one OF EN- hasn't got q charge, OF shot In him
The hog shar2"is II product Of tho innocent
rustic pastime Of guessing on the weight off
tho hog, as tho case may be. 1t is n branch OF
snort that has long been popular In various
p rears OF aS eastern IL w rshddfi scoversi ~" tHa Two 70 or rIn 5ere of
%shnrpers had devised ways Of getting at the eX-
act weight Of hogs to be guessed on. and were
ing away with every pool dependent on the re-
suit Of the guessing. The amount Of money in
certain sum for tic privilege OF putting in an
estimate on tho weight Of a hog, is seldom less
than 800. and frequently, much more. so that
matches that arc held every. spring and fnll. for
a long time renped IL rich harvest before they
The methods OF these sharrers are now VOL
known. but srent caution and wntchfulness are
tSe@ SsIyys on e ,hs fsrt OF f fSs eTne5s to p ppeysfs
after midnight. They travel about from place
to place whore prize hogs are soon, to DO
ala fnH m nnnfth mud yvhnrn
there is to. be a money pool on the result. They
carry with them portable scnles, light but
pounds. They enter the pen. and the hogs are
driven one by one on the scales. The weight Is
m nHiiG i 1"k shar anh n dspar1 in T ( S0G faki nad Of th q
hogs weight in this way does not require more
than ton minutes time. and the rounds OF
necessary. This surreptit,ons weighing is
usually done a night or 50 before the guessing
representatives OF the ring Of %sharpers will DO
on hand. md take part, in tho guessing. ap:
p p9ar r i Eo US i IN 10 and liSn oS M Of, Gt the mo weight
Of the guessing Is ANNOUNCED. ono Of the ring
weight OF the hog, and the pool is theirs.
When The suspicious that there was crooked
a cer,ninty honest hog owners resortcd to every
means nsnn to make 4 sure thnt their pens nsd not
night over their hog pens for q week before the
day, with instructions to shoot my person seen
sHrcumbci to brlhes and let the, snarpers do
their work, and cases became known OF the
the ring in their crooked work, The action OF
honest owncrS. however, had the effect OF max
ing the efforts, OF the ring 10 obtain sure infor-
cnscs out OF ten. and Tor years the sharper has
not heen present to my extent at guessing;
Grove announced his annual hog guessing u
week ago. Two or three days ago q couple OF