The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1888-02-11
THE OLD KICKER.

uudhCiu WIcCh. Sdiu tuO oiu haSnOt,
as he got on the street-car. looking
pale, his eyes bloodshot, and his step
weak. Il did not tell you all. when l
mentioned that had given my note
for guaranteed mining stock. That
was only drop in the bucket. i have
not only invested all the money ! had
in iron stocks. but have sold mort
cages which held, and bought stocks
with the money"
''Well, you are bigger id fool
than any of us gave you credit for.
said the grocery drummer. vino always
speaks what he thinks. ''You always
claimed to be smarter than anybody.
What has been tho matter? Have
they played iron stock three-card
monte on you?"
THAT is just it. said the kicker, in
a husky voice, as he pulled warm
scarf up around his neck. after cough
ing little. ''rhere never has been
worse case of confidence game than
has been played on me. Not only my
own money is gone, but my wife was
induced to sell some property that she
owned in her own right and she in
vested it in mining stock. She is
under doctors care. and it is an even
thing whether she becomes insane or
not. Besides, l had money in my
hands as administrator of an estate.
This money belonged to a widow and
some orphans. thought it was my
duty to make all the money l could for
them, so bought mining stock at two
dollars share, on the understanding
that it would be worth from eight to
ten dollars a share before the year was
up. was told so by man in whom
1 had confidence. If the stock had
gone up could have made the widow
and orphans rich. 1t is not worth
cent the widow and orphans are
poverty stricken. and the chances are
that shall 60 TO the penitentiary for
embczzlemet. But l shall not 60
alone!'
"Who do you think of taking with
youP" asked the insurance man. els
it going to be free-for-all?"
IF there is justice in this state"
said the old kicker, Il shall take some
of the men who got me into this scrape.
They have lied to me, perjured them
selves, and obtained my money under
false pretences. Whv. they had maps.
and pictures of mines. buildings, rail-
roads, cars loaded with ore, steamships.
iron mills. everything. 1 bought Il
stock in one mine for the estate was
administrator of, which l was told had
the finest machinery ever put in
mine, and there was a railroad track,
tramways and everything. and ore was
loaded right on the cars from the mine,
and before the ore was cold it was in
hold of steamsh, p. on the way to
market. and the money for the ore on
the way back before could say Jack
Robinson. couldu't get stock enough
in that mine. After investing all l
could raise 1 pawncd my watch and
diamonds and bought more stock. and
traded my horses for more. Well.
since saw you last week, l have been
up to the mine What do you think
l foundp"
"Oh. You found the machinery. and
the railroad, and millions of tons of
ore," said the drummer. "But they
told you the ore was not saleable. The
market was overstocked. wasn't itP''
"Overstocked nothing" said the old
kicker. with indignat on. There
was hole in the ground. and Norwe-
gian was hauling up bucket with
windlass and there was an italian
down in the hole, filing the bucket
with mud ~
Wasn't thers hundred tons of ore
on the Dump" asked the floor walker.
who had investePin some mimi g stock.
and had it now! .And weren't they
running drifts each way to strike the
main body Of ore? That's what heard
when bought my stock"
"Naw." said tho old kicker. sThere
was chunk of ore about as big as
mans head, that had been brought
from another mine as specimen, and
the Norwegian had some soft hema-
tite, or some such sculch. on his boots.
which he got on several months ago.
while working in mine. But around
the alleged mine that l had stock in
there was nothing bu. mud. 1t was
several miles from railroad, and
the whole outfit, including the windlass.
and the bucket, the Norwegian. the
Italian and myself, should have been
bought for five dollars. When I look
at my beautiful stock in that mine. and
the pictures of the machinery buildings.
smoke stack, railroads and then think
of that hole in the mud, and The dirty
Norwegian. the foreman. who
wouldn't know ore unless somebody
told him what is was, and think of the
widow and orphans that have got to go
to the poorhouse. and myself. that will
probably go to Waupun, and of the men
that sold me that stock and took good
money. am not responsible for what I
do, and l pledge my word. if live long
enough. those three card monte min
ing sharks will have to face those pic
lures and mining stock, and that hole
in the ground. and that Norwegian.
in the courts. If that transaction is
square, / can open gold mine in the
town of Wauwatosa, and picture gold
coins being hauled away by the cart
load, and ! can sell stock to blind men.
idiots and lunatics, and not be punish
ed for it,
SWELL. say" said tho drummer.
''isn't it possible that you are too hard
on these fellows that sold you the
stockp Now, may be they. too, were
deceived in the purchase of the mine.
by designing persons. They may have
bought that hole in the ground 'un-