The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1888-05-18

IHere may De some mistake, however.
So smiling at his new-found acquaint-
| ance lie slowly drawls out:
II reckon you've got the best of
me, my friend. I can't place you to
save my burned old eyesr'
The victory is half won. The bunco
in second has seen that the man is
glad to meet an acquaintance, and
what is more important, that he does
not suspect He adds, heartily:
"Well, wouldn't be surprised.
haven't been there now for three
years, and the last time was ON
only stayed a week. I'm Charlie
Jaggs, son of Edward, who is the
brother of Jabez, the president of your
First National Bank. / met you last
talking one day on some loan or other
business to Snow, the secretary. How
are all your folksP'
This ninety-nine times out of hum
dred more than satisfies Smith. In all
probability he has slight acquaint-
anceship and a profound awe for
Jaggs, the local millionaire. Snow he
knows better from having had slight
financial operations with him. AS
result he is delighted at being regarded
in New York as the friend of a man
who has intimate relations with the
Treasury at Washington and the Stock
Exchange in Wall street. He un-
bosoms himself to the bankers nephew,
and for dreary quarter-hour tells the
interminable tale of measles among
his children, pip in the chickens, dry
rot in the potatoes, his daughters en-
gagement to his neighbours son, and
all the other details of bucolic life
The next step is to further impress
Smith as well as to please him. The
bunco man takes his victim to the bar
of some first-cl hotel where mer-
chants, politicians and prominent men
congregate. A popular delusion is
that it is a low saloon or dark grog-
gerry. 1t never is except by the least
skillful "cooks." Up to the bar they
go. If Smith uses intoxicants so much
the worse for him. AS they stand
near the cleaning crystal and silver
the bankers nephew points out the
celebrities.
That's Chauncey M. Depew" (bow-
ing to some politician who family re-
| sembles the great wit and Railroads.&c.
and who bows efusively in return,
as nearly all New York politicians are
in the habit of doing.) That's ex-
Mayor Grace there drinking cham
paigne with his brother. They are
worth $10,000000 and never drink
any thing else. That big man is the
hotel detective. He arrests every
criminal who dares to come in the
house. It's good thing, because it
protects man from desperate char
acters, and that's what makes this place
so popular with gentlemen and bust
ness men,
So runs the glib talk of the bunco
man. 1t is calculated to deceive the
best critics. as the Bank Note Report
en- appropriately phrases it, and itdoes
deceive the listener whose horizon for
years has been the boundaries of his
town, The audacity displayed is
sometimes bewildering, They have
taken their victims into the rogues'
gallery, into the mayors Office, the
common council chamber and the
court of sessions. They have intro
duced him to editors, hotel keepers,
public officials and on one occasion, it
is reported, to the mayor himself.
Confidence one gained the operator
begins the second act of the drama.
This is to take his prey to the place
where one or more colleagues are
awaiting his arrival, and where the
actual swindle is perpetrated. The
scheme employed in this transaction
varies infinitely. Sometimes it is the
Louisiana lottery, sometimes policy
shop, it may be the wheel fortune,
keno, sweet, green goods" dice,
poker. euchre, cribbage, whist rou-
lette, rouge ct noir, "rolling the log
three-card monte, thimble-rigging,
"the envelope game" or heaven knows
what not. Of the men who are swim
died not more than one in five report
their loss to the police, and of these no
two tell the same story alike.
The commonest trick is for the bum
coist to give his colleagues in the
office lottery ticket for which he is
supposed to have paid 500 and to re-
ceive $3.50 cash in return. He counts
it methodically while the victim SYM
pathizes in delight at his friends
good fortune. The cashier announces
that the special weekly drawing will
be held in fifteen minutes, and that
$500 will in every probability win $5,-
600 in good money. The stranger ac-
cepts or hesitates. Generally he has
only 5000 or $500 about his person.
The bunco man comes to his help. He
| will take half risk and divide the
| profits. The interest is bought, the
drawing occurs, and the selection wins
nothing or small sum. But it al
ways comes within an ace of hitting
the capital prize. AT this point the
victim "sours, " to use a slang phrase,
and often "squeals. to use another.
Sometimes his credulity is SO great
that he continues playing until bank
rupt If, when he percives that he is
being robbed, he shows the white
feather, he is either beaten or scared
into silent and hasty fight. In any
case the victim is quickly disposed of,
peaceably if possible, forcibly if need
full.
1t is opposed to the etiquette of
bunco to rob man by force. 1t is al
so much more severely punished by
the law. An action of this sort cost
Hungry Joe his liberty and his prestige
as the first operator in the land"
The intended victim foolishly dis
played large roll of bills in his hand
to Joe and his partners after having