Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1888-06-07

1
He Is pretty certain to use a military
title If upon Smiths person he has
seen Grand Army button, badge, or
other insignia. He may use the judi
cial title if the victim looks rs il he
had ever been a justice of the peace,
court clerk, constable or other official.
For to all such the words squire and
judge have strangely sweet and
fascinating sound. 1t makes but little
difference what words are used. Those
which are employed are pleasantly |
put and make Smith believe at the |
outset that here is some one who
knows him and his and who is glad to
see him in the great wilderness where
he is already lonely and unhappy.
There may be some mistake. however.
So smiling at his new-found acquaint-
ance he slowly drawls out:
II reckon you've got the best of
me, nay friends l can't place you to
save my burned old eyes!"
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 l 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-
anccship and profound awe for
Jaggs, the local millionaire. Snow he
knows better from having had slight
financial operations with him. AS a
result he is delighted at being regarded
in New York as the friend of man
who has intimate relations with the
Treasury at Washington and the Stock
Exchange in Wall street. He I'M
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 we'll as to please him. The
bunco man takes his victim to the bar
of some first-class 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
J skillful cooks" Up to the bar they
, 90. 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 effusively in return,
as nearly all New York politicians are
in the habit of doing.) That's ex-
Mayor Grace there drinking cham
t paigne with his brother. They are
, worth $40, 600, 600 and never drink
5 any thing else. That big man is the
$ hotel detective. He arrests every
1 criminal who dares to come in the
: house. It's good thing, because il
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 bunct
e man. 1t is calculated to deceive tn,
II best critics." rs the Bank Note Report
er appropriately phrases it, and itdoe
l. deceive the listener whose horizon fo
:, years has been the boundaries of hi
} town. The audacity displayed i
e sometimes bewildering. They hav
taken their victims into the rogues
e ga lery, into the mayors Office, tn
T. common council chamber and tn
). court of sessions. They have intro
a duced him to editors, hotel keepers
d public officials and ON one occasion,
Is is reported, to the mayor himself
Confidence one gained the operate
Of begins the second act of the drama
5. This is to take his prey TO the plac
10 where one or more colleagues ar
s: awaiting his arrival, and where tn
,r actuai swindie is perpetrated. TIL
m scheme employed IN this transactio
r varies infinitely Sometimes it is tn
t, Louisiana lottery, sometimes polio
IS shop, it may be the wheel fortune
l. keno, sweet, "grcen goods" dice
e, poker, euchre, cribbage, whist rot
Or lette, rouge ct noir, "rolling the log,
a three-card monte, thimble-rigging
es 1.-THE envelope game" or heaven know
,e what not Of the men who are swir
ar died not more than one in five repol
their loss to the police, and of these n
G. two tell the same story alike.
lg The commonest trick is for the bur
is coist to give his colleagues in tn
e, office lottery ticket for which he
supposed to have paid $25 and to n
is ceive $3.50 cash in return. He count
e it methodically while the victim syn
re pathiEes in delight at his friend
ne good fortune. The cashier announce
10 that the special weekly drawing wi
nd be held in fifteen minutes, and thu
e $500 will in every probability win IS
m 600 in good money. The stranger Al
n. cepts or hesitates Generally he hs
at only $500, or 5000 about his person
n The bunco man comes to his help. I
st will take half risk and divide Il
s. profits The interest is bought. IL
e. drawing occurs, and the selection viii
4 n a