San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1888-01-14

The old saying that one-hslf the
world don't know how the other half
| lives, is often exemplIfied In San AntO-
MO. Many OF our readers have no doubt
noticed from time to time the presence
| In the city OF "a number OF, as a rule,
well dressed men, who appear TO have
and spend plenty OF money, but who
do no work Of any kind and who
are usually s, down as specimens OF the
| genus sport" The attention OF q
| LIGHT reporter was called the other
evening to group OF
THESE GENTRY,
| and noticing an ex-Circus agent, now q
resident of the city among them, APP
piled to him for Information rs to who
and what they were. To his astonish-
ment he was told that they were graf
ters." or in slang parlsncs "conildence"
and "sure thing" men. Perhaps the reader
will be entertained with the description
OF their mode Of life, given almost YER
batlm. "Thess men," said the ex circus
agent, "are gamblers and sure thing
workers, who make San Antonio their
headquarters. Some OF them do all their
work on trains. Others visit the smaller
towns and work in the streets, while
still others make speciality OF attending
Mexican feasts and bull fights; but all
frequently visit San Antonio In order TO
"blow" acknowledgement their money;
They work in pairs and are all prOvid-
ed with one or two 'lay outs" The
most common LAY out" is the shells
this Is the same as the old
"THIMBLE RIG"
And consists in SO manipulating a
rubber ball about the size OF pea as to
hide IL under one Of the three shells and
h.ak 20. .lAr
which shell the ball is. SO wonderfully
In manipulation that 1t is al
most impossible for any one to
beat the worker. Others have what Is
termed a "high die" layout. Eight dice
are used and If the victim succeeds in
throwing certain numbers, he is entitled
to so much money. tits, however, need
less to say that the money drawing
numbers are never thrown and should
they be so even by accident, the
worker counts 80 rapidly and
so falsely that before the dupe
can realize whas has occurred
the dice are gathered and thrown again
into the box. Most OF these men are or
have been attached to various uircuses,
where they display their talents as
"short change" men or as "pushers."
TO push, the ticket seller, under pre-
tence OF not having the requisite change
to return to a customers hands neatly
folded 81 bill instead OF the $40 or $40
bill handed to him generally with the
remark that he can pay him as he leaves
the show. Most men
BITE READILY
at the push, thinking that they have got
the best of the circus man by procuring
free admission to the show; but their re-
turning to their houses and finding out
what has happened usually causes a
revolution of feeling. One of the slick
est men in this business wintered in San
Antonio three years ago. | allude to
the notorious or celebrated John Hen
Messy, of st. Louis. He Is a man OF
splendid appearance. about 80 years OF
age, with an almost patriarch beard and
so well educated and informed that he
invariably gains the confidence of ev-
eryOne. l first made his acquaintance at
LOngview few years ago. was sit
ting in the hotel parlOrs and enjoyed
quite a long chat with him. just when
| was wondering what his line of bust
ness WAS boy came In and said that the
police had Just arrested a street fakir.
He Immediately rose and started toward
the station-hOuse, inviting me to come
along. | did so. The hearing had Just
commenced when we got there, and the
evidence was overwhelmingly against
the prisoner. HeDnessy pushed his way
up to the Justices chair and had a few
moments conversation with his honor.
What arguments were used | do not
know, but certainly In five minutes the
prisoner was discharged, and from the
TACT that half an hour later the JUS
tice visited the hotel and held On
interview with Hennessy there,
am of the opinion that the principal
argument was
"PALM OIL"
Do these people ever work San An
tonic? No, sir, they do not. You know
the old adage, Honor among thieves"
Well, | told you these men were nearly
all circus men, and you happen to have
on the detective force In this city one of
the oldest circus men in America. 1 for
get his full name, but he is a large heavy
man and the boys all call him Van"
They all know him and consequently
would hardly care to "turn trick" II
they had a chance. Besides 1t is your
country towns that pan ont the best,
and Saturday in village Of l 900 pop
ulation will always average $50 to a
smart worker,
Do they act in collision with the cir
Gus managers? Why, certainly. The
managers not only share the plumber,
but, as rule, make them deposit so
much money in the ticket wagon as Sc
Curity in case OF "squeal," so that they
may be enabled to buy of the case and
hush it up. Not only is this the case
with the smaller CircuseS. but with
nearly all the large ones and even at
Barnum and FOrepaugh's large shows
should not care to receive change for a
$50 bill without counting 1t carefully.
They are as proud of their calling as
possible and consider it perfectly Iegiti-
mate, and in the spring OF the year,
when circus managers advertise for
talent, 1t is no unusual thing
to read in the Clipper ada
the following: Wanted for the
LaylOw 81 Tetein new fraud circuses.
Talent In all branches. Every privil-
ege known to science to let. Apply
&c, &C."
whose duty is to square" the police,
and l am bound to say that In most
small Texas towns they are easily
squared. Sometimes, however, the bitter
gets bit, and the police, after receiving
good sum Of money. allow the fakirs
to commence work only to run them in
and then shake them down for a second
sum. In that case tell me which is the
greater thief, the "faklr" or the Top ?"
Renews Her Youth.
Mrs. Phoebe Chesley, Peterson, Clay COUNTY
Iowa, tells the following remarkable story, the
truth Of which Is vOuChed for by the residents
of the town: ~ am % years old. have been