The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1889-03-23
A Southerner Who Thought
He Could Beat a Green
Goods Man.
sATeHELs CHANGED BY MAGIC.
A Jersey City Policeman Proves to
Broker Reed That He Paid s400
for Some Pieces Of White Paper.


I There was something in the air Of this
particular countryman as he marched into
the Pennsylvania depot this morning that
fastened the eyes of big Policeman Reen
on him,
He was triumphant, yet nervous, and
then he wore a big sombrero and spick
span shining black suit-such as country.
men are won't to rig themselves in when
they come to York; and then he carried
brand new little yellow satchel.
Policeman Reen took him in, article by
article, till his eye lit on the brand new
little satchel, and then he knew what
was up.
HAP he exclaimed like an old friend,
'.how much green goods have you got
there?n
The sombrero turned around in surprise
What dye meanf" he asked, in feigned
innocence
"You haven't got any money there"
'Hain't, ehr' returned the stranger. now
off his guard, with sly wink. Hal This
is the time them fellahs got beat"
AN AsToNIsHED MAN.
Reen persuaded him to show up the
proofs of his smartness, and the SOM
brero stuck a key into the brand new
satcheI 1t wouldn't work.
The sombrero did not wilt at this unex-
pected obstacle, but helped Reen burst
open the bag, in which his treasures
were secluded.
Then he drew out four packages, with
rich green two-dollar notes on the out
side
:.See there!' he said to the policeman.
s'They couldn't fool me. There's cool
five thousand -
Reen broke open the ends, and ran his
fingers over them, so that the sOmbrer0
could see what was inside.
'sSee theren he said, suiting his word to
his act. ''See there Its all white paper
The "devilish sly" sombrero almost fell
to the floor in astonishment. He had paid
500 for $16 in good money. and a fine as
sortment of slips of white paper, cut to
the size of greenback.
HOW HE DIDN'T DO 1T.
Well, the upshot of it all was that he
accompanied Policeman Reen to Head
quarters. and there told Chief Of Police
Murphy how it all happened.
He is Samuel W. Reed, real estate
broker at birmingham, Ala. Some time
age he received through the mail an offer
in the usual form, of green goods that
could not be told from the genuine by
Paying Teller Omberson's keen eye even,
and that might be had for mere song.
He had heard something before about
the tricks Of those fellows, he had; but he
thought he was sharp enough to beat
them at their own game even. He was in
tending to come on to the inaugurati0ns
and he thought he'd just take run on to
York to see his correspondent, Mr.. w illiam
Martel, at No. 100 Hester street.
MET IN HIS OWN ROOM.
When he met Martel that man of busi-
ness wanted to close right away; but the
wary southrOn was not to be caught so
easily, and he made an appointment to
meet Martelin rooms of his own choosing
this morning When Martel called the
man of the Sombrero surprised his caller
by locking the door.
Mr. Martel pretended to be very much
frightened, but not so badly that he did
not tempt the greed of the Southerner by
laying out whole fortune in greenbacks
on the bed quilt. Then OF sudden he
bundled them into his bag. complimented
the Southerner by remarking that he was
too fiy'' for him, and started down the
staircase.
A CoNUNDRUM
He went only one flight down, y said
the real estate broker to the Chief, Hand
when he came back he said he liked man
of nerve and that he would let me have
the money after all | took it for $4O0.
For the life of me can't think when he
could have changed satchels on me- He
had but second to do it in, and
he was all the time under my eye. was
so sure had beat him that / shouted 70
him as / came out that had got the best
Of him, and he shouted back that he was
afraid / had"
The bills on the outside of Mr.. Reeds
packages of white paper will scarcely pay
his fare back to Alabama, and the walk
ing just now is rather heavy.