The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-12-29
SCHEMERS AND SWINDLERS.
The Old, Needy Musician and the Prosperous
Diamond Buyer.

Speaking of scheming," said a reader
last evening, reminds me of q trick which
used to be worked on pawnbrokers. By
the way, it strikes me that if people would
sit up nights and devote as much time tC
the invention of decent, honorable methods
Of making money as they do to devising
means to rob somebody, there'd be heap
less call for dishonesty in this world. The
brain power devoted to knaveryis immense
and equal to great things i'll a legitimate way
if properly applied. But people will work
and plan for week to accomplish something
undetermined which might be altogether
eclipsed on honorable lines by single days
effort. It's something utterly beyond me
don't understand it a bit, though l reckon
there's some subtle fascination about sue
cessful sWindling which takes hold of 8
man like the smell OF grease paint or an at
tack of small pox.
This case l had in mind was quite a
winner IN England. 1 don't know whether
it ever got out here or not, but s'pose it
did; there isn't much in the way Of chica-
merry that we pass by. 1t was worked In
this way; A man takes an old looking violin
to a paWnbrowker and TREMENDOUSLY negoti-
ates a loan of few dollars thereon. He
is of the shabby genteel musician type.
and he fondles the instrument lovingly, but
without ostentation, and represses a sigh as
the pawnbrOker puts ii away on shelf
with tag attached. Then he goes away.
ga few days latter well-dressed. pros
porous looking man happens in, looking for
bargains in diamonds He brings into the
shop with him an atmosphere of wealth.
He is attired with SirAple, gentlemanly
elegance, and has bearing which can only
be Interpreted as meaning solid prosper
ity. He looks at a number of diamonds
and finally selects one which has no dupli-
cate in the entire display and asks the
price. Then he says he thinks he knows
where there is stone to matchit. He will
call in at the place in day or so and see,
and if it is a match he will pay the price
and an extra $25 as a grateful Bit
Just as he is about to go he catches
sight of the violin on the shelf and asks to
look at it. After having taken it in his hands
and looked at it pleased expression over
spreads his face and he asks for bow,
with which he rasps out few rich chords.
He is noticea Nly agitated but apparently
tries to corceal it.
{" Whats price Of thatinsrutmentrf g
asks.
'''It isn't for sale," replies the pawn
broker.
I'm give you 500 for it." says the man
excitedly.
Il can't sell it, returns the pawnbroker
regretfully. It's pledged here
"a genuine Stradivarius,' murmurs the
man half to himself. Worth $500 at the
least calculation Then to the man of
loans he says: DO you think you can buy
that instrument for meg
THE practicer of usury doesn't know
IF the gentleman wishes it he will try
How much would he be willing to pay for
it?
g 4 will pay $500 for it, declares the man.
It's one of the rarest instruments in the
world. Buy IL for me at whatever price
you have to pay
1.-THE Jew agrees to do this, seeing neat
profit in it for himself, and the man goes
away, promising to call in later A day
or so afterward in comes the shabby gen
teel musician with his pawn-ticket. He
has weathered the financial storm and
wants his instrument The pawnbroker
asks him if he wouldn't like TO sell it,
whereat the musician looks at him with a
smile expressive of the improbability of
sucn thing, and shakes his head. The
pawnbroker offers him $50 for it, but the
musician declines. 1t is his dearest pos
session, he says; it has been his companion
in prosperity. hia enlHce in poverty. He is
very poor. but not solo as he can con-
tinue 10 exc ouC Ca ence will he part
with this darling of his heart. Its very
old; very valuable.
1.-The pawnbroker gets excited and offers
him 500; then $3.50; then $500, and seeing
the musician is sorely tempted overwhelms
him with an offer of $3.50, which the poor
man, driven to it by stern II cessity, &C
cepts, and after fond farewell to his
beloved violin rushes out of the place with
tears in his eyes.
1.-The pawnbroker puts the fiddle care
fully away and waits for the wealthy man
to come around and pay him $500 for the
but he waits in vain. The
fiddle is worth s. or Z, possibly, and is a
drug in the market even at that figure.
1.-THE shabby genteel musician and the
diamond buyer meet and divide
the spoils and so into another quarter of
the city to work off goodly number of Sc
violins at prices ranging from 500 to $3.50.
There's neat profit in it"-Chicago Mdil
70 hn