The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-12-09
SILC0TT WASAPLUNGER.
BUT A BUCKET SHOP SHARK
PLAYED HIM FOR A SUCKER.

His Winnings OH the Turf Heavy aud
His Wife's Objections to the Ven-
lures 5ilenced by Percentage-He
Tossed Her ST. 400 and Paid $1,000
Board in Advance Before Skipping.
WASHINGTON, Dec. Sat last Sergeant
at-Arms Leedom has discovered the proba-
BILE cause of his defaulting cashiers down.
fall. Since the investigation has been going
on bank book has been missing, and in the
search for it Mr.. Leedom found two private
drawers which had been used by Silcott for
his personal papers, but the key was gone.
A locksmith was employed to force them
open. Among the papers was a letter dated
Feb. 10 OF this year which proved conclu-
sively that Silcotr was extensively engaged
in stock and grain gambling and that ne
had been Systematically worked for a sucker
by slick one named Barnhill or Bramhle.
who signs the letter. 1t is written on the
letter heads of j. Pugh Rees, a stock, grain
and provision broker, doing business on the
bucket shop plan at No. 126 Bank avenue,
Philadelphia. This letter throughout
promises to pay Silcott borrowed money.
HoNEYED BLARNEY.
Extracts from the letter are as follows:
DEAR SILcorT-I have been sick and can't get
the money ought to have. besides have been
waiting for the tips to work but the
stocks we are TO use, namely: I'D. L. w.
X, L. and o. T."(well- known railroad securitiesl
do not seem 20 jump lively enough am very
lose cent. send $40 all have. l will fol-
low 1t up in day or two with more to show
you that am anxious to square up, will send
all can and pay you good interest, too. hope
you will be lenient and let me get on my feet
again.
enclose you the tips, and will send others
when they change or get to work on grain or OIL
Keep this very confidential. On the right mar
ket you can make 500 day easily. Watch
the ticker and see how nicely it works.
When you see either of the stocks jumping
up lay for it. Now, Silcott, I'll do all can to
make you some Doodle. and wish you could
make 3d. 900 a day.
RoPED IN BY BUCKET SHOP.
This letter indicates that Silcott was being
roped into bucket shop speculation, and no
doubt his shortage resulted from it, so that
he was forced to raise $4,000 by forgery
last September, hoping to cover up his
shortage by speculation or borrowing. Mr..
Leedom thinks that he expected to borrow
the money in New York, and failing, had
to skip. Had he told me his trouble" said
Mr.. Leedom tonight, 81 would have made
the shortage good through his bondsmen
or paid it myself. 1t would have
been better than TO loose so much, and there
would have been no scandal or ex posure.
will get him, however. He took $1,S69 of
my money. and l can fetch him back for
theft. have engaged myself detectives to
find him, and will hunt him up myself if
they fail. l will also bring suit against his
bondsmen in the Ohio courts
A WINNER ON THE RACES.
Mr.. Leedom had learned that Silcott won
several thousand dollars on the races, and
had also sold Missouri farm for $4,000
His wife insists that he will send for her
yet, and says she would crawl on her knees
to Canada If he should. When Silcott was
betting on the races his wife objected. He
silenced her by giving her a regular per-
centage of his winnings, and she says he
gave here more money than she needed. On
the Saturday of his departure for New
York he threw her roll of bills, saying,
Mother, here is your share of my win
nings." She did not count it until yester-
day, and was surprised to have $1,000.
Sllcott had also paid 81 900 board money
in advance, which was an unusual thing.
The committee on Silcott has prepared a
bill to be introduced tomorrow making
the sergeant-at-arms a disbursing officer,
with proper safeguards. The COMMITTEES
will report the facts obtained by Wednes-
day 1t will probably yield to the pressure
of the members and express no opinion
about the responsibility Of the government
for the losses.