Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-03-16
sMOOTHED-TONGUED ROGUES.
How the Confidence Men Succeed in
Swindling Intelligent Citizens.
THEIR KNOWLEDGE OF HUMAN NATURE-PLAUsI-
BILE TAKES THAT INTEREST THE uNwARY TRAv-
ELER-THR PAL WITH HIS BILL-wAITINa FOR
THE LAME BoY-THE aREEN-aoops GAME

ELER-THE PAL WITH HIS BILI-wAIrINa FOR
THE LAME BoY-THE aREEN-aoops GAME
Talking about smart people," said detective
to STAR reporter, 1.-The confidence man, or the
con man. as we call him, will never take
back seat, and there is no reason, except as a
matter of honesty, why he should. He is al
ways quick to take trick and can size up a
mark as readily as any member of the profess
sion. He is usually a good-looking man. and.
Of course. he has winning ways. That il neces-
sary iii his business. He is never at loss for
subject that will interest anyone and he seldom
makes mistake when he picks out his man.
The con man as a rule, does not attempt to
become millionaire at one haul, nor does he
usually risk more than two or three tricks in
city during one visit. The depot is his favorite
place for picking up his prey. He converses
with his victim, learns his name and address.
and. strange TO say he is either from or is &C.
ing to the vicinity of the home of his victim
His pleasant conversation never fails to give an
impression of his sincerity. and he can make
the stranger believe almost anything he will
tel NM He never stops short of mine of
some kind. even if it is only a sand mine.
sometimes he will even so so far as to tell that
there is gold or silver mine in the neighbor-
mood OF the victims house, if he should happen
TO be countryman.
CITY MEN CAUGHT.
But it does not take an unsophisticated
countryman to get swindled b. the con men,"
continued the detective They are smart
enough to catch the most intelligent citizens.
Inere are four merchants in this city who have
fallen victims i'll New York. They did not pay
very dear for their experience. but they no
doubt learned lesson tilat will prevent SINH
lar tranSac don in the future SO that there is no
use or sense III a person saving they couldn't
catch cor Catp hey 1pD't
want more than half u chance either. If the
game Is tried and followed up its only ques-
ton Of time before they will get the Doodle
People read Of the smart tricks of crooked peO-
pie every day or two, but still they will get
caught in the snare. Bait the hook and the
! suckers are bound to bite at it,
THE CHECK GAME
The check racket he continued. lis one of
the Oldest games OF the confidence men. but it
Is still practiced successfully. In working it
there are always two crooks The first one
VIII go into depot and look about to pick out
his mark. He does not always select the
greenest looking man. He first sizes up the
thickness OF ms pocketbook. If satisfied that
he has enough money to play for, he engages
in conversation with the stranger and first
learns where he is from.
Why am going there myself on the next
train he will saw
'Of conrse, the stranger is glad to have com
pany. He never did like to travel alone any
how. The confidence man is such "A pleasant
taiker that the stranger becomes interested in
him. and they friends in a little while The
one who takes that part of the game is usually
au elderly man, because, i'll some cases. the oc-
caslon demands that he should have grown
daughter.
THE REST OF THE FAMILY.
Then the old gentleman interrupts his
newly-made friend and tells him that he is
going around to the hotel for his wife and
daughter
My daughter, he will say will be good
company for you and make the trip pleasant
The stranger readily accepts the PROPOSE
tlon ana anticipates pleasant journey. He
leaves the depot and starts with the gentle
man TO the hotel. The latter incidentally re-
fers to a bill of goods he has purchased and
which has not arrived at the depot
THE PAL.
Presently young man, ostensibly clerk
in store, meets the two, and addressing the
elderly man he presents a bill for the goods
and requests its payment
Certainly, he will answer, taking check
from his pocket, here's your money
:" But can't change the check the SUP
posed clerk will reply
Then he hesitates. What to do he does not
know. He turns to his friend and shows him
the check. He would like the loan of $50 or
500 until he can get the check cashed and,
OF course, he has no objection to handing over
the check as security. The check il for 300
or 400, and satisfied that he cannot possibly
lose anything the victim takes the money from
his pocket and hands it over.
I'm this connection" the detective continued
the confidence man usually comes within 80
or go or the amount the victim has in his
pocket They usually transact that part of the
business near saloon or public place of some
kind. The receipt for the money must be
signed, and the victim waits on the sidewalk
while the merchant and his customer step in
side and then steps out the back door, leaving
the victim on she sidewalk waiting for them
he gets tired OF waiting, but still he does not
think that his acquaintance is dishonest He
goes to the bank and inquiries about the check
Then the bank clerk has a laugh and the nm:
fortunate individual is referred to the police
department, and thus it is that the whole world
becomes acquainted with his misfortune.
THE LAME SON.
Sometimes the game is arranged differently.
Instead of giving the victim the slip in the man
ner indicated, he is sent back to the depot to
wait for the wife and children of the confidence
man. Among the children there is a ten-year-
old boy, who walks with crutches so that it
will be impossible to miss them. This poor boy
has been ten years old for long time aud has
been the means of foOling many a victim. He
returns to the depot and waits for the persons
as described. They do not appear He be-
comes uneasy, for it is nearly time for the de-
pdrture OF the tram. he waits until tire last
minute. They do not appear. and he begins to
think something has happened to them. They
will surely be here for the next train, he saws
to himself. He still waits, and often does not
suspect anything wrong until some one in the
depot who has noticed him approaches and
questions him concerning the train he wants to
take. He then tells his story and realizes for
the first time that he has been swindled
THE GREEN GOODS GAME
is another scheme of the confidence man." con-
tinued the detective, ''that has been worked
very successfully for many years, and it is Just
| the same now az it was years ago. Like all
other games, it has been exposed hundreds of
times. and yet persons will get caught mapping
The directories of various cities. chiefly western
cities are obtained and from them the names of
persons are taken who the sWindlers think will
bite at their bait Circulars then sent out with
notice that the business is strictly confidential
Information Is given in the circular that green
goods. or counterfeit money, can be purchased
at reasonable rates. In other words "a chance
to become a millionaire is given for only few
dollars. They don't usually experience much
trouble in finding people who are willing to ac-
cept the offer and run the risk. The circular
concludes: Go to No. street, New York
and inquire for -
The man who is willing to get wealthy"
continued the detective, ''calls at the number
indicated and finds the man for whom he is
looking. usually in room in tenement house
Entering the front door he is ushered upstairs
and after passing through long Railways he
comes to the office In the room is a wooden
itiOn which is a hole throuoh