The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-01-04
LAIN W 4Il6 DONSO M1N.
Countrymen Are So ely" that They
Are Forced to Rob the hich Sports.
Fronl the Meto Yor. Wor

From the NeIc Iors World.
A reporter, while strolling down Broad
way yesterday, thinking of the vagaries of
fortune in general and of the ups and downs
of sporting life in particular, was struck by
the astounding fact that the last four men
who have been badgered, huncoed and
touched off in divers and scientific ways
are all well-known sports, VINO are gener-
ally believed to be proof against the
wiles of the insidious "sure-thingn opera
tor. Heretofore these clever gentry have
confined their efforts to well-fed country
men and backwoods merchants, whom they
regard as their lawful prey, sent to them
ready for plucking by the divine provi-
dence that watches over the banco steerer.
The robblng of one sport by his less for
tunate brother sport Is in the nature of a
paradox, and the reporter quickly arrived
at the conclusion that an explanation is due
to patient public HIS efforts were SO
successful that the bucolic reader may now
safely walk Broadway and even approach
the Bowery. In fact, countrymen have
become so ''hy" themselves that a bunco
steerer is actually not safe in their COM
pany.
The reporter approached a distinguished
member of the bunco society, whose pOr-
{ ait at police headquarters is regarded as a
work of the photographer art, 1t shows
the screwed-up mouth and tightly shut eyes
of man embedded tightly within the grasp
of six large hands in various stages OF pres
ervation or decay. In fact, the hands form
the principle figure in the pictu e. The gen
tleman of fortune was strongly opposed to
furnishing his portrait.
The re porter asked the bunco expert this
question: 'Why are the bunco sbeerers,
badger workers and crooks pli ing their
games upon sporting men like MorrisSey,
he racing man; DAILY. the gambler; Bur
ton, the bookmaker and Kennedy, the
racehorse owner, Instead of doing up
countrymen! Please give me your opinion
in full. "
well, you see, young fellow, replied the
bunco expert, good country suckers are
scarcer than straight flushss. There is a
sucker born every minute, but the fly boys
have been doing them up two minute and
the guy market is depleted. And another
thing. Countrymen are getting so flip
that, as quick as mug grabs is hand he
pulls out set of fixed dice. | never saw
business 50 bad before, and Pm thinking of
going into he Sam Small business.
"On Thanksgiving d y l sherried around
to a gospel shop and offered thanks that l
was alive and out of Jail. | also prayed
fervently that plenty of good country
suckers would be put in my way during the
winter. What good did it do Out OF
three mugs | amt been able to steer one to
Gle JOINT, ana Know Juey nau a IdC roll.
It's tle same with all the gang. They are
desperate and visions of breakfasts of nice,
clean snowballs and Water air have made
them reckless The result is obvi-
GUS. We must do somebody, and at
stage in the game like this we
can't play no favorites. It's a case of dog
eat dog, and sometimes the fly fellers are
tue biggest suckers They made a play at
DAILY because he always carries big wad
The bunco men didu't think Morrissey had
ever been up against the old thing and they
gave him the old razzle-dazzle. Burton
went up against the badge as neat as a
newborn infant. Kennedy is big chump,
and it was like finding men when they
touched off his wad.
"Well, well, don't know where all this
will end" signed the bunco expert, des-
poIdently.
"We'u be sand-baggin' each other before
grass comes again. l yearn for the sod
old times when suckers we're SO thick on
Broadway that we had to keep the
joints open night and day doing 'em. They
sold the crops and came to town with
their big leather full of bills, just to g. Joy a
pleasant afternoon drawia' Sunday school
prizes in the bunco shop, and they give up
their dust like gentlemen. Pm afraid
there's long, cold, hungry winter ahead.
and somebody's got to furnish stuff or I'll
lose all my flesh. SO long, young fellow
Roof for me- will you? l need good graft
mighty bad"