Connecticut western news., 1889-10-30
CONFEDERATE MONEY
IN GREAT DEMAND BY PEOPLE
 EXPECTING. ROAD AGENTS.
One Way To Beat the Western Highway
 Robber.

"HOW much do you want for them!'
 Assorted denominations, 75 cents per thousand; special issues, $1 to $1.50 per thousand.
 "Well, make me up three packages of 5000 each, assorted denominations. Got any old State banks?"
 "Yes; what kind would you want?"
 "Oh, Pm not particular. If you've got any with greasy look or shade of green about them they'll do. Iwould want about five hundred lives or tens.'
 This conversation took place in Broad street day or two ago, and was over- heard, unwittingly, of course, by 8 reporter for the Charleston Sunday News.
 The purchaser stood in front of a brokers office, in the window of which was displayed an enticing assortment of gold dollars and sovereigns, silver dollars, Mexican and American, copper coins, gilt-edged certificates of stock, State bonds, county bonds and other securities, and large bundle of Con- federate bills.
 AS may be inferred, the inquiries were directed to the Confederate bills, for which, as strange as it may seem, there is quite market in Charleston, and probably in other cities at this time.
 Having given his order, the inquirer, preceded by the broker, entered the office, while the reporter glued his face to the glass and watched the further proceedings. These were brief. The broker seized three packages of Confederate bills of the denomina- tions ranging from $1 up to $100, He next picked up bundle of greasy looking bank bills, some with an ap- pearance of green on their backs wedged each package of the Confede- rate (pink and blue) bills between hal1 a dozen or more of the old bills, delft. ly pinned border around them anc handed the three packages to the stranger, who slipped them into hi. inside pocket, paid the broker $3.7! and strolled down the street.
 Then the reporter entered tn, brokers office and requested the privi lege of an interview.
 "What did that man buyW h' asked.
 "Confederate bills and old Stat' bank notes," was the reply, which wal to the point and satisfactory enough a far as it went, only it did not go quit, far enough.
 "Why should Northern traveller for the purchaser was evidently { Northern man-buy Confederate billl and old State bank bills?"
 The broker, who like all Broad-stree brokers, is a pleasant gentleman an6 always approachable to the reporter explained:-
 "Within the last three or fou months," he said, "there has been rather brisk demand for Confederat' notes and old bank bills. | have ha< to fill several orders for them iron the North and West, and was mysel rather curious to account for tn demand.
 "A correspondent in New York, t whom I shipped about $10,O0O of ol' State bank bills and $500,00O of Con federate bills, wrote to me in reply t my inquiries that they were wante mostly by travellers.
 "He said that the practice of 'hold ing up trains' and robbing the passen gers had become so prevalent that me l, nowadays who had much travelling t do, and who are compelled to carr money with them, are providing them selves with green goods as decoy t the railroad agent. He says they mak up packages of Confederate bills, wit old State bank bills on the outside, an carry these in their pockets, stowin away their money in their sachels 0 hiding it under the seat.
 "The railroad agent is generally i a hurry when going through a trair and as the passenger throws up hi hands the agent grabs the big fs pocketbook with the roll of Confede, | ate bills in it and hurries along to tn next passenger without stopping to e1 anime the pocketbook.
 My correspondent tells me-" COT tinued the Broad street broker in hi own peculiarly mild way, "that th 3 thing has been tried and that
 worked successfully. In fact he gay = me the name of friend who had pro l vided himself with one of these dumm 3 pocketbooks, and who was on a trai ] that had been held up out West some where.
 "The man had over $5 ,OOO packe away in his socks, and a roll of ol Confederate and State bank bills in hi inside vest pocket. The agent swa lowed the bait and went off with th dummy roll.
 "Anyhow, there is now quite bris demand for Confederate notes and ol bank bills, and nobody, except tn road agents, will object to that, r,