Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-06-23
WITH THREE WALNUT SHELLS
A Thrifty Blackleg Who Made Money
at the Sunday Game.

SCENES OUTSIDE TIE BALL OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
coUSTRYMES IN THE NAME OF aAMBLISa-THE
WAY THE dAslE Is woRKED-A SABBATH DAY
PICTURE FROM OVER THE RIVER.
the more you put down the more you take up.
Is there a Spectator in the crowd that thinks
he can find the little bal?"
These were some of the cries that greeted
the ears Of a STAR reporter as he wendell his
way to the base ball game in Virginia yester-
day. On both sides of the narrow road that
led to the ball grounds small crowds Of men
and boys could be seen, and from the center Of
these the cries emanated.
Bent upon an investigation The STAR man
soon found himself in one of these crowds. In
the center stood n middle-aged man, whose
hardened countenance was likely to put an
experienced man at once on his guard against
him. Before him was a circular board loosely
padded and supported upon triangular frame.
THE MAN OF THE SHELLS.
Hes a shell man." said one of the by
SANDERS in answer to the reporters inquiries.
But what do you mean by that"
swat; yor will see."
Nov, gentlemen. watch the little ball." The
man began exhibiting a small ball about the
size of pea and three halves of English wal
nut shells. By dexterous movement he
slipped the ball from one shell to the other
and then looked around for victim. Pretty
soon a tall, slender man was willing to bet IS
that he knew where the little ball was, and
the shell man, after cautioning him not to get
excited, babe him guess. He made dis
astrous failure, paid his money and left.
We'll, we'll try 1T again. Watch the little
ball. Here it goes. It's under this one.
Watch its close. 1t must be here. Now,
where is it?
Just as he finished his harangue the little
ball was seen peeping from under the end
shell.
HE THOUGHT HE KNEW IT.
"I'n bet yon go can find it," said coun-
tryman, at the same time exhibiting large
roll of greenbacks. The shell man smiled and
old story; the man picked up the she'll from
which the ball peeped only second before,
but it had vanished. The shell man pocketed
the twenty and commenced all over. Another
witch, second Encouragement of the shells
and he was ready again.
Now, boys. here's a chance to get even.
Where ia the magic ball?"
As he looked around for gilly a tall young
man lifted the end * quickly. There rested
the little ball. The countryman saw it, but
said nothing. The shell man in the mean time
turned around and yelled for bet. The coun-
tryman went down in his trousers and brought
out another twenty. Make it forty?" said the
shell man. Why noR The countryman knew
where it was, so forty was placed on the little
table and the countryman reached for the she'll,
where only second before he saw the ball,
with an air of I've got you this time" But
the ball had vanished. Where was il?
'.Oh, here it is, said the shell man. with
chuckle. Il thought I'd lost it,
And thus the game went on; the shell man
occasionally losing. apparently, but the money
n "A ia mi W o kaH
the crowd.
THAT man is the cleverest shell worker and
'1im-fam' operator in the country" said De-
tective Mahan, addressing the scribe as he
emerged from the crowd. "Do you know how
the thing is operatedy'
No"
Then I'll explain it to you. First of all. the
dealer. as he is termed, procrires three shells
draughtsmen use. For table he uses cir
cular or oblong-shaped board loosely padded.
He begins operations by exhibiting the little
ball and transferring it from shell to the
other by the use of his fingers. But this is not
the trick. Any one with half an eye can see
how that's done. He ceases manipulating the
sheels for a moment and then waits for bet.
Suppose you are betting and the ball is under
the middle shell, for you see it protruding
from one side, where it looks as though it in
the same time reaching for the shell. but the
operator stops you with don't get excited now
there's plenty of time simultaneously he
pushes the little shell forward. The movement
forces the ball from under the shell into his
hand. See? The game cannot be beaten. I'M
less, of course, you are shell man yourself
Now this man dare not come to Washington
nor any of the others, for that matter. They
would be grabbed the moment they landed on
suspicion and locked up. Alexandria is their
home just now. Virginia is certainly getting
to be a tough state" continued the detective
moving along, land l am surprised that some
steps are not taken to stop these nefarious
practices. Are the authorities asleep, or what's
the NATTER
AS the detective ceased the reporter saw an
official from Alexandria walk by as uncon-
cerned as possible.
AFTER THE GAME.
After the game of base ball had concluded
the gambling commenced afresh. At ST.
Asaph's junction it was u veritable Monte
Carlo. An elderly gentleman, with his family
driving in surrey, stopped and exhorted the
men in the name of God TO cease their wicked
ness. But the crowd only jeered and the
gambling went on. Here every sort of game
was INDUCED in, from the shell game to rou-
lette.