, 1890-03-29

to have been the fist to practice the arts
OF cutting open solid leather portmanteaux
and of blowing open the locks OF iron
safes. Ii is with injustice, however, that
tue French have given 10 an old 'c0nti.
dence trick which WAS praotiSpd habirnat-
~ so far back us the reign of Queen Eliza
beth the name of "vol a PAm6ricaue':
but it may, nevertheless, be admitted, that
the Continental practice of this particular
Swindle differs considerably from our own,
although themain FEATURES ofthe twoSySt ms
are identical. In Paris, as in Lonton.
there mast be two cOnfederates, q 'tront
stall and IL 'back' one. The first swim
der accoNtS and enters into CON verSation
ON SoI.e prerext or other with the intended
violin. Then comes up the confederate,
who prrtrndS to he an American or an
Englishn'n, and in bad French asks his
way to some locality usually very far off.
The dupe and swinIier Number one laugh
at the American who begins to brag about
his great wealth, and then offers to ex.
change the pieces of gold in his pocket for
rs many pieces of silver money. The three
companions enter a wine shop to carry out
this strange barter, but suddenly Swiudler
number one puts on a suspicious look and
expresses doubt as to the genuiDenesS of
the Americana "lOuiS d'or.n An adjourn.
ment is made TO tue nearest money chan.
gers, where the gold coins are pronounced
to be perfectly good. The dupe by this
line is quite eager to change his half.
crowns and ShillingS against the napOleons.
The American pockets the silver, but sub
Sequently remarks that, as his gold has
been tested by the money.changer, the
strangers silver must be subjected to the
same process. AS - guarantee TIL. he
will return he leaves u small locked BAG
which, according to his showing, contains
upwards of ten thousand francs in gold.
OFF he goes to lhe bureau lie change.
Presently the @uno begins to get nervous;
swIndier number one sets off to look for
the American, and it is almost needless 10
say that neither returns and the dupe is
left with the bag, which, on being opened,
il found to contain only a quantity of
leaden dumps.
Such a form Of the confidence trick
could not without difficulty be practjsed
in London, for the reason that money.
changers i'll the British Metropolis are
very few and far between /; nor would they
be willing to attest the gcnuiness of gold
coins to perfect strangers. There are,
however, at least twenty varieties of
frauds, differing only in their details from
the one just described, but all based on
the primo iple that the dupe is often led on
to being victlmiSed by the hope that he
himself is about to benefit by the ~transac.
tioa. The "vol. au, pot" which may be
rendered as the "Slap-bang" trick, is
another purely Continental mode Of trick
cry. In this the confederates propose to
treat tho stranger dupe to a irst-Iate sup
per at a restaurant, but they warn him at
the same time that the restaurant ia n
gaming-house as well, and, lest he should
be enticed to lose his money, they per
Suade him to dig a hole in the gre md and
bury the cash there, q similar sum being
at the same time apparently deposited by
the two ~rascalS. Of course, while thew
are at supper a third rogue carefully dis
intcrS the victims cash. The "vol-au-potD
is said to be still extensively practised in
Paris indeed the confidence trick in some
shape or another will probably flourish so
long as a fool is born every hour. There
are yet simrsetons who will buy painted
sparrows which they believe to he cana
ries, or will be taken in by the three-card
trick but the "duffer,' or 'holl snug.
glor, . the mysterious scOundrel who used
to pretend to be in perpetual terror of the
Custom House officers, and who sold what
purported to be contraband articles
cigars, which turned out to be- OF brown
paperj lace, Which was so much perforated
paper guinmed upon gauze and sham
bandannas, which we're really of glazed
calic0-has almost entirely disappeared.
The Skittle HlIarD. again. thInkaa tn thu