Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1890-03-28
NETS FOR COUNTRYMEN.
HOW RASCALLY HORSE TRADERS
ENTRAP THE UNWARY.

Hair Dyed Glossy Brown, and the Stiff
Joints Limbered So That They Can Be
Palmed Off Upon the disappearing.
Yes, the swindler is abroad in the land.
'Tricks in all trades except ours" laughingly
spoke horseman recently to Post reporter
who happened to witness transaction not
too commendable to the spokesman. An in
vestigation as to the manner in which these
traders on small scale were accustomed to
do business is not fattering in its result to the
men following this calling for livelihood.
While every occupation is supposed to have
some degree of responsibility attached to it,
and there are, no doubt, many honest men
engaged in the livery and sale business, hir
ing and boarding of horses, it has become a
notorious fact that there are class of men
who follow it in small dealings, ,nost of
whom in their operations border on the line
of rascality, and, to say the least, show what
knavery and trickery can accomplish, and
keep those who resort to it beyond the reach
of criminal prosecution. Now and then they
become over confident, emboldened by their
successes, and deliberately rob some poor
victim, and then brighten him beyond daring
to make any attempt to recover his confs-
Gated property
IN THE CAPITAL
In this city can be found number of men
who call themselves horse traders. Some of
them have neither horses nor stable, while the
stock of the others will range between one
and half dozen horses. Many of these men
locate near the Center market and bazaar,
where they find countrymen who can be
cheated and robbed with their eyes wide
open; also where opportunities are constantly
being presented for deals and trades
The man with few horses and the stable,
small or large, will work in with the one
without either, and they will quickly form
combination when a chance presents itself
of their lettering themselves. Some of the
old hulks that are on hand, and to be oper-
ated with, have been obtained for little or
no money consideration, and it is astonish-
ing how rapidly they change ownership, fit
ting the circumstance and necessities of the
case
1t is known that one horse was handled
and claimed by five different men as its
owner in two days. It figured during that
period in five trades, only one of which was
successful and then the farmer, having let
the sharpers get hold of his horse, they dis
appeared, leaving the worthless animal in
his hands. The stock used in this cheating
is doctored for the purposes of deception
1t is known that to mislead as to the age of
some of these veteran horses, whose services
should entitle them to place on the retired
list in the pasture field, have had to submit
to a filing down of teeth, that the year marks
might be destroyed. In another instance the
fetlocks were neatly cut and trimmed, the
frogs cleaned and polished, and toes set up
to hide all appearance of weakness in those
points and give the impression that the horse
was all right in front.
Stiff and lame shoulders, to which an ami
NAL may be subject, have been temporarily
limbered in order to trade the unsound horse
off, When the new owner attempts to work
the animal he quickly discovers the imposi-
ton and fraud put upon him and brings back
the horse, complaining of the deception. He
is coolly informed that the horse was not
lame when traded, but that the mishap &C.
CURED since and he must make the best of
it. The horse he received is proven as repre-
sented, and the dealer comes out $50 or more
ahead on the trick
Coloring of the horses hair is also practiced
for the purpose of facilitating trade 1t
might be supposed that this would have no
WolSuU LII SuCu IudUt0IS, UuG LII SOIQ6 cases IL
is very important as to the looks of the horse.
By process used among the dishonest traders
the horse is fitted out in bright, glossy suit
of hair, which will last for few days, or
until water strikes it, when it will entirely
disappear
COLORS THAT FADE.
Then it will be discovered that the animal
has a coat badly sunburnt and worn, any
thing but soft and pleasing. Generally three,
four, or half dozen men participate in the
effort to effect trade, and the innocence
they pretend to show regarding horses is re-
freshing to witness. Schemes of all kinds are
devised, combinations effected and jobs put
up to cheat the unsuspecting, if not to actual
ly rob men willing to make trades of their
horses, or give them in exchange worthless,
patched up animal under the falsehood told
and description placed upon them.
The neighborhood of Fifteenth street and
Louisiana avenue and B street, thence up to
C street, between Tenth and Eleventh streets.
has been the scene of a number of these ras-
cally transactions. Countrymen, more par
ticularly the younger ones, are selected to
operate upon by the traders, who start on a
very plausible plan. A stranger happens
near, and stops to look at the countrymans
horse, admires the animal and wants to know
if he is for sale. In this manner the ice is
broken for conversation, and the stranger
suggests that he has horse and will make a
trade. Hehas not, but a lie like that amounts
to nothing in a horse trade.
He goes away representing that he will
bring the horse, consults his confederate, who
loans him plug that has had different
owner for every trade attempted to have
been made for week. 1t has been worked
upon until presentable, and is shown to the
countryman in its best light. About this
time stranger appears on the ground, ap-
parently unacquainted with either party
He is soon followed by one or two more
They learn the terms proposed by the profess
sional trader, and to their mind it looks like
a good offer. Both horses are represented as
entirely sound, and satisfactory trial is to
be made before the bargain is considered
complete.
If the countryman hesitates and appears
disinclined to agree one of the strangers will
say, SO that he can hear: "Ill try and get
this horse myself if this man don't get him
He is worth more money than that" That
proves helper for the trader, and it is de-
cided to try the horse. During this perform
ance the countryman's horse disappears and
he is left with the plug as substitute. If he
objects he is met with an oath and informed
that it is square trade The strangers chime
in for the horse sham, and the greeny gets
worsted on all sides.
Another waJ is to make the bargain and
carry the man about mile away to get the
money promised to be paid in the trade. Of
course the dummy man won't be there, and
neither will the horse be where he left it when
he gets back. Instead, however, will be found
all old timer, whose usefulness has long since
departed. He invokes the aid of the police,
and the evidence against him will be over
whelming, witnesses springing up for the
horse trader like mushrooms, to swear that it
was square trade and that the countryman
was satisfied, while the truth is that he never
got dollar and his horse was virtually stolen
from him. w ashineton Post.
The Size of Heaven.
The following calculation, based on text
in Revelations, is both curious and interest
ing:
Revelations xxi, 16: "And he measured the
city 1.-THE New Jerusalem) with reed, $4,000
furlongs The length and breadth and the
height are equal"
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