Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-06-13
DIAMOND CUT DIAMOND.

DIAMOND CUT DIAMOND.
some storfes Of Fishing for Men Who Fish
for Other People.
ssMY EXPERIENCE Is THAT THERE
AL are no people in this world SO easily
taken in as professional sharpers and swind-
iers, said veteran newspaper man TO STAR
writer when l was employed. some wears
ago, as q reporter on a great New York daily
the paper had struck sort of advertising lire
In the exposure of cheats. and I, having mani
Tested ability in that kind of work. was chosen
oy the city editor to pursue the subject Very
aSeiy his selection Of me was due in part 70 nv
unsophisticated appearance. inasmuch as
nave always been accustomed TO be taken for a
clergyman and in my younger days for theo-
logical student
However tina. NAV he il was INV dutv in the
performance of this business 70 90 20 see the
sMihaiers. nof as a reporter. OF course, but in
sle suise OF victim. / was q person OF a
trusting and suiieless nature with money to
invest where it would fetch n fabulous interest.
wanted employment aud had no objection TO
pltnng up a few hundred dollars in cash as Sc
curity ior my fsithfuluess: desired 10 obtain
quiet divorce within thirty DAYS and without
scahaai and was willing to paw a good price for
IL OF what not. In any case my object was TO
ger the sharpers to commit themselves and
mus secure material for an exposure of them
IN loaded niEion. There was never any diff
euits ABOUT II. They were SO innocent and
uustioi always that it positively nlade me feel
cohsetence-stricken TO deiude them in such n
v.uei way. IL was almost pathetic to see how
unsnspectingiy they swallowed the bait the
minute 1t was put before their noses in
tne shape OF person of harmless aud eyaneei-
IS'u aspect with supposititious wealth in his
ciotnes. remember well the remark of a
gambler who ran brace game on Ann street
uias 1 was compelled TO expose IN print. Ii
aid not cost NE anything to play there while [
was collecting my material ia the shane of
iacts, because. knowing that the play was
irauduient, made ii my simple policy TO bet
steadily against the colors or numbers that
we're backed by the biggest wagers. The pa,er
ha9 gwen me ESQ 10 lose, but 1 wis thus en-
aoied TO return the sum to the cashier having
about $3.50 OF winnings left over for myself
but. as was going to say. when the proprietor
OF the establishment was being dragged AWAY
to dungeon cell, having been convicted on
my evidence, and leaving a Borrowing wife 10
provide by taking in washing for a large family
or innocent children, he turned to the police
man and said, with break m his voice:
Pardner. wouldn't o. minded this but 10
De bilked and took in by fool newspaper re-
porter, with look like a catfish Iearnin' the
shorter catechism-its too much, that's what il
''But never shall entirely forgive myself for
the conscienceiess manner in which swindled
two poor green goods men on one occasion. 1
Always shaiI think IL an outrage that the police
should have obliged me 10 give M the money.
but. as the shilling shockers' saw 1 anticipate,
1t happened this way: A farmer out in Orange
county got circular from New York couchcd
Ia the usual style and offering to supply him
with counterfeit money OF a sort impossible "a
detect al the rate of sl.0OO for 800 In treasury
pills- he sent 1t to my paper, and the city
editor wrote to him at once 20 make arrange
menus lor securing an engagement in the
farmers name with the green goods people
ms was readily managed. and il was deter
mined by correspondence through the rural
post Office that the farmer should meet item
at the Aston House on a certain day at 2pm.
MY disguise as the farmer must have been
remarkably fine. for. coming down Broadway
with gripssck. linen buster and wide-brimmed
nat was aceosied at different points by three
bunko men; but did not want them, and 80 1
let them escape. In the lobby of the Astor
House i was received with most fiatteriny
welcome by one OF my green goods friends.
He bought two or three drinks for me aid
several expensive cigars, which SO expanded
my heart that 1 promised him unlimited pie
and other rural deiicacies any time that he
might chance TO visit Cranberry Center The
regular program followed. He took me 70 a
small thlrd-story front room in a house on John
street. where he introduced me to his PARTNER.
whose name was Robinson, and the two counted
out IS. 000 in bills, for which was 60 nav $500,
What they showed me was real money OF
course. According TO the method invariably
adopted in this sort OF fraud they proposed 10
wrap up the 5000 and exchange the package
at the last moment for another fast Axe il, fun
of paper, which | was to be permitted TO carry
away. Instead Of subscribing 10 this styie of
doing things. however. / suddenly picked np
the bills from the table and thrust them into
my inside pocket
- THAT suits me, and here's your $500 l
said, handing them five treasury notes for Zoo
each.
You never saw two men SO habberrasted an
they were in all your lie. At first they tried
10 temporiZe, saying that they wanted TO count
the stuff again, and when that didn't produce
any effect they locked the door and threatened
TO kill me. I was armed, but was anxious 10
avoid any tragic occurrence. particularly as [
had the money. so I whistied-it was a hot
summer day and the window was open--aud
within thirty seconds two police officers had
burst into the room. My friends We're taken 10
the lookup and subsequently were given a lib
eral term each IN the states prison. always
have felt thatit was almost too bad TO cheat them
in such way, particularly inasmuch as after
ward learned that the So 600 was all the money
they had in the wide world. l might have re-
stored some OF ii If il hadn't been that the po-
lice. very wrongfllly, as l consider mace me
disgorge the -4,50O, which represented NV
profits on my first and last purchase of green
goods"