The Logan County banner. [volume] (Logan, W. Va.) 1889-1903, 1891-10-08
DIAMOND GUT DIAMOND.
stories of Confidence Men Who Were Made
Victims Themselves.

stories of Confidence Men Who Were Made
Victims Themselves.
my experience is that there are no
people in this world so easily taken in
as professional sharpers and swindlers,"
said a veteran newspaper man to Star
writer. when | was employed, some
years ago, as a reporter on a great New
York daily, the paper had struck sort
of advertising scheme in the exposure
of cheats, and l, having manifested
ability in that kind of work, was chosen
by the city editor to pursnethc subject.
Very likely his selection of me was due
in part tc my unsophisticated appear
ance, inasmuch as | have always been
accustomed to be taken for a clergy
man and in my younger days for theo-
logical student
However that may be, it was my
dutyi in the performance OF this business
to go to see the swindlers-not as re-
porter, of course, but in the guise of a
victim. | was a person Of trusting
and guileless nature with money to in
vest where it would fetch fabulous
interest; wanted employment and had
no objection to putting up few hum
bred dollars in cash as security for my
faithfulness; | desired to obtain quiet
divorce within thirty days and without
scandal, and was willing to pay a good
price for it, or what not In any case
my object was to get the sharpers to
commit themselves and thus secure ma
terial for an exposure of them in loaded
y ninion. There was never any difficulty
about it They were so innocent and
1rustful always that it positively made
me feel .conscious-strickcn to delude
them in such a cruel way. 1t was
almost pathetic to see how unsnspect-
inglS they swallowed, the bait the mo-
ment it was put before their noses in
the shape of person of harmless and
evangelical aspect, with supposititious
wealth in his clothes. ! remember
well the remark of gambler who ran
brace game on Ann street that l was
compelled to expose in print. 1t did
not cost me anything to play there
while was collecting my material in
the shape Of facts, because, knowing
that the play was fraudulent, made it
my simple policy to bet steadily against
the colors or numbers that were backed
by the biggest wagers. The paper had
given me fifty dollars to lose, but was
thus enabled to return the sum to the
cashier, having about three hundred
and fifty dollars of winnings left over
for myself. But, as was going to say,
! when the proprietor of the establish
ment was being dragged away to a
dungeon cell, having been convicted on
my evidence. and leaving a Borrowing
wife to provide by taking in washing
for large family OF innocent children,
he turned to the policeman and said,
with a break in his voice:
"sPardncr, wouldn't o. minded this,
but to be billxed and took in by fool
newspaper reporter, with look like a
catfish learnin' the shorter catechism =
IT'S too much. that's what it is
sBut / never shall entirely forgive
myself for the ccnscienceless maaner
in which l swine ed two poor green
| goods men on one occasion. ! always
shall think it ap- outrage that the po-
lice should have obliged me to give up
the money; but. as the shilling shock
ers' say,iI anticipate. 1t happened this
| way: A farmer out in Orange county
i got circular from New York conched
| In the usual style and offering to sup
| ply him with counterfeit money Of d
| sort impossible to detect at the rate Of
one Thousand dollars for one hundred
dollars in treasury bills. He sent it n