The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-06-29

paper reporter, with look like a catfish
learnin' the shorter catechiSm-it's too
much, that's what it is.
"But never shall entirely forgive myself
for the constituencies manner in which L
swindled two poor green-goodS men on one
occasion. | always shall think IL an OUT
rage that the police should have obliged
me to give up the money; but as the
shilling shockerS say, l antIcl-
pate. 1t happened this way: farmer
out in Orange County got circular
from New York couched in the usual style
and Offering to supply him with counterfeit
money of sort impossible to detect at the
rate OF $1,000 for 500 in Treasury bills. lie
sent 1t TO my paper, and the city editor
wrote to him at once to make arrangements
Tor securing an engagement in the farmers
name with the greefi-goods people This
was readily managed, and it was deter
mined by correspondence through the rural
pOstoffice that the farmer should meet them
at the Ast0r House on a certain day at
O'Clock In the afternoon.
MY disguise as the farmer must have
been remarkably fine, for coming down
Broadway with griDsack. linen buster and
wide-brmmed hat, was accOSted at differ
ent points by three bunkO men, but | did
not want them and so | let them escape. In
the lobby of the AstOr House was received
with most t1atterlng reception by one OF
my green-gOodS friends. He bought two or
three drinks for me and several expensive
cigars, which so expanded my heart that |
promised him unlimited pie and other rural
delicacies any time that he might
chance to visit Cranberry Center The
regular programme followed. He took
ME to small thirds 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
5000 in bills, for which l was to pay $500.
What they showed me was real money, of
course. According to the method inyar-
ably adopted in this sort of fraud, they pro-
posed to wrap up the $1,000, aud exchange
the package at the last moment for another
just like II, full OF paper, which | was to be
permitted TO carry away. Instead of sub
scribing to this style of doing things, how
ever, l suddenly picked up the bills from
the table and thrust them into my inside
pocket.
THAT suits me, and here's your $780,
said, handing them five treasury notes for
500 each.
''YOu never saw two men so flabbergasted
as they were III all your life. 1t first they
tried TO tempOriZe. saving that they wanted
to count the stuff again, and when that dn't
produce any effect they locked the door and
threatened to kill me- | was armed, but was
anxious to avoid any tragic occurrence, par
tlcularly as had the money. whiStled-
1t was Midsummer day and the window was
Open-and within thirty seconds two police
officers had burst into the room. My friends
were taken TO the lookup, and subsequently
were given liberal term each in the States
Prison. l always have felt that it was al
most too bad to cheat them in such a way.
particularly inasmuch as | afjerward learned
that $4,000 was all the money they had in the
wide world. l might have restored some of
it if it hadn't been that the police, very
wrongtnlIy, as | consider made me disgOrge
the $500, which represented my profits on
my first and last purchase Of green goods"