The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1891-08-17
IT'S A Big FESTIVAL,
But Plattedeutsch Events
Always Are That
Kind.
LOTS OF SPORT ALL ROUND.
Some Remarkable Skin Games that
the Police Do Not Seem to
Be Aware 0f-Suckers
Mercilessly Rob-
bed.

The eighteenth annual festival OF the
PlaItsdeutsch volksfest Verein was be-
gun at the Union Hin Schuetzen PARK
yesterday. Twenty thousand people
crowded the park, and but for the
abundance Of skin game. which the po-
lice apparently did not dare to stop, the
opening day was success
The Plattedeutsch volksfest always
draws crowd. 1t has been held at the
Union Hill Schuetzen Park for the past
fifteen years. One year the TWENTY-FIVE
cent prices charged for admission poured
In so lively at the gate that they were
packed away in soap boxes.
The Verein is composed Of ninety odd
societies. Every year in the latter part
Of August, the Verein hold a four days
festival. The proceeds of the picnic are
for a most worthy charity. They are
devoted to the hospitals In the country.
The festival is advertised freely and all
kinds of stalls are erected in the park
until it becomes one lane Of booths and
fakirs.
BIG CROWDS
As early as twelve O'Clock yesterday
crowds began pouring into the park. and
from that time on until six O'Clock there
WAS an c1Qie1S pEoCt5slDu Ol pcoplt Ou
their way 10 the park. Hackmen about
the ferries reaped harvest. The cars of
the North Hudson Railway Company
were run on two minute headway, but
they were totally unable to handle the
crowds. Women clnng to the sides of
open cars In imminent danger Of break
ing their necks. A great many sensible
persons boarded the horse-cars on Wash
ington street, Hobokeu. and paid their
fare to the ferry. They were safely
ensconsed in seats when the mad rush
was made at the ferry, although they
paid double fare
AT the park everything was hustle and
confusion. There were hundreds of lager
beer booths, all kinds of games, razzle
dazzles and fakirs innumerable. In the
evening there was dancing Three bi 2
platforms were crowded. Dancing is not
tolerated in the county on Sundays, but
Hugo Kroebel procured a special dispen-
sation somewhere. There was display
of fireworks, balloon ascension and a
stage performance
Although the day was greatly enjoyed,
there was many poor guileless German
who came In contact with the crooks who
simply swarmed in the park.
THIEVES HAD A HARVEST.
The pickpockets we're In their glory
while the crowd was watching the
fireworks. It is authoritatively re-
ported that eight gold watches
were taken. Ernest Mangels, OF Brook
lyn, felt tug at his chain and saw 1t
dangling. He caught sight of fellow
running through the crowd. and started
after him crying. stop thief" Sud
denly MangeIs was dealt powerful blow
behind the ear and be fell unconscious.
The thief escaped as did Mangels' as
sailant.
The runners of skin games simply rob-
bed Rullible people and the police made
no attempt to Interfere. While on the
bluff leading to the main dancing plat
form, saw fellow operating the shell
game. He took $50 away from several In
nocent looking German youths in half as
many minutes. Fifteen feet Pway stood
one of the courthouse consta- s-
to see that just such swim
dies are prevented. The constable
actually Joined the fakir in a drink after
ward. and they appeared very friendly.
Further up the bluff was q skin game
Of the rankest description, and for fully
an hour the game swindled every sus-
ceptible German that happened his
way. The game appeared very simple
to beat. There was q little ninepin
placed in the centre of board about two
feet square. A miniature scaffold was
erected over the board and from the
middle of the scaffold. suspended by a
brass chain, was little wooden ball. 1t
was held in the hand and let go. The
ball was to hit the pin on the return aud
kuock 1t down. Il cost 81 to play and il
the ball was knocked down the player
would get S..
A POOR MAN ROBBED.
I watched the game. A fellow apparently
tire milling with excitement hurried up,
placed a dollar and knocked the ball
down in the first attempt. The runner or
the game paid him IS and the fellow
went out among the crowd and told in
German how easy it was TO beat the
game. Finally he treated several at the
bar. Then the suckers began 10 bite.
One poor German, who was accompanied
by his wife and child, tremblingly placed
a dollar OF course he lost He tried
again with the same result lie lost SIS
ana then wanted to pledge his watch.
HIS wife was crying. The poor fellow
looked as if he could i'll afford his loss,
and went away disheGrtened. Several
Others lost $40 and $50, and the game
was reaping harvest. a clever looking
fellow thought ne could beat the game.
It cost him $25. He saw that he was be-
ing robbed and demanded his money
back. The bscker of the game naturally
refused. The fellow started for the head
quarters of the Verein. Then one OF the
cappers offered him $40. but the fellow
refused. Finally he got his SIS.
There are ten policemen from North
Bergen in the park and ten constabies
from the Court House. They can't we'll
be ignorant of the rascality that goes on
under their noses