The sun., 1891-01-21
SEE HERE, INSPECTOR BYRNES
a GANG OF FAIR GROUND FAKIRS
Is WORKING CHiTHAM SQUfRE

a GANG OF FAIR GROUND FAKIRS
Is WORKING CHiTHAM SQUiRE
They Are Too Much for the Uniformed po-
lice. and Have Bccn for Three Weeks
Think OF Thimbierigxing In Towni
About three weeks ago a woll.dressed man
told the Sergeant at the Oak Street police sta
tion that he had beon swndlcd out Of $40 by
thin molerigger in Chatham square, Tho SER
geant sent an officer with the man to arrest
the sharper. When the pair reached Chatham
square. however. the shell man had disap-
pcared. Two days later another man came to
the station with n similar story. Another Of
lcer tried to find the swindler and failed. The
next week as many as ~ letters were re-
ceived at the station from complaining victims
OF the game. The Oak street people decided
that something must be done. and all tho
policemen were instructed to keep their eyes
open. but not a uniformed policeman has beon
able to get within hnlf II block Of the game.
| ON Monday OF last week Policeman Peter
Carter put On plain clothes. and. muflllng him
| self up in a huge overcoat. managed to get
| past the picket line Of cappers 'nreccgnzed.
| He then mixed with the crowd until he got
| within reach OF his prey. He grabbed him and
| took him to the station house. The man there
said he was only an on!ooker. Ho said that in
| the confusion caused by the pollceiuan's grab.
bing him somebody had showed the complete
| OUTFIT into his hands. He gave his name as
Charles Murray and said that he WAS clerk.
| living ut 20l Christie street. At the Tombs
the next day he told the same story and was
| discharged. Since then little effort has been
mnde to break UP the game.
The gang is the biggest one that ever worked
in this city and its profits are largo. The man
| who works the shells is m old;ttmer and can
work s,.I his iinEers Ike chain lightning: light The
sasshlns' sSsteI noS oS ana men: bps not
and employ M
| il working dupes and to keep an eye open for
BY a queer coincidence considering the in.
ssss an hs ns%sa Principal pa
| part OF the business. His Headquarters are
70 Ss tbs h Of cn to- sbs nsse
iiariy heavy haul. Yesterday the game was run
warned the gang that the police we're going to
make q desperate effort to clean them out.
was wagered. OF which at least 500 passed
as clear profit into , II the hands Of the sharper
advantaG> us position. as 1t is cab stand and
sr The or she
skirmish line Of oanpers out to do picket duty
As evsryboay knows, the thin pblerieeers out
M consists Of flannel hs board ,.s about
tnoxn nI es the little !pksr. IAs napiSHla,oT
shass hs M Wndhs By
cnS to nd n fhi bs @ me
betting eit6er IS or sio. OF course he wins. II
no one has bitten by this time another capper
| this point the shell man generally has his con-
gregation down fine and knows lust who'll bet
sibowsd sRa q 10 ons Side BY the ss eappers wse The
former are ENCOURAGED to come up and bet:
,nfs e IL hs
view. The victim has seen tina. ball covered cove
10 "ss sio Is offersd him that he eanno! pick out
into his pocket for his me-, money. cyl In doing this
money. ] He Selects the, she'll. and lifts il up
bali has dlsappeared. He can't understand Il:
0 aka sSysd 70 do f0Es Es Si ass aSoas h
erowdine him put i he goes for a policeman.
"A reporter Of The Sun has been watching the
Chatham square Eame tsr the past Wsss ana
the afternoon Of Saturday. jan 10, when the
couple @ q cappsrs, pei Is that he could select
the shell covering the pea. The bet was taken,
20 the to o.
though. the, gamekeeper motioned TO the cap
maI hm bsI ahf Hsl sa to Gas
dealer. That individ ual offered te settle BY re-
turning the Italian his original s. The terms
But the himblerirGer didn't Ike to lose that
e9S the ,an TO
and in few moments the man: looking peace
enough IL n9T t9od "a Sss b tae ri
that he could pick up the right shell. but In
sisted that the mEpey be put up IN the hands n M
money was handed to u man who the Italian
thought Was stranger bpt who was 10 reality
He H reached over Tor his money lust IN time TO
sss ,ho 'fsnf IS M
kicked the IL the fans hi, The Latter
the swindlers that they retired to their he head
bs 20
| On Thursday last four men. one after tho
Sesatins EsEs S Tsey oa all but q
use TheX bF9Es Ser 1he ssme uD BY
think Ing be had a sure thing. bet tl9l; He sue.
| ceeded in picking out the rlgnt smell; Dut JUST
| a. he did SO q capper spranR forward and de-
manded to know by what right the young man
| had bet on the same shell that he tthe capperl
| had bet on. During the commotion the shell
man disappeared, and the $40 too.
| just at dusk on Friday evening two young
| their money. When 1t WAS refused them they
became angry and started g 90 up the rg ThSs gle
crowd scattered. Two OF the cappers followed
into the Ssysnth Sss %sd fna s
| hind them and after Knocking them down
gave them q terrible beating. The Young men
yelled at the top OF their voices for help but
ON Monday last the swindlers outdid them
selves. A rough estimate places their gains
One loser was a we-dres.ed young man, who
was tempted 10 wager $40 that he could pick
tempted to even up thinEs by betting $40 oven.
He again lost but kept y j., up m gnti s1 he finally
| Another young man. OF tho Jimmy Fresh
| order thought that the game coSid be beaten