The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1891-03-14
"AN IMPORTANT CATCH"
The Clever Ruse of Three Shrewd
Swindlers.


sion House, the residence of the Lord
Mayor of London, there was in Leaden-
hall street. in 1879, the shop of wealthy
matchmaker
One dreary November morning man
entered his shop whose loud dress and
louder manner impressed the jeweler
disagreeably. He looked at the swag-
gering fellow, sized him up in iiffy,
and tipping his clerks the wink to be
extra careful, stepped forward and
said in his sharpest tone: "Well, sir?"
The fellow was not bit abashed.
"Aw," he said, in an unmistakable
low cockney voice, "ye ave been very
ighly yrecommendedto me-factis, i want
TO get about thousan' puns worth of
watches from you. | am going to the
West Indies by to-morrow's steamer,
and want to make this little hinvest-
ment on me own haccount. Now, re-
member, me good friend" he added,
laughingly, my name is cash-cash,
ye know. So want no fancy prices,
but every thing frst-class and bottom
rates"
The jeweler, keeping sharp lookout
all the while, showed him his various
Styles and in a very short time the fell
low selected about Ell 900 worth of
watches.
''Just e992, 15s," said the jeweler
Every well, 'ere's thousand puns.
just wrap up the swag and gi' me the
change, will YEP"
You must excuse me-" said the jew
eler, after fumbling little while at
his safe, "but 1 can't change this note.
Just sit down few minutes and I'll
send the boy over to the bank. Here,
John, take this to the bank" And then
in an undertone he added: "Just find
out if the bill is good. Don't cash it; |
have plenty of change here" The
stranger calmly seated himself and
quietly conversed with the ieweler.
In a few minutes the boy returned.
''The note is perfectly good, he said
softly to his employer. The merchant
was puzzled Was it possible that he
could be mistaken? However, there
was nothing else to be done. So he
handed the man his change and the
package of watches. He was about to in
-quire by what steamer his customer was
going to leave, when the door opened
and another more loudly dressed indi-
vidual walked in. He looked at the
first fellow, and, without minding the
jeweler, who watched him narrowly,
he slapped him laundering whack on
the shoulders and cried out:
''Hullo, Jack, what in goodness are
you doing 'ere2"
'Hullo, Joe! where do you come
from? bought some watches 'ere!"
''The dickens we did! L am ere just
on the same herrand And what did
you buy watches for?"
81 am going to the West Indies"
by the holy poker, so am II What
steamer?''
''The Jamaica"
"Deuce take it all, so am l. Well,
now, me good fellow, just stay here till
I'm done. / don't want to carry the
same stuff you do. Just 'elp me select y
'Of course | will. 'Ow much are YOU
going to hinvest?"
"Well, about a thousan puns. The
jeweler by this time had become thor
.oughly awake He felt sure the coup
was now coming and he doubled his
watchfulness. With due care he dis
played his goods, and the two fellows
had soon selected another one thousand
pounds sterling worth of watches
Like number one, one thousand pound
sterling note was offered in payment
for number two. This time the Jew
eler felt sure that the note was for
gerry. M
81 have just told your friend" said he,
"that | haven't change enough in my
safe. 1t is annoying, but if you'll kind
ly wait a moment I'll send the boy over
to the bank with the note. Just make
yourselves comfortable, gentlemen; the
boy will be back in an instant" In a
few minutes the boy returned, and again
he muttered:
"The note is perfectly good" The
jeweler was more astounded than ever.
After all he had been mistaken in these
two uspicious-looking characters and
his sharpness was at fault. He could
scarcely believe it. His well-known
shrewdness, his knowledge of human
nature, needed correction. Incompre-
hensible! He handed the man his
change and package and was still con-
versing with the two when suddenly
the door was pushed open and big,
burly policeman bounced in. He laid
his strong hands on both men. "Jacls
Halloran," he said, "and Joe Winter
bottom, arrest you in the name of the
Queen! Steady now, my men, and no
fuss, if you please. The game is up! !
have plenty of help outside. So just let
me put these little ornaments on your
wrists, and the quicker you are about il
the better all around"
The jeweler chucl1led. After all he
had been right, and these fellows were
sharpers. He nodded his head com
placently as he looked on. The fellows
were remarkably good-natured, though
thoroughly crestfallen. They did not
offer the slightest resistance.
Mighty hard luck, Joe," said John
Halloran, "and just when we was of
for the West Indies, too. Well, say,
officer, you amt a-going to drag us
through the streets like this, are ye?"
mot by jugful," answered the po-
liceman. 'Know you and your gang
too we'll. Ye shall have all the style
you want, boys. have growler
right outside the door, and ye shall be
driven to the Mansion House. And
now, sir" he said, turning to the jew