The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-07-14
LOCATING THE QUEEN.
A MAN FROM AWAY BACK FALLS
IN WITH A THREE CARD SHARP.

Professional Swindler Lesson That the
Latter Will Not Soon Forget
The performance in Forepaugh's circu:
tent had just ended. Within the side.
show tents the hand organs set up their
loudest and liveliest music and the loud.
voiced fakir outside redoubled his ora.
toricaI exertions as the great crowd
surged past his grand aggregation of
wonders. At the southern end of the
lake front. away from the noise and
hurly burly of the big show, sat two
tired looking individuals. whose every
appearance indicated that they had left
their work upon the farm to enjoy day
with Forepaugh, and had done it so
thoroughly that they were half dead with
fatigue. A three card monte sharps
eagle eye caught the rustics and he
swooped down upon his prey like a
young rooster after potato bug.
Pretty hot, isn't til" he began. "You
haven't seen man around here, have
you, with long white linen buster on.
tall white hat and plaid suiE No? Well,
I'm looking for him. Friend of mine,
Left me about an hour ago. He's going
to have some fellows arrested down
there in one of the little tents. Darned
fool, tell him. You see, he was swim
died by a couple of men-three card
mon-what is it? Oh. yes, three card
Monte Carlo Taken into camp just as
slick as grease. Lost a couple of hun
dred on it in less than minute. Rob-
berry, nothing else; but mans blamed
fool to bet his money on another fellows
game. Served him right, say"
Cleaned him out, eh2" drawled one
of the rustics. "Well, that game is as
old as the hills, and Teller that hasn't
more sense than to try to beat it ought
to be turned out to pasture for while"
PRETTY GOOD BAIT.
Looks simple enough" continued the
fakir. II saw the whole thing. OF
course 1 wouldn't bet-not a cent-but
blamed if l wouldn't have put my money
just where my friend did. Darned
sharp, these show fellows. Sleight-of-
hand trick, guess. They mix up the
cards some way when they throw them
down. That is the only explanation Of
it can give"
The farmers laughed. well. you've
guessed it," said one of them after a
hearty burst Of merriment.
"Oh, laugh away-seems funny enough
now; but it isn't so darned funny to the
poor fool who loses his money. 1t isn't
an easy thing to do, let me tell you.
can't throw the cards just as those fell
lows did, but they took three cards, just
like this, and threw them down, like
that, and then bet that my friend
couldn't pick out the queen"
Straight three card monte, as sure as
you're born" said one of the rural visit
ors. 1--WE read all about it hundred
times. Never saw the thing done
though"
"Well, this is all there is to 1.-THE
Snowman did nothing more than this.
See? Simple enough, amt it,"
why, l should say sol l don't see
how your friend lost his money"
He picked out the wrong card, that's
all"
Couldn't have been watching very
sharp, | guess"
well, don't you fool yourself. 1t
amt such an easy trick to pick out
the right card. Do you think you can
do it,"
81 could if the other fellow didn't do
better work than you do"
"Bet you a quarter you can't pick out
the queen, just as the cards lie there
now"
For an answer the farmer turned over
one of the cards, showing the smiling
face of the queen.
THE SWINDLRR CAUGHT.
"Well, by lingo, you did it the first |
time. There's your money. Now, then,
watch the cards closely. There! Pick /
ont the queen. I'll bet you dollar you (
can't do it, or s. or $40 or s25 or 800"
well, put up your money if you want |
TO walk home with your fool friend. |
I've just 500 left and it's going to win
800 more for me right here and now"
A moment later one of the grangers
held IN his hand 500. while the other
bent over the cards preparatory to pick
ing out the royal winner.
Hurry up! Locate the queen and the
moneys yours; if not, it's mine" And
the professional hungrily eyed the
stalker. Bat his victim was inclined to
move rather leisurely.
Let's see, he said meditativelv. "vou
stood here just like this, and You held
the three cards in your hand like this.
with the queen on top. Then you gave
your arm swing like this and
"WeH,'
"Palmed the queen. dropped the nine
'pot IN Its place, and showed the queen
up your right coat sleeve, where it is
now. A very bad JOB, too. partner, be-
cause its dead crooked and so easy that
my schoolboy might catch you dead to
rights and shoot you full of holes before
Tou could square yourself,
II shall slways remember the last time
worked that lay myself he continued,
Is he slowed away the roll Of bills. at
vas II the summer of 1885. was do.
ng outside work with Baruum's show
hat season, and wher we struck Louis
'-4e caught sleepy young fellow with
more money than Grains and tried 20 Il
work the switch OF him-iust as you do !
:, precisely, ! had not finished the ex.
pertinent before / made rather start
ing discovery.
II found that my left lang was inhaiing
II through large hole near the fifth
ID. For the next two seasons 7 did not
axe an active interest in the circus bust
eSs. But eventually took 70 the road