Griggs courier., 1891-03-06
DIAMOND CUT DIAMOND. !

DIAMOND CUT DIAMOND.
How . Faro-Bank Boss Was Taken In ana
Done For by avery Fly ..Cop."
"When holiday times come around
they make me think of clever swindle
that was played on the bank was en-
gagged in seven or eight years ago."
1t might be as well to mention the
fact that the speaker was an ex-mana-
ger of a prominent faro bank. which
once existed near Broadway and Four
teenth street.
"You pencil singers" continued he
to the reporter, don't hear about all
the fly movements or ingenious opera
tions Of crooks. Here's story didn't
give away at the time it happened.
was too much ashamed of myself TO
'squeal.'
'sIt was Christmas eve, and we had an
awfully swell crowd in the house-give
you the names! What do you take me
for? If there's honor among thieves
there should be at least deceucy among
gamblers; no, no names. Well, I was
saying we had as fine blue-chip racket
as ever saw spread; it beat old-time
Saratoga. Three or four of the party
stacked right up to our two-thousand-
dollar limit, and the game was making
big money deal after deal.
''Just before eleven o'clock there came
q ring for admittance; the porter peeped
through the slide and suddenly signalled
me to go to him.
''Who is it?" whispered.
"Policeman!" he gasped, his face
showing that elephant-skin sort of hue
which a genuine Africans face assumes
when he's really scared.
81 muttered something that you'd bet
ter not print; If the officers visit meant
the notice of q raid, which we some
times got in friendly way, or an order
to close up for the night, why, up went
our magnificent game. Beside, d;slilxed
to let the stylish guests present feel that
they had been jeopardized-bad future
advertisement for the place. So told
the porter to give bluff to anybody
who inquired about me in the room, and
slipped outside to interview the cop in
the dimly-lighted vestibule. He was
one could not remember as belonging
in the neighborhood, and that gave the
visit serious tinge.
Whats up?" asked, ncrvously.
"He smiled, and with a slight Irish
accent replied: %, just nothing at all;
yer needn't get yerself ratified in the
least. The captain has the prisint of o
Christmas check from some of the big
storelxeepers in the ward, but it didn't
reach him until about an hour ago.
He's going to Boston on the midnight
train to spend Christmas, and he wants
to take the cash with him. So he sint
me to ask you if you will oblige him
with currency for it. He's writ his
name on the back of it, and the man
handed me neat-looking check, drawn
for $3.50, bearing a leading merchants
name as signer, and Captain IS in
dorsement.
II can assure you the explanation md
request put more cheerful color to the
affair. lost no time in diving into my
inside pocket and drawing out five crisp
afties. / handed them to the policeman
with the check as we'll. Tell the cap
tain,' said I, I'm glad to accommodate
him; that he may return the money at
his own convenience, and that prefer
that he should hold he check, as his in
dorsement to me might compromise
him. This was diplomacy; would help
to strengthen my pull; make things
more solid. See?
"'An right said he, turning to 60
out.
"'Let the porter bring out drink
for you,' suggested He declined with
'thankye, don't want the old man to
smell liquor on me; I'll have cigar,
though
81 gave him one out of my case, he
lighted it and took the peculiar strolling
gait of a cop toward the -th Precinct.
"On the morning after Christmas
got an express package. 1t contained a
police uniform, helmet and ALL a dark
brown wig and full dark sandy beard;
also a note which read: 4 apologize for
again intruding upon the palatial Jungle
of the Royal Bengal, old fel, but, if you
will kindly return these things to the
costumer, whose card is inclosed, you
may keep the s15 deposit left on them
on the 24th instant. Nothing mean
about me- IN. Y. Tribune.