Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1891-09-25
A GOOD LESSON.

y
now. About that number of years ago
they were flooding the country with
circulars, setting forth the ease and
safety with which the rural customer
could pass off counterfeit money and
the astonishingly low price at which
he could procure that which even bank
experts at times failed TO detect as
counterfeit OF course then, as now
the scheme of those vagabonds was to
get their dupe's good money and give
him bundle Of blank paper, cut the
size of greenbacks, or bundle of
sawdust The green-goods men are
very careful of their precious liberty
and do not care to run the risk of
handling genuine counterfeit" bills,
as one OF them called it in his cir
cular.
Near Ayers Hill, in Potter county,
Pennsylvania, about ten years ago,
lived sturdy, healthy young farmer.
All Mayo. AS he has since left that
part of the country no harm will be
done by giving name and location.
In some way the green-goods men
of New York got his address, and he
got one of the regulation green goods
circulars. AL had good little farm,
wife and one child. but ho was not
contented with the slow returns of
farming; he wanted to make money
faster The tempting circular struck
him very forcibly. At first he threw
'ide as being rather risky. Then
he began to argue with himself: III
bank experts are deceived by the mon
eY and it passes just as we'll as the
genuine, where is the great harm in
using q little of it. The fact of who
makes it doesn't make such great
difference" AL had never been en-
gagged in anything that was not fair
and square, and his neighbors never
questioned his word. He prided him
self considerably upon that, but finally
his scruples gave way and he opened
correspondence with the New York
parties. OF course he said nothing
about it to his wife. If a man has "a
good first-class wife, he never con-
suits her when he is going to do any
thing that isn't just straight; he's
afraid she might dissuade him from
his fell purpose.
At about the same time that AL was
corresponding with the sharpers, his
father-in-law, who lived in one of the
lower counties of the state. received a
green goods communication. Like AL,
he had never heard of their schemes,
and like him he laid aside his consci-
entious scruples at the tempting
allurement and decided 20 be some
thing of a villain himself as it prom
ised to pay SO well. AS matter of
course his negotiations were conducted
very secretly, for it would never do
for Major Stout pillar of the church.
to be caught in any shady transactions.
AL and his father-in-law were deal
ing with the same firm, and by some
fatal chance both appointed the same
day to meet the gentlemen in New
York and close the business, and each
entirely ignorant of the others journey
landed in New York only an hour
apart. AL had given as his excuse for
visit to the great metropolis that he
wanted to buy new team of horses,
and the Major wanted to get some
farm tools. AL was cautious and to
took with him with which he was TO
purchase the spurious wealth. he
sewed all except a few dollars in the
lining of his coat; the other he put in
his large, old-fashioned wallet and
carried in his pocket.
Each were met at different rem
devious by IA delegation of the New
ino off mi,
airy signs and passwords, conducted to
a place on Chatham street. Tho party
with the Major in hand reached the
business Office first. and they were en-
PERTAINING him with stories and jokes
and cigars preparatory to getting down
to business. The party looking after
AL entered and took a room adjoining
the one where the Major was being
worked. AL was a little Shy, and in
sisted on the business in hand being
attended to at once; he did not care to
hear yarns, or partake of anything to
drink. A package was produced by
the sharpers, said to contain five
thousand dollars in counterfeit money
well. open it up and count it. /
don't take anything blind" said AL.
.Oh, it's all right the goods are
there; but 1t isn't safe to open the pack
age here"
This isn't safe business, anyway.
and I'll take the extra risk" remarked
AL. as he reached out to take the pack
age and open it. One of the fellows
pulled the package away and the other
turned out the gas, leaving the room
in darkness. Both fellows caught hold
of AL. and with the dexterity of ex-
perts, went through his pockets before
he really knew what was being done.
Then they gave him a shove and
slipped out Of the room. locking the
door after them.
AL began to shout and slam about
the room, and that alarmed the chaps
in the next room with the major, so
they too, turned out the light and
skipped. leaving the major bewildered
and in the dark. AL. in feeling about
to End the door. struck the one be-
tween the two rooms. 1t was locked.
but anything to get out so he placed
his shoulder against it and it few off
the hinges. The major was alarmed
at being uncerimoniously deserted by
his companions, and the splintering