The record-union., 1891-09-18
Squirting AT TEE FINISH.
The Thieves and Sharpers are Re-.
doubling Their Efforts.
Another Case Of Garroting-Bunko
Men Operating Successfully-The
Small Police Force Helpless.

Small Police Force Helpless.
Now that the fair is drawing to a close
the thieves and swindlers who have in
tested the city during the past fortnight
are redoubling their efforts so as TO make
a grand final cleanup. They are even
bolder than at any previous time, and as
q result q long list of robberies are re-
ported.
While some of these cases reach the
ears of the police, the majority do not, as
the victims are usually loath to acfnowl-
edge themselves to be dupes, and as a
rule hold their tongues.
ANOTHER CASE OF GARRorING.
The garroters have not reaped a very
rich harvest so far, as in majority of
cases their intended victims have es-
capped. Last night, however, two of the
fraternity made quite haul.
Shortly after midnight a GEccRD-
UNION reporter met a well-dressed and
espectable-looking man On street,
near Third, who was bleeding from a
cash over his right eye and from another
on the chm. His silk hat was mashed
Upon being questioned by the reporter
the man said his name was Charles Mel
drom, and that he belonged in San Fran
cisco. He was somewhat under the in
f1uence of liquor, but not enough to be
stupid. He said he had engaged in a
game of ''craps" in an uptown resort,
and had made quite good winning
something like S14. After he had ''cashed
in" and was about to leave the place, a
young fellow stepped up to him and
asked him for 50, explaining that it was
he who had given Meldrom good luck"
Meldrom gave him fifty cents and left.
HE WAS FOLLOWED.
He walked up to 1 street and then down
toward Chinatown. Upon turning the
corner he noticed three men following
him, but paid no particular attention to
them.
Meldrom said he was near Fifth street
and in front of a woodward, when he
was suddenly seized from behind, and
then dealt heavy blow on the forehead,
which knocked him down. He was
struck again while PROSTATE, and when
he tried to yell one Of the robbers cIapped
hand over his mouth. His pants pock-
cts were rified, and all of his winnings
taken from him.
The robbers did, not search his other
pockets, and thus overlooked SI75 in
greenbacks which Meldrom carried there.
After taking the $74 they tore off his
cravat, in which there was a small pearl
pin.
The reporter offered to accompany Mel
drom to the Police Station, but he de-
clined to go. 81 had no business drink
ing and gambling in the first place." he
said, land | got what / deserved. /
could not identify any of the men, and |
don't believe the police could do much
about it. The only article they nave that
could be identified is the pin. Besides, /
don't care about getting any notoriety. /
am going home in few hours, and that
will be the end of it"
BURGLARS FRIGHTENED OFF.
About 10 o'clock last night Police Off
Ger Gibson and Special Goods heard
police whistle blowing in the vicinity of
ing in that direction when they were met
by young man who informed them
that two burglars had tried to break into
Mrs. AnderSon's house on Sixth street,
between NJ and n.
The officers went with him to the house
and made a thorough search, but of
course the prowlers had flown.
Mrs. Anderson is an invalid, and saw
the burglars trying to get in at her win
dow. She called to young lady who
stops with her, and the latter gave the
alarm with the whistle.
a young man, who declined to give his
name, complained at the Police Station
last night, about midnight, that he had
been robbed of $40 by woman who has
den on l. street, between Third and
Fourth. officer Mclaughlin went with
him TO the place and recovered the money.
The young man then refused to have the
woman arrested.
BUNKo MEN AT WORK.
T. w. Aldrich of Yolo fell into the
hands of two bunko men yesterday
morning.
He was looking into a show-window.
when they accosted him in jaunty man
ner and convinced him that they had
known him and his family for years.
They asked him over to saloon near the
Postof1ice to take a drink, and on the
way over wrangled between themselves
as TO who should pay for the drinks. FL
nally they agreed to shake dice and settle
it, They shook out the dice and one of
them lost. Then the other wanted ''re-
venge," and soon they were shaking for
money, Aldrich in the meantime being
an interested spectator. Then one of the
scoundrels challenged the other to make
the stake an even 500. One of the men
didn't have the necessary S25, and turn
ing TO Aldrich implored him to lend him
the coin for moment. Aldrich fell into
the trap readily and produced the money.
Inen the pair shook and the winner
raked in the pot, while the rascal who
made the borrow of Aldrich fled.
MORE DICE GAMES.
A stranger from Oroville wandered into
a notorious saloon near the City Hotel
yesterday forenoon, and was immedi-
ately taken in hand by sharper.
The latter invited him to take drink.
Then they chatted for awhile, and finally
began to shake dice. The sharper won
$50 and was paid with a greenback. He
then gave the $50 bill to the stranger for
SIS in gold. After that he lost the SI5.
and told the stranger, or fool, as the case
may be, to let him look at the $40 bin.
The man did so, and his picked-up ac-
quaintance coolly put the money in his
pocket and walked away. The Oroville
man went down to City Attorney Hart
and reported his loss, but they could not
find the sharper. The stranger was going
to 0roville, and SIS was all the money he
had to buy ticket with.
James Fromway of Oakland was
standing in front of the Western Hotel
yesterday morning when sharper took
him in tow. They went to a saloon
where third party-evidently the sharp
er'S confederate-was met. OF course the