The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1891-12-24

A very strange story Is now told by
harmon Schriver, the MasslilonIah who
is 50 800 poorer by reason Of contact with
couple of sleek three card monte men
last Friday. lie holds out the idea That
he did not gamble but took the box with
the money in IL, or rather, thought he
took il as u gift with the philanthropic idea
Of lavishng the sum upon the poor, and
that his senses of the ridiculousness of
the whole proceedings were uulled 10y tile
hypnotic iufluence due to tine efforts Of tue
supposed Alliance banker, German. Mr.
Scnriver tells the rather absurd and Ri
Giculous story as follows and says he
upon dream, lie gays: When found
had teen robbed | wanted to explain
but could not | was II Ut myself on sat-
urlRy at all. LOOT no sleep Friday night
and all could tell was q little here and
h IRE and | mixed myaelf up and the
people who heard me. The man German
came to me Friday aud said he wanted
TO buy my place and from the flrst 1 felt
thet he was all right. He wanted more
land th8n / had so hc drove toward the
Jarvis place. We met a stranger who
said he was from Tennessee and he began
to talk TO us and tel! great yarn about
h s family history how his father had left
him $4,000 and 800 acres of land, most of
the money which he bad with him tied up
in an old hat. He seemed Ia 1.ssipstc1
sort Cf fellow and said he was going to
spend hie money as he thought some one
would kill him aud get it any how. He
said he had lost 81, 600 at Il game in Gin
ciuuau and han bought the game which
he showed and German had him explain
it. Then he played with Carmon and the
latter won S75. He then wanted TO bet
5000. Cormlu did not want TO bet and
neither did but he said try IL just for fun
and German picked up a card and won.
The fellow then threw 5000 into the
buggy. Then he asked me TO pick up
card just for fun. did and he threw IS, 900
more IN. We did not want to take the
ho was going to waste 1t anyhow we
had better take it and give
il TO the poor. The fellow
however said we must show that we could
show an amount equal to his $4,000. The
$4,000 was put in Ia Tin box and placed in
tue buggy and we left the Tennessee man
after shaking hands and promising to say
nothing about the matter to any one.
German had 81 500 and | got certificates
of deposit froIu Mr. Kicks for By thirty
days note for $500 to complete the
amount. The Tennessee man would not
allow the certificates to go so Cormsn
said we could get the money at Canton
and we drove over in his buggy. | had
perfect confidence in him and was sure
no was going to buy my place. At Har-
ter's bank got Mr.. Day to identify me
and got the money. We started home
and met the Tennessee man and then put
the money in the box with his $1,000.
The fellow said that was all right and the
box was locked and German took
the key. The Tennessee fellow said he
wanted to take the train at Canton and
was in IA hurry so German asked me IL /
would walk ana los him take him to biz
train. he gave me the tin box and | got
out. He then left promising to be back
soon and settle up and promised not to
open the box until he came"
Mr.. Schriver says he felt impressed with
the presence Of German, ana his family
TO most people rather Tar fetched, however
and the prevailing idea appears to be tnat
the sentiments expressed in the letter of
the old gambler to Schriver, which con-
tanned the key to the box, fit the case bet
ter than mesmerism.