Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-09-24
CHEATING TIE REGISTER.
A New Game for Beating the Cash Machin
In New York Bar Rooms.

sTecisl Correspondence Of The Evening star.
New YORK. September %. 1892.
ssVkTcH THAT BARIESDERw
w The man indicated BY my companion
had just taken payment for drinks supplied to
four or five groups of customers. and a loud
ringing AT the ca h register indicated that the
sales we're promptly recorded Presently he
gathered in some more money. the saloon being
crowded and business very brisk. lie rang the
bell again. and after doing 50 noticed that he
made motion as if TO scratch his leg.
did you see that?" asked nv friend.
al an not sure what you mean" replied.
paid attention for the next i've minutes,
during which l saw the bartender make the
same motion again twice. Each time he did it
just after receiving money.
That fellow will have gin mill Of his own
before long" said my companion III an ad-
mirins tone. just observe how artistically he
is beating the ca machine"
How does he do it?'
1T is perfectly evident. if you are on to the
game. The cash register isn't hard to beat in a
sal on that is vel pstronized A bartender
who is up TO snuff rakes in his little percentage
daring the busy part of the day or evening.
Customers are very apt to look at the machine
and see whether it marks their purchase, but
when number of payments are being made
over the bar simultaneously happens every
minute in place like this-it is not possible
for any observer to keep track OF them. SO the
mi ,er of drinks chalks up some and omits
other., the unrecorded balance going into his
own pocket No, did not mean his pocket,
but his pantaioons.H
How do Won mean?'
Whenever the man drops his hand down to
his leg M slips the change he has saved out into
the fold az the bottom OF his trouser leg. which
he has turned up for that purpose. See hat
fellow stooy now. Its ten TO one he did that
because ihe fo!ds at the bottom of his panta-
b looms would no. hold any more conveniently.
But surprising that you are correct, what
did he do with the money!
''Oh. nothing. He left it where it was merely
giving each trOuser leg extra fold upward
toward the knee, SO ss 10 provide fresh recep-
taCies while retaining what has been already ac-
cumulated. lie is a sort OF walking savings
bank BY the time he has his pantaloons rolled
mp to his calves he vii have fair profit on his
DAYS work. When a leisure moment arrives
aad he has time he will unroll his neither gar
merits and transfer the cash to his pockets"
But | should think the other bartenders
would give him awav?'
NO, indeed. That would be unprofessional.
Be-lde-. they could not afford to-
III must r-quire'great nerve
Not ut ALL The proprietor is not around
and the game Is new one besides. Bar
tenders are very iy. knew saloon keeper
once who kept small but well-frequented
place, employing only one assistant. The latter
wore come very showy diamonds. Il keep him
becau-e he has those diamonds. said the pro-
irieior to me. IL | discharged him and go,
another the new man would have diamonds tc
buy and should have TO pay for them. ="
II l. noticeable thai in the large saloons OF
New York each bartender is commonly provided
with hes own cash register, so that seven OF
eight Of those machines are sometimes ranged
behind one bar. They are very costly
instruments. but this plan enables customers tc
/ watch the recording Of their payments more
\ clo-cly.
4 The bell punch. generally employed OF
street cars az one time, suddenly ceased TO b.
used IN New York few wears ago because ar
ingenious conductor discovered method fol-
beating IL. Not sati,fed with the profits which
he could make by utilizing his invention him
set be resigned his place and devoted his a.ten
ton 20 selling he secret TO other conductors
charging $50 for instruction. In this way ht
made great deal Of money. but he fount
out At last. and another method was adopted
E b. the COMPANIES for protecting themselves.
Street car companies suffer SO much from
such peculaiions that. is well known. they
employ spoilers 20 watch the conductors anc
see that fares are properly registered Ont
case l. recorded OF a man who ran q car for
week and never turned in a cent Of the proceeds
10 was during = very exciting strike Ind he wal
not prosecuted. The superintendent, in dis
missing him from service, thanked him for 70
] turning the car and the horssA