Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-11-18
A CLEVER swINpLE.
Two Slick Confidence Men Work Several
Business Men for Ads.

Advertise, ADVERTISED
Tie public believe in this method, the press
swear by il. but when one advertiscs only re-
spensible agents such as THE STAR should be
utilized
For several DAYS many Of our most promi-
nent business men have been making prepara-
ton to increase their stock of goods which
would be desirable TO the railroad men Of this
city and extra employees have been secured 70
handle the rush which was expected.
But. alss. they came not, The men of the
blue coats and brass buttons ride over the car
lines without showing any unususl desire to get
Cd and ring TO stop or SO ahead without even
CHANGING az the stores which expected 70 much
from them.
The advertisers wonder. and the drivers and
conductors work on. unmindful of the on
probrium being heaped upon them
TWO SLICK CONFIDENCE MIN.
The whole affair is the work Of two slick con-
fidence men, who, by glib talk. induced many
well-known business men TO insert an advertise
ment in the "official Journal of the ''Grand
Reunion of the Street Railway Employees "
Washington. u. c." which was 10 have been
held in Concordia Hall on last Wednesday even
ing, but had these advertisers looked in that hall
on Wednesday evening they would have found
instead OF the IL. 900 city railway which they
expected, most pleasant sociable of the Unity
Circle.
To make long story not quite so lengthy.
the persons who were induced to advertise in a
program for an alleged reunion Of railroad men
have been neatly but most thoroughly swindied.
FAKE PROGRAM
At the beginning Of this week the business
houses of the city were visited by a well-dressed
young man who had at his command the rail-
way lingo. He represented himself a. chairman
pf he -
union of the street railway employees Of WASH
ington, ID. C., which he stated woald be held
at Concordia Hall hast "Wednesday evening.
lhls young man, apparently about twenty five
years OF age, smooth shaven, light complexion,
spare build, was accompanied by companion
few years younger, of dark hair and mus
tache. and with n cast in his left eve. Not
wlthstanding a slight impeachment in his speech
| the first described gentleman had no diff
/ Guilty In inducing eighteen or more prominent
business men OF the city to give them cards in
| the official program of the union. He re-
turned in a day or two with neatly arranged
program containing the cards of the various
business houses, and with a single exception
| had no trouble in collecting the amounts agreed
upon.
SUPPOSED TO HAVE LEFT TOWN.
The young gentlemen upon collecting the
amounts agreed upon left town, it is supposed
as il has been impossible for the
business people concerned to discover their
whereabouts. President Hurt OF the
| Washington and Georgetown railroad, tho
young gentlemen announced, would be the
| floor manager of the grand ball
| which would be feature of the
| reunion, and President Pearson of tho
| Metropolitan road was said 20 be the chairman
| of the refreshment committee, Presi.
| dent Stephenson OF the Columbia road
| the chairman of the reception com
mittee, President Griswold of the Ana
| costa road the chairman of the committee on
music and Superintendent Eberly OF the herdic
company was the chairman of the committee on
| decoration.
1t appears that the Young men went TO Mr..
James W. Searle. printer, No. 639 i street and
had the sheets of the alleged program bearing
the advertisements printed. Mr. Searle was
not altogether favorably impressed with his I'M
known patrons and it was through his demand
for his pay the scheme was discovered.
Mr.. j. Frank Minor, the proprietor of
Concordia Hall. stated 10 him that no one had
ever called for the purpose of securing
the hall for the occasion named. and
then it that the weii-planned plot
became known. Ii is said that the enterprising
young gentlemen collected no less than Sl3Q
through their little game.