Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1892-01-21
TWO sHREWD sWINpLERs.
They Worked Neat Little Game
Upon Store Woman.


Upon Store Woman.
Tile Clerk Confused with DoubtfnlPm-
chase and Change for n Twenty Dollar
Bill--How the Game Was Worked.
A man about 35 years old wearing a
dark moustache and of medium build,
walked into the umbrella store of h. 9.
Strang, No. 1923 Market street, shortly
after 8 O'Clock Tuesday night and asked
to look at some umbrellas. Mrs. Strang
had gone to dinner shortly before the
stranger entered, leaving young lady
clerk in charge of the store. The clerk,
at the request of the new conner, took
several umbrellas out of the case and
placed them on the counter. The
stranger seemed hard to please and
several times examined the umbrellas
and placed them on the counter again,
without declaring his intention of
making purchase.
Finally, he picked out one which
seemed to catch his eye and decided to
purchase it. The price was $3.50. In
payment for the umbrella the man
rendered a $50 note whereupon the
clerk asked him if he did not possess
anything Of smaller denomination. His
answer was in the negative. The
change was gotten, however, but the
stranger said it was not correct. lie said
his understanding was that the price of
the umbrella was $1.50, while the clerk
had charged him $3.50. He was dis
satisfied with this and asked for re-
duction. This the saleswoman declined
TO grant, but told the man if he was dis
satisfied with the umbrella at that price
he need not take it at all. She would re-
turn him the money.
He still appeared dissatisfied with the
purchase and when he demanded u
second time that reduction be made,
the clerk went to the money-drawer
and taking out the twenty-dollar bill,
handed it over to him and received the
umbrella and the change she had given
him. Still the man did not leave the
store but remained in front of the
counter, undecided whether to make
purchase or not The clerk took occa-
sion to scrutinize the fellow closely
while he was standing in front of the
counter. She noticed that he had dark
eyes and dark hair and wore shabby
beaver overcoat. This was pulled up
closely around his neck and dark
ucIDy ndJ CONeT1u his nthu.
After the man had remained in front
Of the counter for few minutes, as if
hesitating whether to make purchase
or not, he again addressed the young
lady and said that he guessed he would
take the umbrella after all. He said he
needed one, and must get it, The young
lady again went to the case and got the
umbrella and laid it on the counter, the
man at the same time producing the
same $40 note. The clerk secured him
| the change again and received the 500
bill. He had scarcely received the
change when he again complained about
the price being too high, and seemed
undecided what to do. Finally, he de-
manded that the young lady give him
back the bank note, which she did, and
| received from him the change.
The stranger was about to leave the
store when he stepped briskly up to the
counter again and for the third time
said he would take the umbrella, at the
same time producing what the clerk
took to be the 500 note. She
was getting him the change for the
third time when a second party, after
| wards found to be confederate of the
| first man, entered the store hurriedly
and asked the young lady to sell him
some needles. He said he was In o
great hurry and asked the clerk to secure
them for him right away. The young
lady made haste to give the first man
his change again and in her eagerness
to do so she received from him a 81
bill instead of the $40 note, placing the
former in the drawer. The first man
then disappeared out of the door and
the clerk hurried to wait on the man
who had last entered and demanded the
needles.
The paper Of needles was secured
from the show case and the confederate
examined them infinitely before de-
Gliding to purchase. He, too, seemed
undecided whether to purchase or not
and was very particular about the
quality of the purchase. He remained
for some time before deciding to make
the purchase. This was done, it i;
thought, in order to give his confederate
ample time to get out of the way and
avoid arrest. After remaining several
minutes in the store the second man de
cided to purchase the needles, paid fol
them and then left the store.
1t was when the young lady went tt
put the money which she had received
from the second man for the purchase
of the needles into the money drawer
that she discovered she had been thu
victim of an imposter, and clever one
at that She was thunderstruck to fine
in the money drawer instead of a $2(
bank notea plain 81 bill. In her haste tt
wait on the second stranger the youns
lady gave the first man change for
$50 bill, which afterwards proved to be i
81 note. The imposter thus received
$3.50 in change besides the umbrella
for an outlay of 81, while the proprieto
of the umbrella store was out the pric,
Of the umbrella, $3.50, and $40 besides
As soon as Mrs. Strang returned tt
the store from dinner the young LADY
informed her of the swindle, and tn,
former at once went to the city hall ant
notified the police. Sergeant ingram
and Officer Virtue went with Mrs. Stranl
to the store and got a description of tn
imposters from the young woman whl
had been the victim of their villainy
Both men were described as foreigner
of middle age and medium stature. N,
one seems to have seen them enter TIL
store or noticed their disappearance.
------mr-