Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1892-02-18
ROBBED OF $500.
a SLICK CONFIDENCE GAME WORKED At
SULLIyANS SALOON.
Joseph n Compton, Of Sewickly, Pa. the Victim.
How the Little Racket Was Put Up.
A Mysterious Postal Card.

Joseph NJ. Compton, OF Sewickly. Pa,
arrived in the city ON the steamer Hud-
son, early yesterday morning, en- route
to the Kanawha Valley to buy poultry
and produce.
Within half an hour after he struck
the town he had dropped 500 to one Of
the confidence men who are notorious
hangers-on about certain Market street
saloons, and who. TO the number OF q
dozen or so, can be seen standing about
the streets, watching for victims, every
day and evening. Compton's story is as
folIows:-
When the Hudson reached the wharf
a clever-looking man came aboard, and
scraped an acquaintance with Compton
in few minutes, and by judicious cues
tioning ascertained his business, where
he was going, and the fact that he had
a good deal of money with him. The
stranger was glad to meet Compton, for
he was employed by big New York
clothing firm TO distribute cards and cir
culars for them, and ne wanted to get a
lot of the literature into the interior
of the State, and was glad OF
the chance TO send them by reliable
messenger. Compton said he would
take them, and the stranger proposed,
as the boat would remain half an hour
longer at the wharf, that they go up
town where he had the stuff. Compton
was willing, and the stranger steered
him to Sullivan's saloon. just as they
went in second stranger, who will be
designated hereafter as No. 2, came in
and invitations to drink were exchang-
ed. Compton said he didn't drink, but
was persuaded TO take something"
and he took glass of orange cider.
Both the strangers pulled out tive-dol-
lar bills to pay for the round, and John
Sullivan, who was behind the bar, said
he couldn't change them, and then 1t
was proposed that they throw dice TO
see who settled. About this time stran-
ger No. l asked John Sullivan II the
cards had come yet, and Sullivan re-
piled that they had and that some were
left. The three then began to throw
dice, and the number twenty-one COM
ing up pretty often, it excited remark
between the strangers, and No. l
said he could tell the number
every time, and offered to bet five dol
lars with No 2. The latter took it,
and the dice were thrown and No. l
won. He then showed Compton, on the
sly, how he could tell the number every
time, and when the second stranger was
invited TO bet again, for $50, he said he
was willing but wanted to make 1t $780,
No. l didn't have hundred, but he
borrowed it from Compton, and the bet
was made. The dice were thrown, and
No. won, picked up the two hundred,
and went out the back way. Compton
then kicked for his money, and stranger
No. /, who seemed to be dazed by his
unexpected bad luck, offered TO write a
check for SIS, II Sullivan would cash it.
Sullivan was willing if the check was
good, but there was some trouble, and
Sullivan put Compton out Of doors, allow
ing stranger Mol to remain in the place.
Compton tried TO get back into the
place, when John Sullivan hit him in
the moGth with heavy ruler. Comp
ton then went back to the boat, and
ABOUT Tue Giulo III sIdI VeuS tOlu soIIO VI
the officers about his experiences. They
advised him not to let the matter drop,
and Compton accordingly got off the
boat at Bloch's tobacco factory, came
up town, and laid the matter before the
police, after which he left town. Sui
Ivan denies all knowledge OF Compton's
having been robbed in his place.
1t is singular coincidence that yes
terday morning postal card was re-
ceived at the City Hall, giving the in
formation that several strange conf
dence men would arrive in town to-day,
and that they were adopts at several
dice rackets. The men were described,
and at least one of the two men who did
up Compton TALES with the description
on the postal.