The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1893-11-15

TAKE BOGUS MONEY.
Midway Folk Cheated Because of Their
Ignorance.

TAKE BOGUS MONEY.
Midway Folk Cheated Because Of Their
Ignorance.
From, the Chicago Tribune, November 2.
Milk and honey will flow and there
will be fcasting and rejoicing in many
lands of the Orient this winter. The
people of the Midway are going home
and they are taking with them an
amount which, added to what they
have already sent, is estimated to ap-
proximate s1,OOO,0O0. If any man
doubts it let him 60 into the banks
and tourist agencies which deal in for
eign exchange and money. They
have been besiegcd the last two days
by Egyptians, Copts, Franks, Arabs,
Turks, Hindoos, Sinhalese, Nubians,
Japs and Syrians with wads, bundles
and bags of money to be changed into
coin that passes current in their far
away homes. If any man wishes to
see an exhibition Of Oriental grief and
rage let him be there when out of the
money offered the receiving clerk
throws back lead quarter or coun-
terfeit bill. The bland people on the
Midway, who managed to sell visitors
plasters worth four cents for three
dollars, were game for people who
wanted to shove bad money. They
got leaden silver pieces, bad limitations
of United States currency notes, and
bills issued by the Confederate Gov
ernment or State banks which died
thirty years ago. How much they got
cannot be estimated. Capt. Porter,
of the United States secret service,
who heard Of it yesterday afternoon,
began an instant investigation. he
does not believe the amount is great.
At the banks where the money was
changed it is thought the sum total is
mere drop compared with the good
money the Midway people are taking
away.
DoNKEY-BoY WITH $500.
They are changing money at the
rate of from $780, to $50, 900 day
at Cooks agency. Major Hutchin-
son, one of the managers Of the
agency, was never quite so busy. All
day yesterday he had to stand at his
desk and answer when braWny camel
drivers from Cairo street, Persians,
Arabs, and Turks came in and inquir-
ed for their "Dear Father The Ma
jor is so known to lots Of the queer
people on the Midway. They have
driven his camel or rowed his boat or
piloted him across the desert in many
Of his trips for Cook. 1t was curl
GUS sight to see them come in. The
first arrival Tuesday was donkey boy
from Cairo street. From some remote
corner of his flowing robes he pro-
duced tattered cloth and unrolling
it, dumped s700 in silver on the coun-
ter.
stLet me have French francs for it, +"
he said through the interpreter. A
camel driver followed who wanted
$1,000 changed. Along in quick sue
cession came an Arab, who brought a
draft for $1,000 on Beyrout, Turk
who had $4,000 to transfer, Persian
dancer with a fortune Of $1,000 in
American silver, and Nubian soldier
who unrolled $500 in bills. All day
Tuesday and yesterday they came with
money in every imaginable receptacle.
The elderly Egyptian who sold plas-
ters worth four cents for coins Of 300
B. G. for 81 each, planked down sew
eral hundred dollars in bills and asked
for French Napoleons. Devout
Turks, who had spared the time from
their devotions to sell something, had
Jumps Of bills to turn into gold. It
was a spectacle that inspired Major
Hutchinson to remark that the glory
of the Orient had returned.
THEY 60 HOME RICH.
What he meant was this: In Egypt
an income of 20 francs month is
deemed sufficient to keep family and
allow margin for saving. The un-
married man with an annual income Of
$25 is considered great catch.
"When that donkey boy from Cairo
street arrives home with his 500
what will he do Buy a palace p
was asked Major Hutchinson.
"He will.b marked man among
his neople. He NAV not buy pal
ace, because he is as like as not to
have dozen wives. The money he
takes home will keep them long,
long time. The praises Of Chicago
will be sung in many lands this win
ter, because hundreds Of families in
the Orient will be in plenty with what
their fathers have earned in trade and
received bachsheesh. We have been
sending people home for month.
Forty destined for Turkey, Egypt and
Arabia leaye in lie Bretague next Sat
urday. Those who remained until the
last take home the most money. 1t
has been accumulated by them all
summer. We see it now for the first
time.
The Orientals, who are going home
through Cooks agency are leaving a
little of their money behind. Some
of the Syrians have bought frst-class
guns and pistols. When tLey gallop
over the desert on their fiery chargers
they will shoot Remingtons and Colts
in the air instead of the rusty flint
lock muskets with which their friends,
who stayed away from the Fair, are
armed. Half dozen Of those Egyp-
tian donkey boys, who are taking
home Independent fortunes, are going
in style beftting their changed condi'
tions. They have purchased Ameri-
can clothes literally of South Clark
street secondhand dealers. The NJ.
bians have invested in scented hair oil
and mirrors the Turks have bought
jewelry.
"They will be bowling swells among
their people" said Major Hutchinson.
"They have been treated with re.
spect they were totally unused to.
expect to hear of trouble on the Nile
when the donkey boys get back and
find that with Europeans familiar
with Egypt they are simply donkey
boys. Why, some of them were taken
riding in carriages this summer.
n