The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-10-17
INDIAN HuNco sTEERERs
Simple Games by Which tho CnwaE
Strangers Are Robbed.

Slmple Games by Which tho Cnwary
Strangers Are Robbed.
If any one wants to learn something
of the advancement made by the lndi-
ans in the ways OF the white man lei
him come to New Mexico, with Albu-
querque as starting point for his IN
vestigations.
He viii find here Pueblo Indian girls
and women quite equal in their way tc
the most artful bunco steerer in the
metropolis. In fact. one does not have
to stop in New Mexico to sec something
OF their doings, for they board every
train that passes through this town
and the number OF their victims is lie.
gion.
The particular game of the Pueblo
GIRLS the sale of ancient Zuni pottery.
or pottery from prehistoric ruins, and
the methods of the swiEdle are models
OF simplicity.
The passenger, as the train pulls ur
at the station, sees a lot of queerly-
dressed Indian girls climb on the train
an invade the cars Each on carries a
basket nd each basket is full of pots,
jars bowls, ETC.. made of clay but al
most every article is too small for any
practical use.
Each one passing down the aisle
offers her wares for sale as curiosities
made by her people. and the price OF
each article is but five cents Natur.
ally there is very good demand
among eastern people. and, as the lit
tie clay dishes are OF Indian make, the
sale is legitimate.
But. as the sales are made, the girls
manage to turn the thoughts of the
buyers to the crockery found among
the cliff jewellers or other ruins
This was made last week. one will
say. SIT is not from the graves"
The least show of interest in the re-
mark about pottery from the graves is
noted and stimulated by the girl and
then she goes away. She has none of
the old pottery, but her mother has a
little piece or two
Soon the mother comes in and goes to
the one interested in ancient pottery
The girls stuff was clean and bright;
that in the old squaw's basket is COW
cred with dust 1t is handled with
great care, and undue efforts to clean
it are resented On the plea that the
stuff is fragile.
If he looks like man of small means
he can buy piece of her muddy pot
terry for twenty-cents. If he has the
air of winning man who has struck
it rich and is bound east to visit friends
the price will run from one dollar to
five dollars apiece.
To one who is familiar with the pot
terry found in the old graves the fraud
is transparent. The old squaw has
pottery no more ancient than that sold
by her daughter at nickel piece. 1t
is put in damp and musty place for a
time to give it an earthly smell, and
then it is ready for market
Another trick worked on the white
men by the Indians is in game of
chance. AS the trains arrive at sta
lions where water is to be taken by the
engine or meal by the passengers .
group of Indians is found engaged in
the game. Their picturesque attire
and their manifest interest in the
game both attract attention, and pas
sengers are sure to gather around
immediately capper (who is always
an old Indian), who has posed as a
spectator, begins to explain the game,
but because of his broken language no
one learns anything about it until after
looking over the shoulders of various
players, or doing something else equal
" unfair. he announces that certain
one Of the players is sure to win, and
slyly offers to place some of the money
of the spectators where it will win
share in the pot of money that is up.
He will put up anything from
nickel to dollar or more, and not
few passengers chip in ten cents or a
quarter Just to see how the thing
works."
Of course the thing. the quarter,
works into the pot, and there it stays
The game did not turn out as the cap
per had promised. The capper being
in no disgrace with the passengers, the
one who won the pot will offer to place
money for those with sporting blood.
Usually this winner is a half-breed
girl with more or less comely features,
and, because the spectators are for the
most part men from the smoking car,
she has no trouble in working sundry
small coins from their pockets. and
never a return does she make--N. Y.
Sun.
-Sammy-Lid you ever see the Old
Man Of the Sea-" Johnny-"No; but
know who he is. He's the father of
The Rermaidsp'