The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1893-05-12
THE SHARES OF CHICAGO.

Lib yohi ShiCdSO Will De tne DuDkO-
steerers' paradise.
One does not generally suppose that
there are many people in Montana who
could be successfully worked by the
sharks, but the fact that a cattleman
with moro money than experience, hail
ing from this state, has been roped in to
the tune of several thousand dollars
shows that we are liable to supply come
victims to the light-fingered gentry. In
fact we have furnished this one already
and there are probably others to be
heard from.
There is one perfectly safe rule which
would, if rightly observed, keep all PEG.
pie out of the traps OF swindlers of the
various classes that will inf-st the Fair
city. This rule is in three parts: l.
Have nothing to do with strangers I'M
less introduced by persons you know and
trust, and even then be prudent and cir
cumspect in your association with them;
.. Keep out of immoral resorts of all
kinds, as these are the places where ruff
fans lind most Of their prey; and, 3. At
tend strictly to your own business and
ask others who attempt to interff re with
you to do likewise.
The last really covers and includes the
other two, and as there is danger of very
shrewd and knowing persons being
caught by the attractive bats that will
be thrown out in Chicago, it Is a good
thing to rehearse before leaving home
and to practice with severity from the
moment of arrival in Chicago.
or course the card sharp, the pick.
pocket and the ordinary confidence man
will be there in force. They are there
now, and the police reports show that
their victims are already numerous.
Nobody should be green enough to he
fooled by these sneaks of the criminal
class, and if the grccncst will follow the
above rule he will easily escape them.
Zimmerman, the Montana stockman
above referred to, seems to favc been
captured by a thief Of high degree. The
story runs rs follows:
In a morning paper he noticed an adj
vertisement to the effect that a half in
tcrest in a good paying restaurant and
bar could be purchased cheap. the pur-
chaser to manage the business. The
restaurant, it was stated, had a daily
seating capacity of 5000 people. He
called on Austin October 20 last at lG7
Dearborn street, and was told that the
| roc. nIlrDnf ,.lc of - AlF.i,-l, 1000,
Austin represented that he owned the
premises and could give immediate DOS.
session. TO land his western sucker,
Austin told him fairy tales about being
wealthy, and stated that his wife was
worth IA million dollars, owned o store. Il
coal minc,and had influence with the best
peopio in the city. Then Austin took the
cattlemcn out riding behind a horse
which he said was his and worth : l,J0O.
The Lpshot OF the matter was that Xim-
norman paid $1,000 down, gave a note
for $1,000 due January, 1893, and agreed
to pay the remainder, $1,000, out of the
profits of the business. Then he went
back to Montana happy. Soon after
Austin sent him Il paper to sign. He
signed it and now thinks it was a note
for a large amount. The time for dellv-
erlng possession Of the saloon came and
Austin represented that there was a
hitch in the proceedings. The ranch
man then learned that he had been clev-
erly swindled.
Not even the mind of Charles Read,
Dickens, Emil lola, or any other novel
list who has made a study of the Grim
inal classes could exaggerate the danger
that will Turk in the highways aud by.
ways of Chicago this year. Every trick
and artifice known to the craft of crime
will be brought into use, and it is al
ready evident that the one whica,. will be
most successfully worked on western
men is that Of the handsome woman in
distress. This is an old game. but the
western man, as a rule, is Of such tender
fiber, where the fair sex is concerned,
that he usually bites. The game is
played in several ways to suit tho condi,
tions, but results always in the kind and
sympathetic stranger who goes to the
distressed lady's relief being waylaid and
robbed, or, if necessary. murdered, by
the villains for whom the woman acts as
decoy. Police annals show that this
fiendish device is one of the most common
now employed, and that is worked
so skillfully as to render detection almost
out of the question. Hence, when a
western man of tender heart sees a
woman in trouble at the fair who ~solicits
his aid, his safest plan will be to refer
her to the nearest policeman.
To avoid snares at Chicago, vigilance,
good scnsr, and a cool head will be nee.
essary. and withal ever the most wary
may be caught.