The morning news., 1893-06-24
oREEN eoops MN wonsrrp.
said to Have Gone 70 New York and
Dropped 81 800 in Cleveland.
Prom the Cleveland Loader.

dropped 81 300 in Cleveland.
From the Cleveland Leader.
II sometimes happens in the lives Of the
most skilled Of swindlers that they mis-
take their men. Such thing happened
in spider and iiy" game attempted at
the American House Friday afternoon
about O'Clock AT that hour the people
in the hotel lobby were startled by two
men running down the stairs and out Into
the street, one in rapid pursuit OF the
other IL was an uncommon occurrence
for this quiet hotel and thereby hangs
tale.
Not very long ago a farmer living near
Brooklyn village correspOnded with
green goods man of New York city. The
latter came TO Cleveland and the farmer
paid him $500 for what he supposed was
$500 counterfeit money. The swindle is
an old one. The green goods" man count
ed out 81 800 In good new banks notes,
which the farmer supposed were the coun-
terfeits that would defy detection. The
money was then put in box. the atten
tlon of the farmer was diverted, and
simple trick, substituted a box containing
wad of green paper for the precious bank
notes When the farmer reached home
and examined the package he, of course,
discovered the swindle Owing to the
TACT that he attempted to buy count
erfeit money he and his friends are studi-
ously cOncealing his name
The farmer was enraged and resolved
to be revenged. He told his friends, and
two men who heard of it-Edward Gates
and Mr.. Ord of Brooklyn village
planned to trap the "green goods" sharp
ers They entered into correspondence
with the "greeu goods" agent, and it was
arranged that they would meet him at
the American house on Friday. With
the green goods agent came a bunco
companion, and one of them registered at
the hotel as William jackson. Gates and
Ord met the men at the hotel. One of the
agents remained on the sidewalk in front
of the hotel with Ord to prevent him from
engaging in conversation with any one,
and the other accompanied Gates to a
room in the hotel. AS they started up
stairs the bunco man asked Gates:
Have you got your s500!p
Gates said yes and showed the agent
roll of bills which he held in his hand
'Here's the 81 800 too, replied the agent
and he let Gates peep into box that he
carried.
The two men entered the room and
Gates received his instructions. The
counterfeit money would be left in the
box and taken to q place of safety, from
where, at a safe and convenient hour,
Gates could get it.
"You had better count the money here
on the table," said Gates.
The agent counted out 81 800 of as good
money as the eyes of man ever rested
upon. AS the last bill was stretched on
the tempting pile, Gates suddenly drew
revolver from his hip pocket, levelled 1t
at the head of the green goods agent,
and, grasping him with his left hand, ex-
claimed; II am a United States detective,
and you are my prisoner
There was wild stare in the eyes of
the swindler. Then, with suddenness
and force that almost threw Gates off his
feet, the agent ierked himself loose and
dashed outof the door, leaving his 81 800
lying on othe table. Gates went in pur-
suit, and the two men tore through the
Railways, down the stairs, into the
lobby below, and out on the street. The
lady guests were frightened, and the gen
tlemen stood looking on in amazement
and wonder The bunco agent made
good his escape, and Gates returned to
the hotel.
In the meantime the companion of the
agent had disappeared. But later in the
evening man giving the name of
Mathew Nicholson was arrested at the
hotel on the charge of being suspicious
person. It is thought possible that Mich
olson is the man who registered as Will
lam jackson. The 81, 500 in money was
locked up in the hotel safe and will prob
ably remain there for some time Patrol
man Bleasdale arrested Nicholson. Gates
and Ord are highly respected gentlemen,
and their only object was to thwart the
swindlers.
In the police court on Saturday morning
the case against Nicholson was continued
to June 10, and his bail was fixed at $500.