Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1894-06-02
GREEN GOODS WITH 4 VARIATION.
4 scheme That shows Ingenuity and .
Phase That Proves Tempting.

Another and most tempting phase OF
the green goods scheme has made its
appearance. Il was tried in Hartford
recently, but the man whom the crooks
intended Il make their victim was too
fly" for them. They took the warning
and skipped the town. This is the plan
II the game:
A stranger comes to town and selects
ais victim, usually a saloon keeper. He
makes the saloon his hangout and
spends money freely. The proprietor
500 notices, If he is at all observaat,
that every time he stranger pays for
anything he passes out a crisp, I'M
wrinkled bill. The stranger becomes
sery friendly with the proprietor, and
one fine day he says:
well. | must say good-by tomorrow.
But before | 90 | wish you would give
me back those new bills. / will give
you other money for them"
why, what FORE"
well. I'll tell you. That money I've
been spending here is not right, see?
I've grown TO like You, and | don't
van you 10 get into trouble"
The victim is astodished. Probably
goes TO his cash drawer and examines
some of the money. He swears that il
Is real, but the stranger laughs at him.
"Real? why, I'll sell you cords of that
stuff for $50 a $780," Then the stranger
goes on to explain the same old story.
but with this addition:
you've seen this exposed in the pa
pers a hundred times, and how a man is
bound TO lose his money if he runs up
against the game. Well. If you'll do
business with me I'll put the money
right in your hands before you pay me
a cent"
That certainly looks reasonable, and
let us suppose the victim bites. He
agrees to do business" He says he
will buy 800 worth. The sharper then
tells him to meet him the next day ~ith
800 in - bills. They meet. The
sharper produces a large envelope.
They count the money and place it in
the envelope. The victim is directed to
seal the envelope. The stranger then
says:
Now, | will mark this envelope in
your presence" Suiting the action to
the words he takes out a stylographic
pen, spreads out Il newspaper on the
bar to write upon, writes a number
across one end and three initials in the
middle; then, as he blots the writing
with the newspaper, says: Now you
keep this envelope with your money in
it, and when u agent calls or you to-
morrow he will count the goods into
your hand. And when you are con-
vinced hat it is just as represented, not
before, hand him this envelope. He
will recognize the number and initials
and receive it as payment"
With these words the stranger hands
the victim his envelope, bids him good
by, and takes his leave. It is needless
to say that he Immediately leaves town,
and that when the agent fails to arTivs
the e day and the victim opens hi
envelope he finds it filled only With
pieces of blank paper cut to represent
The s. bills!
A few words will suffice to explain
the trick, for it is as truly a sleight-of-
hand trick as any Jewett or Hermann
or Keller can do on the stage. The
crook has two envelopes precisely alike.
Ono he prepares by marking it with a
number and initials and filing it with
the required number of blank sheets OF
paper. This he folds inside Of a news
paper and puts it care lessly in his side
pocket, /
The other envelope he keeps in read.
mess TO produce at the right moment to
receive the victims money. When he
has seen the bundle" safely inside, and
sealed, he takes out his newspaper,
spreads the envelope upon it, writes on
I, opens up M corner of the paper,
and puts it underneath and blots it.
Then here comes the change, which is
simple enough. He takes out the dunn
my envelope and hands it TO the victim.
It is all so natural that any a might
be deceived. The victim thinks that his
money does not go out of his sight for a
moment, but it does, very much so.-
Hartford Times.