Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1894-02-01
MEN
A Special .soles-.a. to n.p,.,-
rheirNyiethoks Of swinalalas.

A Special .aol3sn.de to nxpl.i.
rheir Ylethots Of swipdlins.
Up, ntany people at the hotels and in
other public places about town have
lately been victim fed by sharpers that
yesterday large cards, containing a
warning, were issued by the police de-
partment and sent to hotels. These
have been placed in the most conspic-
ious places usually ut or near the desk
where the registering is done.
At the Grand Hotel there are several
OF these placards, and at the Palace,
California. Baldwin, Lick, aud Occiden-
tai a greater or less number are display.
ed. The department has also sent
cards to the myriads Of smaller hotels.
The army of confidence men that have
arrived in the city during the past few
weeks are flanked by sharpers Of more
or less note from different eastern
cities. They hope to reap rich har-
vests from visitors and residents.
The notice Of warning which has been
issued and posted at the hotels is US
follows:
Strangers are herebysinotlfied to be-
ware Of bunco steerers, short-card play
ers and confidence men. These men in
fest the corridors of hotels, the vicinity
of railroad ticket offices and hotel wine
rooms. They obtain from the hotel
registers the names of guests and
places from which they come, meet
them on the street with cordial good
morning or good evening, and calling
them by name, say, II knew you att
mentioning the place where you are
from) The man being in a strange
place, and unused to the ways Of these
verlnin, is only too ready to greet per.
son who may claim that he knew him
ut his home. Then follows friendly
drink, and an invitation to take walk
and finally he is ushered into back
room Of saloon where game of cards
or dice is In progress.
On the pretense to pass the time the
steerer takes hand, be it cards OF
dice, and wins some money. He then
asks the stranger to play, often divid
ing his winnings with him as an in
ducement This invitation is rarely re
fused. After little time he is dealt 9
hand at cards; he then finds that his
opponent has q hand that beats him
If it should be dice game, he is also
invited to participate, which he does
resulting in his losing his money, pro
badly all he has in the world.
The bunco steerer invariably extends
sympathy to the victim and wishes hin
better luck next time. They leave thu
place together, but the victim is soo1
shaken off, when the steerer returns t.
the saloon to get his percentage Of tn
winnings SO obtained by fraud.
Shun all strangers who approach, In
sist and claim to know you. If you d.
not you may repent it.
ut is doubtless good idea to pos
the notices." said one hotel man yester
day, "but if they don't read the papers
and see the warning daily, I dom
know how this will reach them. TIL
public is very peculiar sometimes, es
pecially the travelling public. Will
this class of people are usually bette
Informed than any other, they read tn
papers and straightway forget, think
| Ing they can take care of themselves.
''As fact those who really know
much about the world, can take care o
themselves, but it must be remembered
that probably majority Of those a
the hotels travel but little. They ar
here from the country towns, and from
their stores and ranches, and are no
always awake to the wiles Of thes
confidence men,"
Different hotel proprietors say tina
during the past two weeks they hav
had to keep constant watch for carr
sharps and bunco steerers, who com
in. seat themselves, and try to draw
strangers into conversation
Francisco Chronicle.