Evening star., 1894-03-27
IN HOTEL LOBBIES.

when left Detroit the entire town was
fairly turned upside down by the flop of
William G. Thompson, ex-mayor Of the city.
into the republican party" So said Leo
Frazier of the wolverine state at La Nor
mandie. THE democrats were dismayed
and the republicans were rollicking in glee.
The former were looking upon Thompson as
their next candidate for mayor, and, as he
is a very strong man, there is no doubt they
would have elected him. He was a republi-
can once before, but went over to the other
side on the issue of free trade. His action
has kicked up a dickens of a row, and
Michigan political states have been smashed
into smithereens by reason of it."
1.-THE general public hears of about one in
hundred of the people who are swindled
by green goods men," said Frank Diveny,
the ex-secret service man, at the National
last night. These sharpers have their
agents going through the country all the
time, and the ignorant man who is found to
have money is pretty apt to be located by
these fellows and the tip sent to the home
gang. In New Jersey to communicate with
him. The same old game is worked. A let
ter is sent to the desired victim, informing
him that the writer has plates in his pcs
session that were obtained surreptitiously
from the Treasury Department. The offer
Is made to sell a certain amount Of money
printed from these plates for 50 much
money-S5,O00 for $500 is usually the per-
centage. or late this letter is accompanied
by what is represented to be sample of
the money printed on the alleged plates.
The sample is a dollar bill and the sucker
Is requested to take 1t to q bank and see
how easily he can pass 1t. Nine times out
or ten he does so, and, as the bill Is a per-
fectly good one the receiving teller takes it
either as deposit or to make change for
without any question. When the sucker has
swallowed the bait this far he Is lost. The
swindlers make altogether out of this green
goods game not less than quarter of a
million year, and yet manage to keep
clear of the pen as easy as you please"
Manager Frank Bennett of the Arlington
Hotel is famous for his readiness of retort
and brilliant humor. and his friends are
smiling over his latest witticism. The other
night lecture manager whom Bennett
knows very well reached the hotel, wearing
Panama hat on his head. Bennett face
tiously inquired where he had gotten the
bonnet.
Down SOUTH" was the reply. The
weather was SO warm that wore it on my
trip up, putting my other hats in the trunk.
It's mighty fine hat, too, Frank. What
would you give me for ft?'
Ten grains of quinine in this climate"
quoth Bennett instantly, with a merry twin
kle in his eyes.
THE motives of men who destroy them
selves have been the subject of surmise ever
since suicide became common" said Walter
EberS of st. Louis at the Riggs House, but
know of one case where man did the
act from instincts of humanitarianism His
name was Edgar Watson and he was at one
time pretty well known on the Mississippi
having been employed on several boats, the
last one being the Annie P. Silver. Watson
was one of the most genial of companions
and never seemed to be out of sorts. He
married a lovely Kentucky girl, who lived
1 think, in Paducah, and a boy was born to
them couple OF years after the wedding
Watson's cup of happiness seemed to be
/ 1alrly Spilling over, and naturally every one
was horror stricken when he was found
dead in Cairo with a bullet hole through his
head and three letters pinned to his breast
No one will ever know what the missives Ia
his wife and mother contained, but the one
confidant, revealed a remarkable story. In
this letter the dead man said that he had
everything to make him happy and that he
had always loved his wife to distraction
but that lately he had become possessed OF
an overpowering desire to kill her and their
child. The feeling had grown 50 much tina,
1t was with the greatest difficulty that he
could keep from choking his dear ones to
death when they were asleep by his side
He recited how he had fought against the
murderous impulse and had gone away on
Journeys to stife 1t, but to no purpose. lie
knew that he would commit the crime with
out any doubt in a very few days and mad
consequently determined to end his own ex-
istence. l have never heard of a Queerer
suicide than that. and 1t Ia true as holy
writ"