The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1894-01-25
BUNCO MEN
A Special Effort made to Explain
Their Methods of SWindlinE.

A Special Effort made to Explain
Their Methods of Swindling.
So many people at the hotels and in
other public places about town have
lately been victimized 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 at 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, and Occide1-
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 thanked 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 as
follows:
Strangers are hereby notified to be-
ware OF buncO SteererS, ShOrt-card play
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 OF good evening, and calling
them by name, say, Il knew you at
mentioning the place where you are
from.) The man being in a strange
place, and unused to the ways Of these
vermin, is only too ready to greet per-
son who may claim that he knew him
at his home. Then follows friendly
drink, and an invitation to take a walk,
and finally he is ushered into back
room Of a saloon where a game OF cards
or dice is in progress.
On the pretense to pass the time the
Steerer takes a hand, be it cards or
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 d
hand at cards; he then finds that his
opponent has hand that beats him.
! II it should be 4 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 stecrer invariably extends
! sympathy to the victim and wishes him
| better luck next time. They leave the
! place together, but the victim is soon
shaken off, when the steerer returns to
the saloon to get his percentage Of the
winnings so obtained by fraud.
Shun all strangers who approach, in
sist and claim to know YOU If you do
not you may repent it.
1T is doubtless good idea to post
! the notices." said one hotel man yeSter-
day, but if they don't read the papers,
! and see the warning daily, l don't
| know how this will reach them The
! public is very peculiar sometimes, es-
pecial]y the travelling public. While
! this class Of people are usually better
Informed than any other they read the
papers and straightWay forget, think
| ing they can take care of themselves.
LAS Il fact those who really know
much about the world can take care Of
| themselves, but it must be remembered
that probably a majority Of those at
the hotels travel but little They are
here from the country towns. and from
| their stores and ranches, and are not
always awake to the Wiles Of these
confidence men,"
Different hotel proprietors say that
during the past two weeks they have
had to keep constant watch for card
sharps and buncO steerers, who come
in, scat themselves, and try to draw
strangers into tion.-San
Francisco Chronicle.