The morning call., 1894-10-07
HAD ENSNARED A FARMER.
GOId-Brick Swindler johnson One
of the Trio.
JUDGE LEWIS STRANGE ACTION.
He Approves Bonds for the Release
of the Chief of the Gang Said
to Be Worthless.

4
to find two of the most accomplished
swindlers that ever traded on the guilt
bilty of mankind. They are membe of
| gang of three that has been operating
| with great success among the rural folk in
and around Martinez The third man
was in the Contra Costa jail yesterday
morning, but it is possible that he has been
released on straw bonds. which were ap-
proved by Judge Levy, now a candidate
for reelection as Judge of the Superior
| Court.
The man who is or was prisoner in the
Contra COSTA Jail is William Pierce. long
and unfavorabiy known to the police and
legion of victims. One of his partners
for whom search is being made is John
son, the notorious gold-brick swindler,
and the name of the third is unknown.
The eDterpiising trio visited Martinez
early Tuesday morning we'll supplied with
bait for the catching of "suckers"-fish
that are supposed to abound in rural dis
| tricts, but who, in reality, can be found
anywhere by the angler who knows his
| business. The bal consisted of satchel
stuffed with dummy packages of green
| backs, bonds and checks and bucks skin
sacks full Of iron disks or washers that
|
John WIckers, the good-natured keeper
| of hotel in the town and proprietor of a
ranch at Concord, was staked out as a
| victim. He had suffered at the hands of
| bunko-steerers before, and that was per
| haps the reason why the sharpers selected
| him, for there Is a saying among them
which is to the effect that Sucker" never
reforms.
| -, 20 all
| fact that soon fell into the possession of
| The three adventurers. who saw in it the
way to draw him into their net. They
quickly concQcted plan and lost no time
in putting IL into execution. johnson.
attired like a country preacher, hired
carriage and drove out to the farm, where
| he was cOurteoBsly received by Wickers.
| He TOLD the rancher that he had heard that
the place WAS for sale and asked the price.
Wickers answered hat he would part with
his acres for $1,000. and johnson, after
taking a survey of The land and premises,
declared That it was none too much for
such fine piece of property. He would
| purchase it just as soon as he was con-
WINGED that the title was alright. Wickers
| praised his most commendable caution,
and offered to 60 with him to Martinez at
|
NJohhson gratefully accepted the offer
and they set out together in the advenJur-
er's buggy. On the way to Martinez
they encountered nicely dressed gsntle-
man, who was driving toward Concord.
/ He stopped his horse and asked the way
to the residence of a well-known farmer
who lived near Wickers' ranch.
'.I'm the travelling agent of the Louis
| Gotf ha
land he is one of our Oldest customers.
| Perhaps you gentlemen would like to try
your luck"
| The "agent" was Pierce, aud the satchel-
full of sucker bait was in the carria ge
behind him. johnson at once declared
that he would like to try his luck, and the
farmer quickly followed suit. Some bogus
| lottery tickets were produced. and the
"agent" then invited johnson and Ruckpr
to try the luck at the envelope game. He
laced cards calling for certain amounts
| of money in envelopes, shuffl-d them with
| lot of envelopes containing blank cards,
and asked the travellers to Martinez to take
their choice. johnson promptly selected
an envelope containing card that called
| for IS, and the farmer, to his intense de-
light, did likewise They tried again and
|
| light on the part of the farmer.
Pierce paid the money and the farmer.
assured that the lucky goddess was show
ering smiles upon him, tried the third line
and drew card that called for $1,000.
you're in it, sure" said Pierce. But
this is hardly square. have satchei full
OF money and S far as l know neither of
| you has a cent"
=
and Wickers' face beamed, while Johnson
struggled in vain to repress his excite
ment.
81 have no money with me-" said John
son, "but 1 have lots of it at the hotel In
MARTINEZ. 1 am going there to purchase
this gentleman's farm, and If you will turn
back with US we'll continue the game"
81 have no money with me-" said
Wickers, ''but have property and can get
all I want in town. I'll go on with the
game if you'll go back to Martinez"
or course Pierce would go. The fish
| was in the net and would soon be gasping
on the beach.
They drove to Martinez, where the third
| con federate was stationed to play'the part
of lookout and inform his associates of
the appearance of detective or other sus-
| plclOus person OH tue sceDt II WAS WISE
| iorethought. Constable Reece Jones had
heard of the arrival of man with
satchelful of greenpacks, and from the
description he had received of the fellow
had come TO the conclusion that he wa
none other than Pierce. the swindlef. Nick
Harris, the Secret Service agent, was n
Martinez that day, and was conversi ng
| with the constable when Wickers, johnson
and Pierce passed by on their way to the
| hotel.
Jnnes called Wckers, and soon gathered
from him the particulars of the proposed
sale of the farm and of the Interesting
game which was to be continued at the
hotel.
They're bunko-steerers, sure-thing
men," said the Constable, and Harris cor
roboraIed his statement The farmer,
who on the way had been induced 10 re-
turn to Piercs the SIS won at the card
game, on the ground that it was unfair to
take a prlZe when he had played without
money. sorrowfully thought of the
dollars that had slipped through his fin
gers. and cast vindictive look at the
sharpers. who were standing near him.
Harris ana jones advised him to have
Johnson and Pierce arrested for conduct
inc n ioftarv au6 ha want 18th the Cnp-