The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-08-23
CROOKS IN HOBOKEN.
A Gang of Green Goods Men
and Gamblers Driven Out
of a Saloon.


Green goods swindlers continue to
flourish In Hoboken. A new gang of
general crooks has just been baffled by
the proprietor in an attempt to locate
headquarters at the saloon recently
opened by William Winges, adjoining Fire
Headquarters on Hudson street near
Second.
For a week past Mr.. Winges has had
an eye on the men. There were five of
them, and he knew them by reputation.
He is familiar with their names but
refused to divulge them. They have,
he said, conducted trade in Hoboken for
some time past. They did not approach
Mr.. Winge's saloon until a young pool
player was engaged to manage the pool
tables in the rear of the saloon; Then
they came. They We're card sharpers
aud buneo steerers-fami!iar with every
game on the green cloth.
INDIE WATCH.
When Mr.. WingeS saw the men in his
place he concluded to keep them under
surveillance. They talked together sls-
picioueiy,. examined rolls of paper and
allowed the young pool player to partic-
ipate in their conversation.
Monday night Mr.. Winges observed
enough to convince him that the men
were there. for no good purpose. They
approached everyone who came into
the saloon and made propositions MIR:
Winges finally walked into the room and
said:-"This is no place for YOU. gentle
men, you have made a mistake"
A look of commingled surprise and dis
may oterspread their c~ountenances..
IN bet I can beat you at pool ex-
claimed one who had regained equanim-
Don't doubt it. I never played pool
in my life. You fellows get out OF this
quickly, Mr.. Winges r~etorted decisively.
Say, boss, don't say a word now,
and Wen get you something nice. It's
worth twenty dollars a day to you"
DOUBT DISPELLED.
Had there been any doubt before it was
all dispelled now. Winges has had too
much experience to be fooled. The offer
of twenty dollars a day to protect green
ordered the men out: They came back
again last night and were elected.
This morning Mr.. Winges accused his
young manager of collision with the men
He denied it but said:-"They are out
for the stuff the same as anyone. e
don't object to making a dollareaslly.
Upon this admission Mr.. WingeS dis
missed the pool player.
The young man was seen by a reporter
of 1.-The News" but all he would say
was:-
"They want the dust and take any
thing that comes along"
These green goods men have been tax
ing their meals at Meyers restaurant,
opposite Mr.. Winges's saloon. and have
been seen going into the office OF the
Western Union Telegraph Office, two
doors away.
Everything was conveniently at hand,
telegraph Office inc all.
The block which they have selected is
the easiest in the city in which to avoid
detection. 1t is thickly populated with
saloons, there being six on one sid of
the block. Crowds of ~dissolute. charac.
ters invade these places at all hours of
the day and night.
When Apo, the famous green goods
''squealer,'' gave his testimony before
the Lexow Investigation Committee in
New York City recently, he said that
to his knowledge green goods men were
operating in Hoboken. The Hoboken po-
lice didn't care to believe it,thougn.