The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-08-24
WILES OF THE SHARP
THIS ONE PLAYS POOL AND NIPS THE
SELF CONFIDENT MAN.
Master In Bunko. He Offers Himself m an
Easy Mark at the Pool Table Till Bets
Are on the Game, and Then He Lets Him.
self Out anu Fleeces Hir Lamb.

Are on the Game, and Then He Lets Him
self Out and Fieeces His Lamb.
"See that man over there'" remarked
the manager OF an up town pool and bill.
lard room TO friend one night last week,
pointing TO we'll dressed, apparently In
toxicated, young man, who was idly knock.
Ing the balls around pool table. "Well,
he's what we call pool sharp You may
notice that he is making frantic efforts 10
knock the balls into the pockets, and IL
may also occur to you that he Is very
drunk. But he Is not drunk, nor is he try
ing to put the balls into the pockets. He
is acting part, and II you watch him for
little while you'll see one OF the clever
est bits Of swindle you ever saw In your
life"
Nine out OF ten persons who saw the
young man would have wagercd their lives
that he was drunk. He seemed scarcely
able to stand on his feet, and every jab he
made at the balls with his cue seemed to
go wild. When he did manage TO sink a
ball, he woald let out whoop Of exulta-
ton. He would then begin TO brag about
his ability to beat anything on two legs,
and In other ways made IL look as though
he were foolish young man waiting To
be robbed. No one took up the man =
challenge to play, but he finally managed
to get into game with two other young
men, who evidently thought they had an
easy thing of it.
Now you'll sec the fun, 4" remarked the
manager. just watch that fellow"
Two or three games were played, In
each OF which the inebriated young man
was ignominiously beaten. Defeat seemed
70 enrago him, and pulling out roll OF
bills he offered with drunken enthusiasm
TO play for any amount. For two or three
games the others ignored his offers, but
finally one of them became exasperated at
the mans blatant remarks and said:
You're doing an awful lot of talking
Now, If you really want to gamble, we'll
make pool OF So each, the winner of the
game TO take all.
"A couple of onlookers protested that ID
was not right TO take advantage of q
drunken man, but the game went on. The
drunken mans game improved wonder
fully. His position playing was magnih-
cent, but somehow or other he didn't seem
to get any balls. Finally point of the
game was reached when the others had
five balls apiece, while he had but one. 1t
was the strangers shot, and he made
wonderful combination. Then, without
much effort, he got the other four balls,
tying the game. So exultant did he be-
come that he would hear Of nothing but
that each ono should add SO more to his
stake.
This was done and the game began
The drunken man stralghtened up consid.
erably now and played like an expert.
Before either of the Others had ball he
had eight and was still making them
when the manager OF tho house stepped up
to him, touched him on the shoulder and
remarked, You git"
why, what do you mean9" demanded
the man Indignantly All the signs of
had disappeared, and the on
lockers began TO realize that they had been
witnesses To an exceedingly clever bunko
game
Tho two victims began 70 look angry.
and In another minute there would have
been trouble, but the manager took the
stakes from the stakeholder, gave each
man back his $40 and then marched the
sharp 10 the door, through which the lat
ter lost no time in disappearing.
That's a sample of the pool sharp" re-
marked the manager when he came back. |
There are any number Of them around |
New York, but Brooklyn Is the place whero |
hey flourish most. Some OF them ought |
20 make their fortunes on the stage, for |
,he way they act their part would put |
many member of the profession TO shame /
They arc men who have as complete con- /
rol over pool balls as it Is possible for q |
nan TO have. They are almost masters of /
he game, ard can win at any stage IL they |
want TO.
The ruse You saw Is only one Of many |
hat they employ. a favorite method is To
ret into an open game Of pool and then
induce ono or two Of the other players TO
TO some other table. Every bill
lard room has one open game Of pool
hat is game where any and everybody
nay play, be thoy strangers or friends
there are as many as dozen
laying at an open game. The sharp will
ct into this game and will manage to
ose I'm most systematic manner. Then
Fhen two or three games have been played
@ will approach one or two Of the other
layers who have been losing and say:
We haven't got chance In this game
,et s go to another table.
Mine times out Of ten this will work
nd then the next step Is 10 get toplaying
,r money. They rarely fail to secure a
81, these fellows, and although they oc.
asionally run against a snag they win 90
mes out of 100.
There are probably few games which
ring a mans natural weaknesses to the
ont quicker than pool A man learns to ]