The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-06-13
- =. $50 -
MONTE MEN TAKEN IN.
How Hermann Astonished Some P,rcnch
Swindlers by His Tricks.

| How Hermann Astonishod Some French
Swindlcrs by His Tricks.
II am not lucky card player ut any
| dmo" said Professor Hermann. "I
did win 80, 500 ut one sitting Mt Del
monico's ono night, but that was tho
| largest sum ever Won. I can play only
! with my friends, for i'll a company Of
| strangers, if 1 Were to win and they
wcro to find out that was n conjurcr,
| tho impression would bo that manipu-
Lated the cards, and that you know,
would be unpleasant> For amusement
l frequently play and show littlo par
ty OF friends what could DO done with
cards by practiccd fingers Yes, many
times have found my power to manip-
ulatc tho pasteboards very handy, and 1
have frequently been able to frustrato
sharpcrs who purposed to flccco the I'M
wary.
Il remember that In 1867 l sailed
from New York to Franco to visit my
relatives In Paris, and carried four or
five SEQ goldpieccs to give to my
friends children Arriving at Havrc, 1
met friend in the person of tho score
tary OF the Russian legation ut Paris,
who was also journeying toward the
capital We went on together and oocu-
pied toward tho same compartment on
the train AT one Of the stations three
men came into our compartment. They
wero Frenchmen, and it took only
glance to show that they wero gentle
men who lived by their wits. They were
dressed In the latest fashion, though,
and apparently found little trouble in
getting an excellent living In their line
of industry. When gave the conductor
my ticket, l took out my pocketboolk,
and one of the three, nice little Pari-
sian, caught sight of my gold double
eagles He was at my side, whilo his
companions sat on the opposite seat.
THAT flash of the gold was enough
for the fellow, and he began his game
He asked me if were an American, and
if l knew anything about gold coins
this to open conversation. I replied
yes to both questions, and on my ask
ing why he desired to know he pulled
goldpiece from his pocket and asked
me what it was. He had got it for moth
ing, he said, i'll a card game told
him 1t was q Spanish ounce worth SIG.
Then he and his friends began to play
cards. and he said he would show them
the game ut which he Won the ounce.
1t was the old three card monte trick,
we'll known in America, but compare
lively now i'll Europe The three sharp
ers, posing rs casual travellers placed
their layout, and the little man at my
side showed them how easy it was to
pick up the acc from the ovcrcoat,
which formed the card table. Quito
little money changed hands, and l saw
that my friend. the Russian, was get
ting interested Like all Russians, he
had passion for gambling
" Have nothing to do with this
game, l told him. Leave them to mo
l manifested an interest in the play,
and when the fellow sang out a hun
drcd francs you can't pick up the accr
l cried, I bet you, and as flung down
tho money l seized his hand, which was
lowering over the three cards In row
and overturned the ace The window
was partly open, and swiftly picking up
the cards flung them out, or rather
they thought go The sharpers raised
pretty row and talked very ugly for
awhile. Then thrust my hand into
the little man vest and pulled out the
cards one at time. You should have
seen the looks on those fellows faces.
You're conjurcr, cried one of them.
Yes, am Hermann, l replied, and
know three card monte better than any
of you. They left the train at the next
stop and sneallcd away, looking very
cheap. They wero raw hands ut it. -
Chicago Post