The Wadsworth dispatch. [volume] (Wadsworth, Nev.) 1892-1899, 1894-03-14

lator are over" s. ,ieal
man. "rhere's IapsIllsf d . Ia ass
rowadays. NewpApeI has O.
suit of public seM+'rxs ) .Trst
things to kill tlie in N never
has and never viii rev. ~ 1t was
nothing in the old times Tor a man to
make ss25 and $50 in a night speculating.
1t wasn't necessary. either, for man to
stand in with the box Office in order to
make money, as speculators have to now
adays. A speculator could be stuck with
Is or 90 tickets and still make some profit.
So far as making money now, though,
there is little in it. A speculator is in
luck if he can knock out $3 a night. All
of the old timers who made big money
speculating years ago are either dead or
in other branches of the business now.
A trickier or smarter crowd of fellows
than some of the old time speculators
could not be found.
About the most successful game I
ever saw worked by Il speculator was
the scheme gotten up by Jimmy Hyde,
then prominent among ticket specula-
tors. to beat the French ball. Jimmy,
who is now with the Casino, made up his
mind that it would be an easy thing to
beat the ball out of several hundred dol
lars. Max Hirsch, who was then and is
now treasurer of the Metropolitan Opera
House, was telling Hyde about the elab-
crate arrangements that were being made
for the French ball that year, and how
twas bound to be great success on ac-
count of the entire suspension of the
free list. when Hyde exclaimed: 'Sus-
pend the free list, eh? Well, you can
suspend and be darned, but just the
same I'm going to pass in at least Is
people, I'll bet you don't pass in a soul.
barring yourself replied Hirsch.
1.-THE result was heavy wager, Hyde
betting that he would pass in at least 10
strangers for nothing, giving none of
them tickets or passes. Every one who
heard of the bet laughed at Hyde, but
Jimmy simply smiled and said nothing.
Those who knew Jimmy Hyde felt con-
fident that he would succeed in doing
what he had boasted he could do, al
though nobody could see just how he
was going to manage it. Well, on the
night of the ball Hirsch stuck around the
door of the opera house all night, watch
ing every one that passed in. It WAS just
about midnight when Hyde, followed by
meek looking individual who carried
something under his coat, showed up in
the vicinity. Leaving his companion on
the corner, Jimmy walked into the lobby
and approached young man who was
leaning against the wall.
"'Going inY asked Hyde.
"'Can't. Amt got the priceY respond
ed the stranger.
"'How much have you got? asked
Hyde.
1.-two an half
"'Well, it's money anyway, SO come
on and Hyde walked out of the lobby,
followed by the young man.
"'Now, see here said Jimmy when
they reached the corner, when you get
inside don't stop second, but just so
right past the wineroom down toward
the stage. At the left end you'll find
fight of stairs. Go down them, and
you'll find yourself in the cellar right un-
der one of the gratings which open on
Thirty-ninth street. Will you do that?
"'I don't see any use of doing all that,
but you get Inc in and I'll do it..
"'All right said Hyde, and he took
the bundle from under his companions
coat and handed it to the young man.
1t was an old and battered violin case.
"'Take that and walk right through
the door, said HYDE If any one SAYS
anything to you. just say musician"
and pass on. When you get in the cellar.
pass 1t up to me-.
THE young man took the case and
walked into the lobby and past thedo
men without any trouble. In three min
utes he was under the grating and had
passed the case up through small aper-
ture. Nine other men, each of whom
paid from s,2 to 81 apiece for the use of
the violin case, were successfully passed
through. Hirsch stood at the door the
whole time and never once saw through
the game. 1t was one of the doormen
who caught ON first. He thought it re-
markable that so many of the orchestra
were CT in late. and when Hyde's
eleven tried to pass through he
naile f.Musician.' sad the man
hoY It it was no 70. The door
M die case away and opened it.
q lit was empty.
9 saw that the game was up and