The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1894-09-14
MONTE MEN TAKEN IN.
How Herrmsnn Astonished Some French
Swtndlers by His Tricks.

Swindlers by His Tricks.
81 am not a lucky card player at any
time," said Professor Hermann. 81
did win So, 800 at one sitting at Del.
monico's n night, but that was the
largest sum l ever won. 1 can play only
with my friends, for in q company of
strangers, if l were to win and they
We're to find out that l was a conjurer,
the impression would be that / manipu-
lated the cards, and that, you know,
would be unpleasant. For amusement
1 frequently play and show a little par
ty of friends what could be done with
cards by practiced fingers. Yes, many
times l have found my power to manip-
ulate the ~pasteboards very handy, and l
have frequently been able to Illustrate
sharpers who purposed to ace>a the un-
wary.
Il remember that in 1857 7 sailed
from New York to France =, visit my
relatives in Paris, and | carried four or
five $50 goldpieces to give to my
friends children. Arriving at Havre, /
met a friend in the person of the secro-
tary of the Russian legation at Paris,
who was also journeying toward the
capital. We went on together and occu-
pied toward the same compartment on
the train. At one of the stations three
men came into our compartment. They
were Frenchmen, and it took only q
glance to show that they We're gentle
men who lived by their wits. They We're
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 pocketbook,
and one of the three, a nice little Pari-
sian, caught sight of my gold double
eagles. He was at my side, while his
companions sat Oh the opposite seat.
That fash Of the gold was enough
for the fellow, and he began his game.
He asked me if l were an American, and
if l knew anything about gold coins,
this to open a conversation. ] replied
yes to both questions, and on my ask
ing why he desired to know he pulled
a goldpiece from his pocket and asked
me what it was. He had got it for moth
ing, he said, in a card game. l told
him it was a Spanish ounce worth S16.
Then he and his friends began to play
| cards, and he said he would show them
the game at which he won the ounce.
1t was the old three card monte trick,
well known in America, but compare
lively new in Europe. The three sharp
ers, posing as casual travellers, placed
their layout, and the little man at my
side showed them how easy it was to
pick up the ace from the o%vercoat,
which formed the card table. Quite a
little money changed hands, and l saw
that my friend, the Russian, was get
ting interested. Like all Russians, he
had a passion for gambling.
Have nothing to do with this
game 1 told him. Leave them to me.
l manifested an interest in the play,
and when the fellow sang out, "A hun.
bred francs you can't pick up the acel
l cried, Il bet you, and as | flung down
the money l seized his hand, which wa
lowering over the three cards in a row
and overturned the ace. The window
was partly open, and swiftly picking VI
the cards l flung them out, or rather
they Il ought SO. The sharpers raised q
pretty row and talked very ugly fol
awhile. Then l thrust my hand into
the little mans vest and pulled out the
cards II at a time. You should have
seen the looks on those fellows faces.
You're a c%onjurer, cried n of them.
Yes, l am Hermann, , l replied, and
know three card monte better than any
Of you They left the train at the next
stop and sneaked away, looking very
cheap. They were raw hands at it. -
Chicago Post.