Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-03-10
GREEN GOODS WITH A VARIATION,
Scheme That shows Ingenuity and
Phase That Proves Tempting.

| From the Hartford Times.
Another and most tempting phase OF the
green goods scheme has made its appear
ance. 1t was tried in Hartford this week.
but the man whom the crooks intended 10
make their victim was too fly" for them.
They took the warning and skipped the
| town. This is the plan of the game:
A stranger comes to town and selects his
victim, usually a saloonkeeper. He max es
the saloon his hangout and spends money
freely. The proprietor soon notices. n he
is at all observant. that every time the
stranger pays for anything he passes out
crisp. unwrinkled bill. The stranger be-
comes very friendly with the proprietor.
and one fine day ne says:
We'll. / must say goodbye tomorrow.
But before go i wish you would give me
back those new bills. I will give you other
money for them
why. what for?"
Well. III tell you. That money I've been
spending here is not right, see? I've grown
to like You. and / don't want you to get
! into trouble"
The victim is astonished. Probably goes
to his cash drawer and examines some of
the money. He swears that IL is real but
the stranger laughs at him.
Real! Why, III sell You cords OF that
stuff for $50 a slO0r' Then the stranger
I M
with this addition:
You've seen this exposed in the papers
hundred times and how a man is hound
to lose his money II he runs against the
game Well, IL you'll do business with me
/ III put the money right in your hands be-
/ fore you pay me a cent?
That certainly looks reasonable and LET
us suppose the victim bites. He agrees to
DO business. He says he will buy slol
worth. The sharper then tells him to meet
/ him the next day with 500 In s. bills, They
| meet. The sharper produces a large en-.
veiope. They count the money and place
| 1t In the envelope. The victim is directed
| to seal the envelope. The stranger then
says:
Now. will mark this envelope I'm vour
presence SuitnS the action to the words
| he takes out s,ylographic pen spreads
| out a newspaper on the bar to write upon.
writes a number across one end and thres
initials in the middle: then. as he biots the
riting with the newspaper, says; New
\ you keep this envelope with your money IN
| 1t, and when our agent calls on YOU to-
morrow he will count the goods into your
hand. And when you are convinced that a
Is just as represented. not before. hand
him this envelope. He will recognize
the number and initials and receive il as
| payment"
With these words the stranger hands The
victim his envelope. bids him good-bye and
takes his leave. 1t is needless to saw tha =
he Immediately leaves town, and that when
| the agent fails to arrive the next ,iay
ana the victim opens his envelope he finds
| 1t filled only with pieces Of blank naner
cut to represent the s. bills!
A few words will suffice to explain the
trick; for II Is as truly a sleight- of-han nd
trick as any Jewett or Hermann or Keller
| can DO on the stage. The crook has two
envelopes precisely alike. One he prepares
by marking IL with a number and initials
and filling IL with the required number of
blank sheets Of paper. This he folds in side
OF newspaper and puts IL carelessly in
his side pocket.
The other envelope he keeps in readiness
| TO produce at the right moment to receive
the victims money. When he has seen
the bundle safely inside and sealed, he
takes out his newspaper, spreads the en-
veIope upon 1t. writes on il. opens up one
corner OF the paper, ard puts IL under
meath and blots II. Then here comes the
Change which is simple enough. He takes
out the dummy envelope and hands IL to
the Vlctlm. IL Is all so natural that any
one might be deceived. The victim thinks
that his money does not go out Of his sigh;
Tor moment. but IT does, very much so.