St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1895-07-19
TWO SCANDINAVIAN FARM
HANDS WHO WE'RE TAKEN
IN 4; u.
IN A FAKE AUCTION STORE
biGG [
COMPEL THE SWINDLERS, TO
DISGORGE THE MONEY!
WILLINGLY 10 n
The Stranded Father who Sold
His EEGold Watch', to Return
Home Gets Left. e~H

A fake auction store on Sibley
street was yesterday obliged to dis
gorge $40 which had been decoyed
from a couple of ignorant SWedes by
means of the watch purchase trick.
These fraudulent auction concerns
were at one time numerous. About
six months ago they were apparent
ly forced out of the business. Re-
Gently, however, a we'll known auc-
tioneer, or jeweler, of this stripe
again resumed operations on Sibley
street. Within a week the place
has been reported several times to
the police for defrauding strangers.
The law is at present so defective
that it is by no means easy to Sc
cure conviction when case is
brought before the municipal court
The authorities would gladly well
come such a revision of the ordin-
ances as would enable them to award
more certain punishment to this
class of swindlers.
Thor Johnson and Olaf Swanberg
are not native Americans. Their re-
cent address, however, was Hanska
postoffice, Brown county, Minneso-
ia. Being agricultural experts, they
were on their way to go to work
on a farm near Madelia. Yesterday
morning they purchased limited
tickets from st. Paul to their des-
tination, expecting to leave the city
at p. m. During the forenoon they
discussed the evils of the chinch
bug and the
MERITS OF DILUTED ALCOHOL
over the bar of a modest hostelry
on lower Third street. A mild man
nered compatriot entered into the
chinch bug discussion and developed
views in such charming unison with
those entertained by the professors
from Hanska postoffice that the lat
ter We're fain to express their ap-
prevail OF the stranger, assuring the
barkeeper that the former "bain dem
| goot fallar." The fact that the new
ly discovered bug connoisseur Short
| ly proposed a walk UP Sibley street.
and the further fact that he became
| deeply interested in the vocal sim
| gularities of the auctioneer in the
| store referred to must be regarded
as purely accidental.
While the three blue-eyed companions
were watching with bated breath the
unparalleled spectacle of merchandise
being disposed of to all corners at
reduction of SO per cent from the
manufacturers list price, a man, in
neart-Dreaklng excitement, tottered
| into the store. The stranger gulped
q ..
pocket a gold watch of impressive rich
ness and undoubted value, and, hand
ing it slowly to the auctioneer, ex-
claimed, in broken voice: Here's my
watch, boss. She cost me a round
hundred, but you can have her for a
loan of fifty. Fact is, must have
money. My three little girls are dying
in Tacoma, and I'll leave town tonight
if 1 go on brake beam"
The applicant is informed that an
| auction store is not a pawn shop. Then
! he
OFFERS TO SELL THE WATCH.
| But an auction store is not a jewelry
shop. The. weeping parent turns away
! with daZed and helpless look. One Of
the clerks now approaches Thor and
! explains that 1.-The watch is worth $50
if it's worth a cent" He suggests that
| L uOT Duy II. Says MI Johnson, Ma
cote fem doler. Olaf ha cote fem
doler, too. Dare ba ALA panga wa
gote.''
The clerk is SO DESTROYS of assisting
the three Red Eriks that he ponders
while, and then promises them that
if they will pool their assets and buy
the watch for $40, the cashier of the
store will be glad to give them SIS for
it on the spot. Thor calls back the
| mourning refugee from Tacoma, and
the transaction is quickly closed-ex-
cept the cashiers role. The latter is
| found Unexpectedly discreet. What if
| the watch was stolen? Did Olaf enjoy
the personal acquaintance of the Ia
coma gentleman? No, he was sorry;
| but the clerk had no authority Olaf
would have to keep to his bargain.
But Mr.. Johnson had not studied
bugology at Hanska SO specifically as
to be ignorant that every well-con-
| Quoted police station is provided with
an infallible remedy for the human
chinch bug. Chief OConnor being
called upon, applied a. little of the rem
| edy through Officer Newceme. Thor
and Olaf We're glad to surrender their
bargain in return for their missing
'panga." The auctioneer was not so
glad to accept the watch, but the chief
| induced him to simulate a great and
lasting joy.
| school, FIND INVESVEn