The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1895-01-16
FILLED WITH CROOKS
Every Sort Of Trick Being
Practiced.
VISITORS SWIlDLED DAILY.
Influx Of Undesirable People From
Sacramento.
FINE CHANCE FOR POLICE JUDGES.
Men Arrested for Operating The Freight,
Lock and Stud.HOrSe Poker
Games.

The city appears to be infested with
crooks of every description, many of whom
the police believe have come from Sacra-
mento. Scarcely a day passes without
some stranger to the city calling at police
headquarters and reporting that he has
been victimized.
The Police Judges should make an ex
ample of some of them by sending them to
jail for six months. There has been
tendency to let them go on suspended
sentence for thirty days on condition that
they leave the city. But they laugh at the
idea of taking their departure from such
promising field, and after keeping them
selves secluded for few days begin the old
game again.
]. S. Mccarthy, known as "Winnemucca
Jack" was booked at the City Prison yes
terday on the charges of grand larceny and
vagrancy. He has lived in the city off and
on for the past twenty-eight years, and this
is the first time he has been arrested.
He is charged with playing the old
freight game upon Anton Chriz, and secur-
ing from the unsophisticated Bohemian
$50, all the money he had in his pockets.
Chriz had taken passage on the steamer
Farralone for Tacoma, and last Thursday
afternoon while on board waiting for the
vessel to sail he was approached by Nc
Carthy. Mccarthy introduced himself as
the owner of the Washington Mills at Ia
coma, and suggested to Chriz that he
would make a good foreman. Chriz was
tlattered by the suggestion and when Nc
Carthy, pointing to quantity of goods,
said they belonged to him, but that he was
short of ready cash to pay the freight, his
sympathy was aroused.
81 only require $50 or $50 for few min
utes," said Mccarthy "and if you could
oblige me till l ran to the bank [ will hand
you the money on my return. You can
hold this check as security"
The check was for $3.50 on the Bank oil
California, payable to the order of J. w.
Morgan Il Son and signed by Jeff NJ. Smith
& Co. 1t was, of course, bogus. Chriz
took the check and handed Mccarthy $50,
who Immediately left the steamer.
Chriz waited in vain for the return of the
owner of the Washington Mills and be-
came so anxious that he left the steamer
and it sailed away without him. He not
only lost his passage, but was left penni-
less. Fortunately he had friend in the
city, and he went to him.
The police were notified of the swindle
and Officers G. H. Graham and I. J. Cole
man, whose speciality is looking after
bunko steerers and confidence men, were
Ucbdlleu Oh Gle case. IOul Tie description
given by Chriz of the owner of the Wash
ington Mills they decided he was Mccarthy,
but it was not till yesterday that they We're
able to lay their hands upon him. Chriz
identified him at the prison.
George Mclean of Los Angeles is ap-
parently looked upon as an excellent sub
iect for crooks to operate upon. On Thurs
day Fred Williams got him in tow and
went out to Sutro Heights with him. He
tried the lock game on him. but Mclean
was not to be caught. When they re-
turned to the city they were seen by
Graham and Coleman, and Williams was
arrested and booked at the City Prison for
vagrancy. The two locks were found in
his pockets.
Yesterday morning Mclean, while stand
ing at Washington and Kearny streets,
was accosted by two men. They ,steered
him to a saloon on O'Farrell street, be-
tween Mason and Powell, and introduced
him to a game of stud-horse poker.
Graham and Coleman saw the trio enter
the saloon and saved Mclean from parting
with his money. They are new arrivals
and gave the names of A. J. Peters and
Ed Rand when booked at the City Prison
for Vagrancy.