Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1896-09-17

TACT mat many OF lnose VIM nahe nv
ing by imposing upon the credulity of the
public work as hard and as Systematically
as men engaged in legitimate business.
As in every other profession, swindling
has its successful and unsuccessful men;
the most talented and best instructed
among them often combine forces, form
ing companies of cooperation, both for
b mutual safety and also in carrying out
some systematic fraud. the more likely to
win success. AT the same time, individ-
nails of exceptional talents and wide ex-
.perience, who have a full appreciation of
their abilities. prefer to Ego it alone, as
( there is less danger of being compromised
by the stupid blunders of pals or subordi-
mates.
There is little originality in the genius
Of these men. Old methods have proven
the best, and the most "Artful Dodger'
il he who can most readily adapt old
4 ways and systems to any set of circum-
stances and conditions. 4 radically new
(, method is always dangerous. Experience
has not proven how it will turn out, and
for this reason conservatism is the creed
of the professional swindler.
As a rule, the majority of pickpockets
are young. If successful in this branch of
the business it is not long before they
develop d school of apprentices who can
do the work for them. The apprentice
begins by some simple method of begging.
This accustoms him to study and judge
of strange faces. 1t cultivates an ex-
pression of face and tone of voice be-
tokening great need and humility. The
average street thief has this habitual ex-
2 preston of injured innocence. From ply
T ing the trade of the thoroughfare it is a
long road to that state of opulence where
one from an Office located in central
public building, manipulates the opera
tons of an army of Tight fingers" shop
lifters," counterfeiters or confidence men.
Swindling is an art--a professional
business. 1t may be turned into either
one of these vocations, according to the
ability, tastes and temperament of the
rascal and its Votaries are members of
al grades of society.
So numerous are the systems contriyed
by sharpers to carry on their schemes for
defrauding the public it is difficult in Il
few examples to give the reader an ade-
quate idea of how ingenious and extern
siye their operations are.
Persons who get circulars from swind-
lers often wonder how their names are OBJ
tained by the latter. The ways are vuri-
GUS Subscription lists of the city week
lies are bought or stolen. and nearly every
swindIer exchanges his letters or the adj
dresses of those who have answered his
advertisements with other swindlers in
similar lines of business. Hence the rec
ognized fact that after person has been
once swindler he is much more likely to
be caught again. Nearly all the deal
ers in objectionable books, those who ad.
vertise your future husband or wife,
fortunes told" and retired clergyman,
sell their letters for one cent each, OF
more. to the bogus money operators. Sc
il will be seen that some lines of swindlinp
have their branches, paying n large per
eentage on the money invested.
A firm Of ''sawdust' spectators at ont
time bought thirty thousand letters re
ceiyed by a concern that had realized
100000 out of a certain bogus sewing
machine. This machine was made Of
cast iron and turned by small hant
wheel. II would sew two pieces of tbs
finest material together, but anythin.
coarser would demolish the whole ma
chine and render il useless The sam,
y enterprising firm bought about fort.
3 thousand letters from woman in Brook
lyn who advertised TO supply every younl
man and woman with the date of thei
marriage and description of their futur
partners for life. This woman receives
in nearly every one of these forty thOus
and letters "a fifty cent stamp. and II
evidence was given that she had eve
sent a single reply. Indeed. so great wa
the harvest that some fifty or sixty of til
letters had not been opened by her an
still contained the tifty-cent stamps, The
also bought up letters addressed to quac
doctors. dealers in Objectionable pictures
also letters from lottery keepers, forum
tellers &c. Another firm on Wall stree
advertised two steel engravings of di.
tinguished persons mailed free on receil
of one dollar. They received some invent
thousand replies, and sent in return tw
ten-cent stamps of the period. Some N
y vertisers offer Diamond Rings" Cat;
logues," Recipes" 'Songs." &c. simp
10 get addresses, and after getting all the
can out of parties replying they fin
it a profitable business to sell the lettc
to ''sawdust' and other swindlers, wi
again sell them TO others.
1t is surprising how credulous mar
people are, particularly in regard to the
curious advertisements. They are Wilt
to part with their money with little hol
4 of getting an adequate or reasonable I
turn. And, strange to say, people Il
swindler in a similar way over and ov
again.
A man, knowing how credulous MAJ
people are prone to be, and how null
tudes delight in anything bordering on Il
vulgar, sent out circulars offering to fu
ward by mail "a handsome hound bo,
with n rich and peculiarly interes
ing picture for frontispiece executed in II
highest style of French art in several CO
ors." Every bachelor" the circular sal
SHOULD read it; every married coupl
and unmarried ladies, if they like. Eve
one should keep it in the trunk or Il
pocket. Sent by mail on the receipt
eighty cents" The bait took; a gre
many people sent the money and in retu
received New Testament, with Il chrou
lithograph of the Virgin and Child
They could have purchased the same DO,
at their home book stores for one-four
the amount paid.
In this country the confidence man
perhaps as successful as any of the pr
fessional swindlers. And for ways tn
are dark" he beats the willy Chinee II
unwary traveller is usually his victim, al
on the train, steamboat, in hotels, the
tres and other places of amusement
carries on his vocation with unspeakah
audicity. His methods vary. but he u
ually accosts n stranger whom he h
Spotted" with:-"HellO, Brown, how n
You? When did you come from O
tumwa? "You nre mistaken, I guess, sir
replies the stranger. my name is Smit