The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-03-24
TOM DAILY "TRUN DOWN. "
Conductor Ives of the "Flyer'' Fires
His Train Butcher.
THE BOY MAS WORKING 4 GRAFT,
Says Con d actor Ives-TryinG TO Swim
die the Passengers With q Fifty-Cens
Pair of SpectacXes.

Says Conductor Ives-Trying 10 Swim.
die the Passengers with q Fifty-Ceni
Pair of SpectacIes.
Presiding over a we'll arranged stock,
with a cap pulled we'll down on his
head, whose gold en- broidered front PRO
claimed him the news agent" and a COM
mission in his pocket authorizing him to
prescribe for the wants of the travelling
public, Thomas Daily was yesterday a
contented man. Today he is unhappy
| and out of employment, and it is all be-
cause he aspired to be wealthy and used
a confidence game to aid him in his as
| pirations.
Daily was employed in the service of
the American Railway News company
| and was running as news agent from
Kansas City TO Dodge City on Santa Fe
trains and 4. His run was considered
to be one of the best, but at present trade
is light on the through trains and he
found little sale for his wares. So small
were his sales and consequent profits
that he looked about for plan that
would materially increase his cash ac-
count. The plan soon formulated in the
shape of an easy confidence game and
yesterday was the first and also the last
day of its trial.
The game decided upon by Daily is
over the United States 1t is what is
known as the find" racket, and consists
of the operator finding a ring other
article on the floor of the car, which
presumably is of much value, but in real
ity worthless, and after establishing the
fact that it is not the property of any of
the occupants. endeavoring to sell it at
fabulously profitable price.
The article which Daily used was
pair of spectacles, apparently
IS carat gold trimmed. but really
worth about so cents. On the way to
Topeka, short distance out of Emporia,
he started operations. While walking
stopped, stopped down and to all appear
ance picked from the floor a pair of
spectacles. holding them so that they
could be seen by all the passengers, he
inquired if they were the property of any
of the occupants, and receiving
negative answer. remarked what lucky
find and went out. A few minutes
afterwards he returned, and engaging in
conversation one of the passengers,
previously picked out as an evident
wearer of spectacles, produced his t1nd
and stated that he had no use for them,
etc. he would let them go at a ridiculous
ly small figure, say So.
In the six coaches of the train, on sew
eral passengers in each coach. Daily
tried his persuasive efforts, but without
success. The passengers were evident
ly of poor business ability, and did not
appreciate buying so cent spectacles for
So. The only interested spectator was
Conductor E. E. Ives, who after watching
operations for some time, quietly told
Daily to pack his belongings and be
ready to leave the train at Topeka,
also telegraphing Chief Detective Kin
ney to meet the train here. When
the train arrived in this city at o'clock,
Thomas Daily, ex-news agent, wearing
crush hat in the place of the gold en-
broidered cap, and in charge of a ANAL
handbag instead of a we'll arranged
stock, stepped from the car to the plat
form, surrendered his commission to Mr..
Kinney, and started towards Kansas
avenue with labored steps and discon-
ISOLATE look.
When train No. pass ed through To-
peka this morning, an unusually inno-
cent looking news agent was in charge of
the peanuts and literature.