Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1896-06-14
ARTFUL SWINDLERS.

Their Sure-Thing Tricks Ready for the
Summer Campaign.
New York Recorder
The constituencies rascals who are
denominated by their fellow-swindlers
as "sure-thing" men are very much in
evidence in New York City at this sea-
son of the year. In spite of the police
reform and LeXow Committees New
York City is still their headquarters
and general rendezvous, and they are
at present engaged in organizing and
laying out their routes for the coming
summer campaign. From New York
they will start out on regular circuits
all over the East, working the various
fairs and gatherings from Maine to
Florida. But they are sure to get back
to New York two or thrse times year,
and invariably come here TO squander
their gains. Most persons who have
attended county fairs and suburban
racing meetings have seen the sharp
eyed swindlers ct work. The rascals
are by no means numerous. and except
for a few "frse-lance" operators are or
ganized under one mans leadership,
with their headquarters in this city.
The life of thimble-rigger is full OF
the mysterious. He appears and dis
appears and no man knows when or
where to find him. No commercial
traveller knows his way about better
than a thimble-rigger. Sometimes he
is in hard luck, sleeping no one knows
where, haunting saloons in miserable
attire and eking out his existence by
borrowing from his friends or stand
ing in" with some infatuated girl.
Then, perhaps, we meet him at the
extreme end of Long Island, working
a county fair. He lives at the best
hotel in town, wears huge diamonds,
buys champagne at the bar and drives
around in the best rigs that the local
liveries can supply.
He is the envy of the countrymen
and knows all the Cinor fair officials
in fact, he has "staked' them for the
privilege of working the fair and has
free rein for evil doings. He mods to
the farmers and fatters them while he
takes their money. Before the fair ac-
tually closes he has disappeared.
And so he travels from one fair TO
another. and when he has gone the
shopkeepers compare notes and count
I'D their losses. They swear vengeance
against him and are swinded in pre-
cisely the same manner the following
season.
When. the Long Island fairs close
the "sure-thing" man suddenly bobs up
ha n n
borrowing now. We find him OF an
evening at swell resorts, buying wine
and game for a young woman who
wears silks and diamonds, or swinging
a costly cane on the afternoon promen-
ade in Upper Broadway.
Soon he is in Rhode Island at the big
Providence Fair. 4 few days later he
turns up in Connecticut. He goes the
rounds of Nutmeg State Fairs and
reaps a rich harvest. Next he is seen
in Vermont. or even as far north as
Ontario and anon he appears in Della
ware and Virginia.
About this season of the year he car
ries 500 bills in every vest pocket,
and is apt to run into New York in or
der to get rid Of some Of his money.
He spends a good deal on his girl, but
the largest part eventually finds its
way into the pockets of the faro deal
or. the roulette twirler and the crap
man. for your thimble-rigger is a born
gambler.
He is known as a "sure-thing" man,
because thimble-riggers are not really
gamblers. They take no chances, and
either win or don't win. They never
lose. 1t is all matter of sleight Of
hand, and the so-called pea is never
under any of the shells when the farm