The record-union., 1896-05-17
A FLIM-FLAMMER'S TRICKS.
How a Storekeeper is Led Unwill-
ingIy to Rob Himself.

Store-keepers in Pittsburg are fire.
quently annoyed by that species of thief
known as the finn -fiammer. AS old as
the game of finn -f1amming is, it is not
too old to be worked successfully here
in Pittsburg, and several store-keepers
have been caught by it recently. So
far as known, no dictionary contains
the word f1im-flam; neither for that
matter does the word of any lexicog-
rapher contain the words usually let
loose by the man who is made the VIC
tim of the artful finn -fammer. The trick
is worked in many different ways, oper-
atOrs varying it from time to time, but
as neat a trick as ever was turned in
the flim-fiam line was witnessed re-
Gently by a Daily News" reporter,
who had dropped into a grocery store
on Frankstown avenue, in the East End.
The reporter had completed his pur
chaSeS and was extracting little after
supper solace from toby, when a little
fat man entered the store, and with
considerable hustle called for a l0-cent
plug of tobacco. He handed the store
keeper So bill, and received in change
ST 50. Suddenly, he bethought himself
that it was a pretty small piece Of to-
bacco he was getting for 10 cents, and
began to argue the question with the
store-keeper. This was the first step in
the flim-fiam game
Then the operator came to the conclu-
sion that he did not want to be Juggling
around so much silver as the proprietor
| had given him in change, and asked for
his 30 bill back, the operator handed
| back the 81 80. The man behind the
counter saw the money was 10 cents
short and said So The man in front of
the counter wanted to know if the
stOre-keeper wasn't aware of the fact
that the price of the tobacco made up
the sum lacking in the s.. The victim
now got very much confused and that
is just where the fiim-f1ammer wanted
to get him, for that is the second move
in the game.
II tell you that money is not right"
| almost shouted the storekeeper, who
was now beginning to get heated under
the collar, as it family glimmered on
him that everything was not just as it
should be about the transaction.
We'll, you're a fine duck to keep a
store said the operator, with a tinge
of sarcasm in his voice. Don't YOU see
L
! bacco. and that you have in your
drawer, is the rest of that bill? How
much do you want for a 50 bill any
way?"
More argument followed, until the
! im-fammer got his man properly
worked up, and then came the master
stroke. Pulling 10 cents from his pocket.
he threw it and the 81 80 and the to-
| bacco down on the counter with a vo-
ciferous slam. and imperiously demand
ed his 50 bill, all the time telling the man
behind the counter what a "beaut" of
a lightning calculator and a store
keeper he was.
| The storekeeper was by this time in
a fit condition to commit involuntary
manslaughter. He fired a s. bill
at his aggravating customer with the re-
mark that he would smash his head if
| he didn't get out The finn Hammer
| departed instantly, and with him went
/ his original s. bill and the second S. bill
/ the storekeeper had contributed to him.
| The storekeeper was asked by the
! reporter if he didn't know that he had
been ''flimmed' out of 81. The store
/ Keeper thought an instant. tore 1nadIy
/ around the counter dashed through the
| door out on the sidewalk, and glared
wildly up and down Frankstown ave
nue.. He caught a parting glimpse of
the fiim-fiam artist as he disappeared
around the corner of Station street. and
| gave chase. Several small boys and
/ four or five men joined the chase. and
paced the victimized storekeeper to
Station street, but the flint -fiammer was
safely out of sight when they reached
there
A crowd collected, and every one in
} ii wanted TO know what the row was
all about. The victim of the old. old
| game didn't enlighten them, but me-
andered back to his store. 81 poorer in
wealth, but that much richer in expert
ence.-Pittsburg News.