The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-02-14
BETRAYED BY A SLY WINK.
GOLD BRICK MEN FAILED TO WORK
ANEW YORK DRUMMER.

They Lured Him Out to the Hermft-
age, But the Drummer Caught in
in Time and Slipped Away From
Them-They Did Not Want TO Sell
Him "A Gold Brick, But Were After
His Money and DiamOnds-A Wink
Was Enough for Him.
The gang of confidence men which sold
a gold brick to the confiding citizen of
| Orangburg, S. c., in Charleston recently,
came very near doing a neat turn with
New York drummer in Savannah The
drummer stopped at the De Soto. He not
only wore nice clothes, but he sported
several very handsome diamonds as set
tings 70 rings and shirt studs. The swim
dlers probably mistook him for a man of
wealth who was touring the south for
pleasure, as they seldom run any risk
to secure small amounts.
The drummer was carrying a pretty
good roll a the time, however and would
have been a neat pickup for the conf
dence men had their game succeeded. He
had finished his business in Savannah, and
had everything arranged to take the
night train for New York. lie had just
finished lunch at the De Soto and strolled
out on the veranda TO enjoy a smoke
He was also wondering what he would
when a well dressed man, whom he re-
membered to have seen around the hotel,
also strolled out The stranger pulled a
cigar out of his pocket, and appearing
not to have match, asked the drummer
for light The request was promptly
granted, and the two struck up a CONVEX
sation, the drummer supposing that the
other man was, like himself, a guest of
the hotel. The stranger introduced him
self under the name of jackson, stating
his business from Boston, and at once
turned the conversation on the suburban
resorts around Savannah.
By the way" he inquired of the drum
age?'' law 0e- '''-''0 '''' -ie' mn
The drummer said he had not, in fact,
he did not know anything about it, Mr..
iastic description of the Hermitage, the
Old mansion. the giant oaks, the slave
cabins and therother features of the place.
why there is no place like it in the
country; you should not fail to see it be-
fore you return north" he declared
The drummer expressed a desire to visit
the Hermitage, but said he was afraid he
would not be able to make the trip and
get back to the city in time to catch his
train. You can do it easy enough" his
new acquaintance assured him.
we simply walk down this street
apiece, take street car at the Central
depot ride out a couple of miles, walk
ABOUT half mile from the end of the
street car track and there we are. We can
make the trip and get back to town before
The enthusiasm of his acquaintance
over the beauties of the Hermitage won
Mr.. Smith. which was not the drummers
name, but will do just as well, complete
ly over, and they agreed to make the trip.
They had just reached the bottom steps
when they met another well-dressed man,
who shook Mr.. Jackson warmly by the
hand and greeted him in the most cor
dial manner. After their greetings were
over Mr.. Jackson introduced the new
conner as my friend, Mr. Rogers from
Philadelphia" He then explained to MIR
Rogers that he and Mr.. Smith were lust
leaving for trip to the Hermitage, and
invited MIN 20 accompany them. Mr.
Rogers replied that he had heard a great
deal of the Hermitage, but had never had
an opportunity to visit the place. If they
would wait until he could go inside and
register he would accompany them. They
waited while he went into the hotel and
presently came out again. The three then
depot where they boarded a West
End car. They rode out TO JASPER
springs, where they left the car and
walked some distance through the woods
Inc drummer was beginning to think that
II was rather a longer walk than he had
bargained for when they met an old man,
VINO entered into conversation with them.
He told them a story about having come
back from the west to look for some rela-
yves, whom he had been. unable to find.
one OF the men suggested to the old man
that he accompany them to the Hermit
age, to which he agreed.
The drummer would never have suspect
ed anything If he had not seen very plain
wink pass between Jackson and the old
man. He had not been raised in New York
for nothing and that wink was informa-
ton enough for him. 1t occurred to him all
or sudden that that was a very lonely
piece of woods, and that with his money,
watch and diamonds he was prize worth
at least N,OO0. He was not armed. He made
up his mind that he was in for it and be-
gan to lay about for some scheme to get
away from the crowd Presently he saw
a negro cabin in field some distance from
the path they were pursuing.
When the party got opposite the house
he suddenly turned off towards it with the
remark that he wanted to get a drink of
water. Luckily the three men did not fol-
low him. on reaching the house he walked
around 1t so as to place the house between
himself and the party and then ran as hard
as he could for the Augusta road which
he could see in the distance. Reaching the
road he walked back to town as rapidly
as possible and after reaching the city
went to the police barracks where he mar
rated his adventure TO Chief McDermott.
The chief agreed with him that he had
done wisely in shaking the party so I'M
tremendously. The chiefs idea was that
after reaching the Hermitage a card game
would have been suggested, which, If the
drummer had gone into it, he would have
been fleeced out of his money and probably
his diamonds also. The men were too
| shrewd to perpetrate highway robbery. ne
| thought and besides IL was not their line
The chief offered to arrest the three
men. but as the drummer wanted to leave
for New York and besides had no charges
which he could prefer against the men no
arrest was made The three men were
spotted by the detectives and Or we'd to be
the same men who palmed Off the gold
brick on the South Carolnian. In fact,
they acknowledged TO a man who was in
| league with the detectives that this was
their business. Finding that they were
known here the swindlers did not attempt
to get in their work
-e-S-s
DEATH OF j. n. WILSON.