Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-02-06
VERY SLICK
Vas This Smooth Talker who SWind-
led Grocer D. M. SimmS Out OF Ten
Dollars at SiStersville Yesterday
Morning--Asked for a Ten Dollar
Bill in Exchange for Silver--And
by Working His Game Gets Away
With Il All.
Snecia1 TO the Registsr.

Special TO the Register.
SISTERSVILLE. ". Va, February o
Early this morning a well dressed man
entered the store Of Mr.. D. VI. Simms.
on Thistle street made himself out an
Old friend of Sinms ana becams very
familiar. His propensity for good flow
Of language was very marked, and after
talking for a short while on matters Of
the neighborhood. asked Simms TO oblige
him with a ten dollar bill in exchange for
some silver. saying he wanted 10 enclose
il in an envelope TO a friend. He pro-
ceeded 10 count out the silver, and after
doing so showed $40 over the counter 10
Sinms. and Simms gave him the ten-dol-
lar bill before counting the change.
While Smms was counting the silver the
stranger took an envelope from his
pocket and put the bill inside and scaled
il. Mr.. Simms saw him do this, and when
he finished counting the change he found
/. was p cents short and mentioned the
fact. The Mr.. Good-Talker Immediately
said. You must be mistaken" and
counted it over with the same I-sult as
Slmms lie said his wife must have mis-
counted il when she gave il 10 Inn, and
handing Simms the envelope IN Which he
supposed his ten was securely sealed, he
took the change from the counter md
said. Hold that until I step out ana see
my wife and get the balance lie in
mediately left the store. ard as yet has
failed to put in his appearance to claim
the bill Mr. Simms thought he would
open it after the fellow had been gone
reasonable time and thinking he had
made the exchange somewhere else and
wouldn't be back. and after tearing II
open he was amazed TO find himself loser
q ten. for it failed 10 appear. Mr..
Slmms's wife Was in the store At the time
and saw the whole transaction and she.
like her husband. thought there was 10
doubt whatever about the bill being in
the envelope which he handed to Mr..
Simms. for they saw him put il in an
envelope and from the smooth manner
In which the fellow conducted himself
no suspicion was aroused. The scheme
seems 10 be an original one. and one that
q great many people would bite on and
suffer the penalty as has Mr.. Simms.
Who the fellow was or where he came
from Mr. Simms IS unable 10 say. but
during their conversation Mr.. Simms kept
trying to place him. as his face and
speech seemed rather familiar. but was
unable 10 do so. About an hour or such
matter after this happened, a fellow
answering the same description came
running into the depot seemingly out OF
breath and asked the ticket agent 10
change him a ten dollar bill, The ticket
agent replied that he could not accommo-
date him. and the fellow turned around
and al the 81 ne time calculated. Damn
it, and went out. His description can
not be plainly and completely given, for
but little attention was taken OF him by
these parties, his appearance being such
that no particular attention would be
paid him. He was dressed in a grey or
light brown suit OF clothes. about . feet
6 or : inches tall, dark eyes and nous
tsche and a smooth and refined talker.