The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-02-11
BEWARE OF THE
MONEY FINDER
Two Smooth individuals Working the
Same Old Game.
POSTAL EMpLoYR WOULDN'T NlBBLH
Sharks Worked the Game All Right
but the Postofiice Man Knew the
Difference Between Genuine and
n Confederate 800 Bill--Recse
WINS offered the Contents of n
Found Pocket Book for n Small

a man DICKS np purse liOIh tic
sidewalk or street. If you see him 10
IT, don't stop in thy walk-pass on
or if, perchance, you feel like landing
a bold bad Swindler in an IRON cell
,grere he justly belongs, follow hlm'
speak with him, lead him into We trap'
and when thou art sure OF thy prem
ises, smite the man on ye heau WIN
thy fist and piniCn him to mother earth
until ye big policeman cometh'
For, to get into fin de steele lanSuase,
this city is being visited by quo Oh
sharpers with a game very ike the
old fashioned gold brick
for-a-fve proposition.
Whether or not any good ci'izeh
stumbled in their walk yesterday HAS
not been reported-such things are gen
orally n very unpleasant recitation lor
the victin-but it is known that the
game was attempted in this munici-
pality at least once ana, thou%h uh-
successful in the end, was carried iar
enough to make possible an expose
To Evan ]. Reesa, a postal employe,
belongs the credit of the discovery.
Mr.. Reese lives in West Scranton. AT
about 10 o'clock yesterday morning he
WAS passing ur LackaWanna avenue
and when near the Delaware ana HUI
son station he saw man a few feet in
advance stoOp and pick mp purse
from the sideW ak.
STARTING THE GAME.
As thc fellow did SO he turned and
as though disappointed that any per
son had noticed his act. addressing MI
Reese he said: Somebody's lost thelf
pocket atbook-Did you see any one drop
IT,"
"Nu. | did not" answered Mr.. Reese,
looking about for ii likely loser. The
nearest pedestrian was fifty yards
away.
Funny there : no one claiming. Won
der what's in it," said the fellow cud-
cling un close to Reese and hOldlnS
the purse in his hand. He was tall,
niddlc-agcd. wen dressed and appar-
emily rcspectabe-his brown derby nat
over dark hair, a black mu5tache,
sharp, black eyes and a nice hitting
Suit of mixed clothing. As he IOndled
the purse with Il nervous, suspicious
movement as if he had come into
great fortune ana was luaih to part
with it,
Come" he said to Reese; Wen
see what's in it
Mr.. Reese felt in Guty bound to fol-
| low the purse as far as he could. Iie
| thought that by aSsUciating with the
| finder he could be of some service to
| th, loser So he followed the fellow up
| the avenue few yaids and in behind
| the I;ailroad Young Mems Christiln
Association building to Mitfn avenue.
| The man with the purse did not OBJ
lert to Reese's company; he rather en-
| cuuraged it. When Miftiin avenue was
reached the fellow stopped and taking
a careful glance about said. Nov
We'll see what's in it, He began 10
open the purse. He turned over n cor
ner displaying the ends of several bills.
Gosh" he exclaimed. gleefully;
there's lots Of it," He counted,
"One-one-S10O one hun.
drcd and two dollars. Whew."
The man seemed to gasp for breath.
Reese said: Some poor fellows lost
| it"
Some poor fellow cried the man
under his breath; poor. No, the man
who lost this has lots of it,"
We'll. you ought to advertise at
| least He might give you a good re-
ward and you could get it more hon
estly too"
| THE NTB OF THE TRICK.
70 this the fellow made no answer
but sail: Let's look at ii again. Yes
there's one hundred and two dollars;
= one dollar bills and a 100 dollar bill
Now. if it was only smaller I'd give
you half. Let's see--by the way have
you any money. I'll give you the
| hun"
why that's a confederate 100 dolla,
hill!" INTERRUPTED Reese making dis.
| covery See ii reads 'Confederacy o.
America That bills no good"
The fellow appeared excited. His
| cheeks coored, he shook now from rea
nervousness Glancing up he pointed
to a man who was then approaching
I'm bet" he said TO Reese; "tha
this is the felloW who lost the purse.
The man approached nearer. Coins
direct up to Reese and the other hi
said Here, you fellows. did you FIND
a purse?'
Yes, mister, here 1t is" said tht
finder, quickly-"here it is; l didn'
know who lost it"-and he handed tn,
purse to the new conner at arms length
and hastily walked up Mitflin avenu,
toward the bridge.
| The other man followed, leaVing
Reese. standing stock still. with larg,
scenes Of the truth flashing through hi.