The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-05-26
BUNCO AT SKAGWAY.
SEDUCTIVE GAMES TO TRAP THE
UNWARY kLoNDikER.

ators Galore-Steerers Disg used as Pack-
ers Help to Swell the Revenue.
Since the grass has begun to grow
too short for them Skagway, some
of the confidence workers who still re-
main in Alaska have taken to the
trails, where they continue to set
snares for the dollars Of unwary Klon-
dikers. On the Skagway trail, the
sure-thing gambler seldom goes higher
than the foot of White Pass summit.
Half dozen or so of the tribe usually
travel together, sharing at the close Of
the day the profits Of the tricks they
have turned. One Of the party is
chosen as active operator. His neces-
sary qualifications are a capacity to
judge human character and tongue
that is gifted with glibness.
The successful confidence operator is
best described by the term spell-bin-
der His confederates-the steerers-
carefully disassociate themselves from
him whenever a possible victim is in
sight. The better to disguise his wolf
tsh character, the steerer frequently
dons the sleeps clothing of a packer
1t is no uncommon incident on the
trail to see two or more notorious bum
co steerers faring along, one after the
other, apparently heavily burdened
with packs which, If analysed, would
prove to be nothing more than straw
or chips in canvas sacks. A little
ahead Of them always Is the operator,
equipped with small portable table,
three smells, and the elusive pea.
When the first one reaches the ma
nipulator Of the ancient, but to the VIC
tim ever new game, he stops, watches
and listens, and finally lays down his
pack as if to rest and be amused.
Steerer No. 2 follows his example, as
do the others in turn. By the time
the prospective victim arrives he finda
spurious Klondiker just winning
bet from the shell game player amid
the half envious congratulations of his
confederates.
well, well, this Is my unlucky day."
says the man with the table, "but I'll
give some other gentleman a chance
to win with the little pea"
Back and forth and round about go
the little shells again, glimpse Of the
pea being given the watchers at seduct-
lively frequent intervals. Another
steerer guesses its location and wins
greenback or two.
IF you fellows are hitting me too
hard" obviously comments the oper-
ator, Il must size up my roll before
taking any more BETS"
He opens well-lined pocketbook,
and, while his attention is taken up
with its contents, one of the steerers,
slyly raises the shell under which the
pea is hidden. That catches the out
slider, unless he be invulnerable against
the temptations of bunco.
Laying his finger on the shell indl-
Gated to him, he offers to bet $40, 500,
$50, or higher sum that it covers the
pea. His bet is taken the shell is
lifted, and the pea proves to be some
where else. Usually the victim makes
a second and perhaps third bet, in the
hope of retrieving his loss, always with
the same result. A witness to one Of
these episodes tells of having seen
prospector who had lost 500 sit upon
his pack and burst into tears. He
said that his last dollar had gone on
the game.
Still higher up the trail that salna
day man who runs a tent restaurant
bet and lost $40, but the shell-game
player was glad to disgorge it when
the victims wife, compound lady Of
German nativity seized him by the
coat collar and screamed Justify for
help.
A woman who said she was going to
the klOndike in the interests of the
Smithsonian Institution, complained to
Capt. l.. A. Matile that confidence
workers were so annoying her that she
feared to continue the journey. She
is travelling alone, and had called at
the regular army encampment on her
way out Of town. Capt. Matle, who
commands the troops here, sent an
escort Of two soldiers with her as far
as the Northwest Mounted Police post
at Summit Lake After working one
point on the trail thoroughly, the con-
fdence men scatter, to reappear at an
other point under like circumstances
some time later in the day.
On the Skagway trail the shell game
Is not in operation regularly. The
men engaged at it are supposed to be a
detachment of "Soapy" Smiths gamb-
lers. Those who operate in Dyea,
Sheep Camp, and along to the base of
Chilkoot are under the leadership of
Tom Cady a notorious Colorado camp
confidence man.
Other devices for catching victims
besides the pea and shells are heard of
occasionally. The sailed mine man is
one of the most recent additions to
those who seek to get something for
nothing.
J. T. Jones, President of the Guar
antee Title and Abstract Company of
Juneau, saved a Dyea merchant from
falling into the clutches of swindler
Of this variety. The merchant told
Jones that he had a chance to buy a
placer mine for the very low sum of
$500 1t was new strike, only five
miles outside Of Dyea, and the locator
being out Of funds, was willing to sac
rltice his claim. He exhibited speci-
mems of gold from the placer, they be-
Ing shot and smaller particles. In the
afternoon the miner accompanied Jones
and the merchant to his claim. There
he panned samples Of the dirt.
The specimens obtained looked gen
ulne, but, being dubious, the Juneau
man to-day had them tested They
proved to be composition of copper,
zinc, bismuth and tin. This evening
Jones expressed the opinion that more
than one local dealer in gold had mado
purchases of the bogus preco..3 Esz H.