Bryan morning eagle. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1898-1909, 1898-07-12
BUNCO AT sKAGWAY.
SEDUCTIVE GAMES TO TRAP The
UNwARY KLoNDlkER
tn. Inaussr.sis Schemes ussd % sspar-
ate Min fr.n His II -coshdsnss opsr-
atsr. Galsrs-stssrA Disguised a. Pack
ar. lf.ln a. s.rsII thu Revenue.

.,or. o.lors-ss..rl. Dlsa,.sd a. rash-
or. Help g. s~sIi ths Revenue.
Since the grass has begun to grow
too short for them Skagway, 4ome
OF the confidence workers who stlli re-
main In Alaska have taken TO the
trails. where they continue 20 set
snares for the dollars Of unwary Klon-
dikers. On the skagway trail. the
sure-thlng gambler seldom goes higher
than the foot Of White Pass summit
Half a 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 az active operator. His neces-
sary qualifications are capacity to
Judge human character and a tongue
that is gifted with elibness.
The successful confidence operator Is
best described By the term spell-bln.
der His CONFERENCE.-The steerers-
carefully dlsassociaie themselves from
him whenever a possible victim Is in
sight The better to disguise his wolf
ish character the sieerer frequently
dons the Sleeps clothing OF packer
It Is no uncommon incident on the
trail TO see two or more notorious bun
co steerers faring along. one after the
other. apparently heavily burdened
with packs which. 10 analysed. would
prove 20 be nothing more than straw
or chips In canvas sacks A little
ahead OF them always Is the operator
equipped with a small portable table.
three shells. and the elusive pea.
when the first one reaches the MAJ
nipulator Of the ancient. but 20 the ylc-
tim ever new game. De stops. watches
and listens. and finally lays down bis
pack as if 10 rest and be- amused.
steerer No. . follows bis example. as
do the others in turn by the time
the prospective victim arrives Doe ENDS
a spurious Klond.kef Just winning
bet from the shell game player amid
the half onyious congratulations OF bis
confederatos.
well. well this DIS ms unluCky day"
says the man with the table. "but TN
give some Other gentleman a chance
10 win with the little pea"
Back and forth and round about go
the little shells again, a glimpse OF the
pea being given the watchers az seduct-
lively frequent intervals Another
steerer guesses It's location and wins a
greenbaek 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"
lie opens a well-llned pocketbook.
and. while his attention Is taken up
with lis contents. one OF the steerers
slyly raises the shell under which the
pea Is hidden. That catches the out.
slider. unless he be inyulnerable agains,
the temptations OF bunco.
Laying his finger on the she'll lndl-
Gated TO him. he offers TO bet $40, 500.
$50. or higher sum that il 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 a 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 a
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 same
day a man who runs a tent restaurant
bet and lost 500. but the shell-game
player was glad to disgorge Il when
the victims wife. a 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 Klondlke In the interests OF the
. Smithsonian Institution. complained to
b Capt l.. A. Matile that confidence
p workers were so annoying her that she
feared to continue the journey. She
D Is travelling alone. and had called at
{ the regular army oncampment on her
way out Of town. Capt Matlle. 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
, fidence men scatter, TO reappear al an.
other point under like circumstances
some time later in the day
On the skagway trail the she'll game
Is not In operation regularly. Tho
men engaged at Il are supposed to be O
detachment OF "soapy" Smiths gamb.
lers. Those who operate In Dyea
-. Sheep Camp. and along 10 the base OF
1 Chilkoot are under the leadership Of
Tom Cady, a notorious Colorado camr
confidence man.
Other devices for catching victims
besides the pea and shells are heard OF
g occasionally The sailed mine man ii
! one OF the most recent additions tc
b those who seek to get something foi
{ nothing.
/. j. r. Jones. President OF the Omar.
D.. aniee Title and Abstract Company oil
, Juneau, snved a Dyoa merchant IRON