The Portland daily press., 1898-08-24
RLEECED MANY VICTIMS.
Sherilfs Drive Off a Gang OF.
Rigby.
OPERATORS OF OBJECTIONABLE
SCHEMES ELECTED.

The Men Who Brought York County Faiz
Into Disrepute Attempt to Ply Their
Calling at New England Fair, But
Are Driven Out of the Business.
About dozen devices for getting rich
quickly were in operation yesterday after.
noon In that part Of Rigby park known
as the Midway" They appeared to be
under one general management and were
backed up by small army of "cappera, y
who moved from one table to another,
investing fves and tens and twenties
with GOODNESS that ought to have been,
of itself, sufficient to awaken a suspicion
of any onlooker of ordinary sense. It was
the same gang that operated at the York
| county fair year ago.
At one table glip-tongued man pre-
sided over the destines of big nickel
arrow, weighted at both ends and turn
ing ON fine pivot, the point Of the arrow
being tipped with strip of cardboard
that barely touched the iron pins as 1t
passed on Its mission. The spaces be-
tween the pins contained figures and
OliebL dOOClo ouPPOoO0 W 1Cpl0S0Au WIG
amount of money man could win If
the arrow happened to stop on any of
them. 1t looked, at first glance, like a
game Of chance in whioh..ths possibilities
of winning or losing were about equal.
But from close observation 1t was readl-
~ seen that the operator, by fitting the
rickety table, could cause. the arrow to
stop whenever he wished.
When only his confederates were put
ting up their money, he would allow
them to win big stakes, but there was
no more show for an outsider to win
than for an ordinary hack horse to cir
ole the Rigby course in two minutes
A regular system was followed in catch-
ing the unwary victims, sndthey were
all squeezed to the full limit.
Another table was equipped with little
six sided ten pins. which the operator
swept down with stick. after his pa
irons had put up 80 cents apiece. Every
pin was numbered and he was supposed
to add the numbers, announce the total
and pay over to the players whatever sum
was indicated on the sweat cloth in the
space containing a corresponding num-
her, but the operator was a lightning
calculator, and his totals were always
satisfactory to himself. When it was q
game OF cappers alone. they would make
big winnings. Whenever they succeeded
in drawing in a seeker for investment
they would cling to him till his last half
dollar was gone.
Some called it robbery, Others regarded
it as case of hypnotism. The man who
stepped up to try hand with the expeo-
tation of drawing out after he had won
a big stake, usually went into trance
and staid at the game till his money
gave out, or some kind friend called him
away. There were four of these tables
in operation before the drouth struck in.
There was another game, q "game of
science" the operator called it A ball
was suspended from wooden frame. by
d small chain. The trick was to so
manipulate the ball that on it's backward
stroke it would knock over small wood
en- pin. Most anybody could do it, ex-
cept when there was real money up and
then by a little table fitting the ball
would be made to circle the pin without
touching it. Many a hard earned dollar
WAS dropped on that game by men who
ought to have known better.
Then there was the innocent looking
little cabinet, into which mar b les
dropped, through slot and went rattling
down among the pins, till it stopped in
either a winning or losing space. The
oappers could send the marble into the
winning side about every time, but the
accuracy with which the novice would
place it in the losing slot was almost
marvellous. A secret spring and shut
off were all that were necessary to insure
the catching of any speoulator who came
along.
There were other devices. on about the
same plan, into which the putting of
money was like trying to fill bottomless
pit.
Sheriff Plummer and Deputy Sheriff
Firth looked in on the Midway in the
early part of the afternoon. They didn't
like the. looks of things, and they in
formed the gang in charge of the tables
to quit. The advice WAS followed, bnt
in ten minutes after the sheriff's back
was turned the sweat cloths were spread
again and business resumed at the old
stands.
About an hour afterward tine sheriff
camel back and said he meant business,
and that the questionable gamessshould
not be allowed tn run. The gang took
him at his word and reluctantly shut up
shop.
Tom Moore, who attempted to work
the old shell game, was gathered in by
Officer* Pillsbury of the Portland police.
and locked up. He will be given hear
ing before Trial Justio McManus today.
The managers of the fair disclaim any
inclination to encourage these kind of
performances. They say that the space
in the Midway was let to the parties
under the supposition that only MCKEE
in-the-slot machines were to be used, and
that every patron should get in cigars
the equivalent of his investment. The
fair people will stand by the officers.
they say, In keeping the grounds clear
of Objectionable characters.
e L