Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-11-20
THE TRICKS Of THE BIG CROOKS


"How the other half lives in this great
city, and by what means, is often a mys-
terry to the other half" said a reformed
green goods man, who, having been born
and reared in Dunavan's lane. the very
heart of the criminal district of the me-
tropolis, is we'll qualified to expose the
methods of crooSdom. "And yet the re-
wards of a life of thievery and wrong; pay
so we'll, while they do pay, that crooks
do not think of the penalty which is so
bitter after detection and capture. The
games practiced upon the unwary are
manifold, and none is exempt from being
Even clever crooks fall VIC
Tins to games that they themselves have
never heard of, and thus by experience
learn the very latest method of ~SWirrQllnGS
Take the 'flimflam game foEI in
stance" continued the reformed jail-bird!'
The old manner is to step into a store.
and ask for a ten-dollar bill in exchange
for ten ones. the crook adding that he.
wishes to send the bill in a letter. Among
the ten ones handed over there is one$ten-.
dollar bill. The t~radesnran discovers. this.
and the crook withdraws the bill, saying
that he prefers a twenty-dollar bill in
stead of the tens, and at the same time
he tenders another ten-dollar bill. The
manipulation is very confusing. and, al
+; though in the handful of bills the trades
man may think that he has all that is
coming to him., after the crook has thank
ed him for his trouble and has disap-
peared the victim discovers that he has
been robbed of exactly $40.
But there are notifications of this
! simple game that defy the crook experts
themselves. l have seen clever gamblers
'~himflammed' out of a $40 bill by a crook
disguised as a ~know-nothing, and all the
while the gambler thought hat he was
doing the 'nimflalmming.' This is one of
the humors Of criminal life.
Another way of making a living is by
leading an innocent man into a question
able transaction under the impression
that he is to receive a large reward for
little. as with the green goods game.
Take the 'fooney' jewelry game as an
example. A crook walks ahead of a
likely-looking man on the street, and sud
denly makes a pretense of picking up
something from the sidewalk. The stran-
ger looks over the crooks shoulder and
sees him in the act of opening a beautiful
velvet case containing a diamond ring
1 fresh from the showcase. The tranger
asp with surprise. The crook feigns
great agitation and asks the victim if he
was the HldN WHO lOSl lHe IlHe, dL tIS
same time making a show of concealing
the treasure. The stranger answers in
the negative, but the crook says: L am
no hog. You were the only one who saw
me pick this up, and If you will not squeal
on me IN give you half the proceeds
He then leads his victim into a dark cor
ner.
"Once there, the pair examine the dia-
mond ring just purchased by some luck
lass Curoir Tho ornnk Ia &c that hn is
very hard UP, and as to go to a paWnshoE
might lead to detection, he tells the mar
to taxi it to the nearest jeweler to fine
out if, it is genuine If so, the crook viii
sell his share to the stranger for s25. The
stranger takes the ring to a jeweler while
the crook watches outside. The ring Is
appraised at $3.50. The stranger is dc,
ligted, but as soon as they are alone
again, and wishing to drive a shrewd bar
gain, he offers the crook $40 for his in
terest. Taking the ring the crook place:
it in the case again, and an alteration
ensues. The difference is split. and thu
stranger goes away with the ring in tn
case, with the counsel not to take it on
; of his packet till we'll out of the district
When he examines the case and ring ht
finds that the la tier has been cleVerlA
exchanged during the alteration for {
piece of 'fooney jewelry worth Is cents
and yet, so as not to appear in the ligh
of compromising a questionable tranSac,
ton, he holds his peace. This game ha:
been worked with great success, Will
many notifications, in every quarter o
the town, from the regions of BaXte
street, where a plain gold wedding rims
catches a stray five, up to the upper re
gions of the metropolis, Wherc a real dia
mOnd ring, worth perhaps a thOusant
dollars, has brought in an income Of I
hundred dollars a day to the clever crook
II happened upon a man the other day
whom / had not seen for many months
He was known for years as the creates
walking fence in the world. He had es
capped trouble by miracle. He pretend'
now to have retired on his income, bu
I have my doubts about that. Men of hi:
stamp rarely cav the business for an.
length of time. The game is too fascin
ating While it is successful. This ma,
Travelled from New York to San Fran
cisco. He knew every crook that dit
business in every important city between
them. H was like a commercial traveller
having stated dates and places of meet
ing in every city. He dressed like
castaWay, yet. not so badly that he WOult
attract attention. He looked like a poo
honest fellow out of a job, that Is all
He could pass from the Battery to Har
lem without ever being picked out as
suspicious man, and yet he was LITERAL.
; plastered with bank notes. He did al
business in cash, and carried togethe