The Irish standard., 1899-10-14
TOUTS ON THE TURF.
Clever Confidence Men Who Put
UpSnoOth Schemes On'tile
,CNyyRry.


lures of an American race track is the
tout. He is interesting to the expert
enced race-goer, who is amused and
astonished at the peculiar ability the
tout has for separating a "sucker" from
his money; he is interesting to the UNI
initiated, who plays the art of the
Sucker" and who never realizes UNI
til the next day or so that lie has been
''skinned." The tout has developed rap
idly since book-bctting first became
popular. In the oldcn time, the tout
was usually Il negro stable hand, who
was sincere in trying to sell what hn
regarded as good information for a
couple of dollars or so. Then, when the
real information was lacking. fake tips
were offered, the little darkics relying
on their general appearance to bear
out their claims of stable connections.
The little darby was soon succeeded by
the white boy, and as the white boy
grew into a man. he continued his oc-
cupation, continually changing his
methods rs the public became better
informed as tothc dongs of this fixture
Of the race track. Now the old ragged
tout is thing of the past. The touts
of the day, or "hustlers," as they call
themselves, are very careful of their
appearance, and the better they can
dress the more successfully they can
operate. Many, TOO, do their work with
out ever going near the race track. The
New York Telegraph tells tho following
story of how pair of topnotchers Sc
cured a good-sizcd bank roll from a
New York broker who was anxious to
make lot of money in a hurry:
"Only lately two touts arrived in
New York With $1,000. good credentials
from far western business people. and
were supposed TO have stable ut
Shccpshcad. They became acquainted
in some manner with Wall street
man. lie was informed gradually that
by being discreet he could 'iine out
with the two, and when they were
ready to cut Il watermelon he should
be informed.
"Finally one day one of the schem-
crs arrived at the brokers office in Il
hurry. He held Il telegram asking him
to come on at once from his partner
ut Cincinnati. The money was to be
bet in the western pool rooms to get
the best price possible. lie would take
four hundred from the broker to show
him how it was done.
"Thc Wall street man begged to be
allowed to bet Il thousand, but the tout
refused.
"NeNt day he returned. The broker
was excited as the tout pulled out roll
of Centuries
"'llcre's nine hundred he said. Our
horse was second. We bet on him both
ways, and you are five hundred win.
ner on it. while we are about even. We
saved our money aud that's all. Mr.
Howard wired this from Cincinnati.
"Thc New Yorker could hardly con.
tain himself. lie asked the tout tc
take half and his offer was indig
nantly refused. 4 like YOU. that's all
and want to see you VIM said the gen
erous tout. The broker was not sats
fled, for he wanted to bet more, n great
deal OF money. and win pot TIL,
tout would call tomorrow and tell hin
their plans. The broker had all nigh
to figure on the delights of winning
money on the races. Two days later
both touts called. They and the broke,
went in his private Office. where the,
told him the next day their horse was
out to win, but he had better let thciI
man bet whatever he wished.
"'Wc will give you chance, but yor
will have to bet about five thousand
for we shall bet ten thousand and the
price will get down to even with al
that going on, and we shall be hurting
ourselves by betting yours. which viii
help to cut the price.
"Thc broker agreed to bet the money
and more, and wanted to let two friends
in
"Thnt night the friends gave the
broker $4,000 each as Il result of his
enthusiasm. Next morning he drew
his check for $4,000 and went with Tic
two men to his bank, where he cnshcd il
and the checks of his two friends. The
money was given to them and the
broker was to call at the Savoy hotel
where they were stopping, that night
at ten o'clock, with his two friends, to
receive his money and be Il guest at q
little wine dinner. An hour later two
gentlemen hurricdly paid their bill at
the Savoy, and an early train carried
them to Montreal, whence steamer
bore them to Europe to enjoy the fruits
OF their intelligence and industry. The
broker gave his friends their money
back, and he never 'holIcrcd, and prob.
ably never will. lie cannot afford to.
The two gentlemen who turned the
trick are known on race tracks from
Frisco to Brighton Beach rs Little
Solly' and Pretty Willic.' A business
man who juggles with fortunes in his
own line will go to the track and allow
himself to be duped by pair of touls'
who tell him story which, if he would
stop to think abo1it, would never de-
ccivc him. At the track, however, he is
in different world, and as rule the
smarter he is in business the easier he
is to influence. st Louis Globe-Dcm.
ocrat.
Meant to Have His Moneys Worth.
A celebrated mcnagcric proprietor,
Il, 80.