The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1899-02-08
SMOOTH BUNC0 GAME
How a Farmer Put the Laugh on
a Shrewd Hotel Clerk.
The CONFIDENCE MAN CAME
Cashed a Draft for a Bunco Man
and Bet the Clerk that He
Would Come and

and Bet the Clerk that He
Would Come and
Redeem 1t.
II was standing in the rotunda Of one
of the uptown hotels in New York last
Saturday night" said Mr.. 0. D. Stew
ems, leather drummer from the met
ropolis, when an old gentlemen with
hayseed in his whiskers came in. BE
looked about for moment; and then
walked up to the clerks desk, '6shed a
card from his pocket, and thrusting
it into the hands Of that official, asked:
Mister, do you know that MANI"
''The clerk glanced at it, and smiled.
For ne read thereon name worn by
one Of the smoothest Of the many con-
6dence men who have sprung up since
the beginning Of the 'anti-reform' ad-
ministration. Then he said:
:" Yes, know him, sir-I dare say
he had you cash certified check for
him, or something Of that sort?"
Yes he did, said the old gentle
man, wonderingly. How did you
know"
THE clerk smiled.
''He said he would meet me here
tonight and take it up, continued the
victim.
I don't think he will, though, said
the clerk.
Bat do, said the old gentleman,
for he looked to me like an honest
man; and I am good judge Of human
nature"
''All right, sir, said the clerk, "just
have seat and wait, if you will.'
The old man came over and sat be-
side me. [ entered into conversation
with him, and discovered that he was
well-to do Long Island farmer. The
con man in question had met him
few days before, and ingratiated him
self in the old mans confidence, and
induced him to cash cheek-the old
man showed me the paper.
After about an hour the old man
Went back to the desk and asked:
!" Have You seen anything of him
yet"
''No, said the clerk, and it isn't Hike.
ly that I will"
The old gentleman came back. He
waited about fifteen minutes, then went
to the clerk again, and made another
inquiry. The clerk answered as he did
before, and the cid fellow went to his
seat looking a bit disappointed.
''ae grew idgesy after another short
wait, and again addressed the clerk.
BY this time the attention of number
Of people had been attracted. Someof
them laughed, and others looked SYM
pathetic
See here, said the clerk, that man
isn't going to meet you. You have
been bunkoed."
''No, sir, you are wrong, said the cid
man.
Well, he won't meet you, insisted
the clerk.
III bet he does, replied the old man
doggedly.
You bet he does, repeated the clerk.
Well, how much will you bet?"
"Come-put up or shut up, he add
ed.
"Oh! don't want to bet, said the
old man.
mo, Of course you don't laughed the
clerk.
We'll, now, Mr.. Smarty, said the
old man, in nettled tone, I will bet,
and he reached down in his pocket and
fshed out roll Of bills. There was
hundred and sixteen dollars in all told,
and he laid the money on the counter
with a dogged air.
The clerk went back to the safe,
brought out a similar sum, and said:
Il give you one more hour.
NO, said the old fellow, I'm bet
ting he will either be here, or send me
a message explaining why he couldn't
come y
'-All right, said the clerk, and upon
this agreement the money was put into
an envelope and placed in the safe.
'The old gentleman came over and
sat down by me. He started to say
something but arose suddenly and went
towards the cigar stand, that was near
the front door, and boughta cigar. As
he turned to come back, the door
swung open, and in stepped aashi-
ly dressed gentlemen-the confidence
man.
"Mr. Wilson, he said.
The old man wheeled around.
L have come, continued the bunkoer
to take up that.little check"
II looked at the clerk. Hisface was
white:
The bunko-steerer pulled a roll Of
bills from his pocket, stripped of
number of them, and handed them to
the farmer. The farmer in return gave
him the check, and then walked up to
the clerk and said
I'll take that money
1t was handed to him.
He went back to where the bunko-
steerer was standing, and the two, join
ing arms, walked toward the door just
before they stepped into the street the
farmer looked back over his shoul2er,
and winded at the crowd.
well, III be ID if that amt the
smoothest con game thatwas evefwoEk-
ed. said the clerk. simply"
Mastering Them Out.
Tie war department Thursday issued