The morning news., 1899-12-22
SKIN GAMES HAVE FULL SWAY.
SUCKERS PLENTIFUL AND THE
GRAFTERs REAP A HARVEST.


Magistrates by Parties Who Have
Been Done Out of Various Sums.
The Regular Gamblers Are Quiet,
But the LEAD Pipe Cinch" People
Seem to BE Having a Smooth Time.
A white man named Mason was in the
Police Court yesterday, with story of
having been worked for about $3.50. The
mans story was undoubtedly true, but
his account of the manner in which he was
beguiled of his money was so disconnected
as not to furnish any positive clue for the
detectives to work upon.
Mason, who is a naval stores operator,
came down from South Carolina Wednes-
day to get money with which TO pay off
his hands and incidentally do some Christ
mas shopping. He went to his factor on
the Bay and obtained check for $780,
which he cashed at one of the banks. He
had hardly gotten outside of the bank
when he was met by a neatly dressed
young fellow, who called him by name
and claimed to have a former acquaint-
auce.
Mason had no positive recollection Of
having met the man before, but as the
citizen seemed disposed TO make things
pleasant for him he threw no discredit on
his claims 10 acquaintanceshp. Smith, or
whatever the fellow gave his name as
proposed that they should rake a drink to
which Mason was nothing loath The pair
had several drinks together, in the course
of which Mason displayed his roll, being
entirely willing to pay for his share of the
drinks. The stranger at once proposed
that they should engage in a little specu-
lation together. He knew of place, he
said, where they could double their money
in a short time. The game was perfectly
square, he said, and to assure his country
friend that he was sincere, he guaranteed
that he would stand good for every dollar
lost
The couple went to one of the gamb-
ling shops on Broughton street where Ma
son was introduced to a game that ap-
peared very simple. 1t consisted of pick
ing the right card out of several others
which were exposed on the table. To
show how easy it was Mason's friend tried
it a few times and won. Mason also tried
IT and made several bets with varying for
tune. When his sporting blood had been
sufficiently aroused he was drawn into
making a single bet of $780, which he OF
course lost. When he looked around for
the friend who had introduced him to the
game that worthy had disappeared, nor
has Mason since been able to lay hands on
him, as he would gladly do.
After leaving the gambling room Mason
knocked around in some state of uncer-
talnty, first trying to locate the man who
had introduced him to the game, and later
making a statement of the matter to a
magistrate. He afterwards reported the
matter at police headquarters and de-
tective was sent with him to look up the
| game. Mason took the detective to q place
! on Broughton street where he thought the
| game was worked on him. The detective
| thought he was mistaken in the location
! -ofey, ,o1f 10 n qa1F1
was drinking and that his story was some
| what doubtful. One man whom Mason
| thought he recognized as one of those in
| the party which did him out of his money
was arrested, but Mason could not identify
| him positively. He was held until Police
| Court yesterday morning.
| Mason created some amusement in Po-
| lice Court by refusing to be sworn be-
cause his factor, to whom he had tod his
! troubles, and who had agreed to be pres
ent, was not on hand. He persisted In
! his refusal 90 be sworn and Recorder
| Hartridge sent him to the lookup, where
| he remained until the factor, who had
been sent for, arrived, when he consented
/ to testify. He was not very definite, how
ever. in his account of the manner in which
| he had been robbed, and his testimony did
not throw any great light on the subject.
/ Mason's acquaintances here say that he
| is straightforward, though of somewhat
erratic temperament, and they are satis-
! fed that his statement that he was done
out of about $3.50 is true.
The number of skin games of the dead
open and shut order which are being
worked in this city is something remark
| able. Mayor Myers order for the closing
of the gambling rooms seems to have had
a peculiar effect. The legitimate gam
| blers, those who conduct games in which
there is a certain percentage in favor Of
the house, but where the player has
chance for his money, have been very
! quiet. Some of them are undoubtedly do
plants of crookedness have been made on
! their account. On the other hand the
town has been flooded with the grafters
and falxirs, chiefly of the itinerant class,
some of whom work their games openly
and without interference by the police or
detectives. Others, such as those VINO
conduct games of the kind in which Mason
lost his money, where the system is mere
| ly one of robbery without the trouble of
hitting the victim in the head with
bludgeon, work behind closed doors.
! Every day brings reports of skin games
| being worked in every part of the city,
and from the number Of the reported vic
| Tins ii would seem that the gambler 8
adage that a sucker is born every minute
| is literally true. Policemen, detectives and
| county magistrates are daily appealed to
4 for redress, but the victim can rarely iden-
"
! when he does discover it it is only to find
that the game has been moved
The "fakirs" are past masters of the
| knowledge of human nature, and it is
through this knowledge that they are en-
| abled to work their games success fulIy
| Their operations are interesting and can
be seen at the numerous table games in
| operation in the streets in the neighbor-
hood of the market. The table game is
apparently such dead cinch that one
wonders how it can be possible to lose
and whether the proprietor, who seems
to be fairly giving away his money, may
not be the advance agent of the millen-
mum, or of some era of brotherly love
| and prosperity equally good. The proprie-
| tor, however, has an eye to business and
| selecting from the crowd his intended vic
tim, angles for him with such consun-
mate skill that he rarely escapes
AT the table games ringers are rarely
/ employed. The gambler is too skiiful for
that, bur he lets the common run of nlav-