The times., 1899-10-07
AFTER TELEPHONE FAKIRs.
A Nuisance Complained Of Lately in
Southern Cities.
lFrom ID New York snn. }


just returned from a business trip through
the South. In some places in the South
the inhabitants. and especially the tele-
phone subscribers, have been made TO suf-
fer serious trouble The superintendent in
one city sent a communication to headquar-
ters recently saying that subscribers were
falling of in punches and phones had TO
be removed from residences on account Of
the annoyance caused by the telephone IA
kris. ! was sent to that city. II is a pret-
ty good sized town of its kind, and found
matters in bad shape. The telephone girls
said they were afraid to go home at night
unless they were properly guarded The
gang had sent hundreds of messages TO
central. warning the girls that they would
be killed if they gave information which
would lead to the gangs being discovered.
This naturally frightened the operators.
The fakirs who were playing the tricks
must have thought ii funny, but their tricks
had serious consequences. One morning a
lawyer was sitting in his office when his
desk phone buzzed. and he answered.
faint voice came trembling over to his ear.
Is that you? it said Well, this is
the house. Fanny speaking. Do, Mr.,
come home quick. Mrs. B. has taken poi
son. The doctor is here and says she can't
live He told me to tell you to come here
quick, quick, run.
THE poor lawyer was greatly alarmed.
He ran down the steps. When he reached
the street there was a carriage near and
he bounced in, telling the driver to take
him to such and such a number. Ii was
a private vehicle and the man refused. The
lawyer took the big stick he was carrying
and gave the driver a whacking blow over
the headss He fell senseless. AS he start
ed to rise he got second blow. and then
- H. !
seat and drove at a killing pace for his
home. You can imagine how he felt when
he reached his gate and saw his wife just
going out with friend to shop. The law
yer went 10 the telephone company, but
got no satisfaction. The manager said it
was the work OF the fakir gang, The
worst damage from the cruel joke was TO
the driver He had 10 be sent to the hos
pital for treatment and it cost the lawyer
good round sum TO square matters.
"A few days later, young merchant an
swered the phone TO find female voice.
presumably that of his betrothed. She said
he had not acted decently in a certain
transaction with another woman. the facts
of which had just come to her ears, and
she wanted 10 say that she was just then
going on board a steamer bound for New
York She said that she would never re-
turn and that her lover would never hear
Of her again. This information set the
young man distracted. His bicycle was
near, and it was a mile and a half TO the
boat. He heard the three blasts so fa-
miliar TO him just as he was leaving the
store. From that moment he pushed that
wheel al the highest pace In turning
corner he ran square into team and was
thrown violently. They picked him up and
the doctor said he was badly hurt. Friends
took him to the hospital and it was feared
that he could not live The next day there
were brighter signs and he opened his
eyes. His sweetheart was there by his
side. The man was unable to figure out
where he was. though gradually his mem
ory returned and finally he was able to
tell of the telephone message. This pro-
voked his friends beyond endurance De-
mands were made on the company TO as
certain the names of the miscreants, but
this could not be done.
After these two occurrences the gang
seemed TO reach down for a lighter plane
Several persons got messages that they
would be shot on sight and preparations for
defence were taken accordingly. Practical
jokes were frequent. One day a party Of
young men were invited out to dine. Ey-
erything passed off pleasantly and the
young men seemed TO have an enjoyable
evening. Early the following morning
there was ring al the telephone. A SER
want who answered, was asked TO call the
lady OF the house. The man who rang
gave mis- name as that of one of the young
men who had dined in the party. the
lady spoke pleasantly.
Well, that's all right said the voice
for it's very proper. guess, to speak nice
by to me after that bum dinner of yesterday
Now, look here, Mrs. -, l can stand for
a good many things, but ! can't stand for
those tomatoes in that soup you gave
us yesterday. Say. that was a bum din
ner anyhow
We'll, the lady was indignant. When
she got her breath she rang up her hus-
band and told him of the conduct of a
man whom they had considered friend
The husband rushed TO the Office where
the young man was working and demand
ed an explanation. The young man was
at loss to explain. He denied that he
had called up Mrs. and that he had
been insulted by the husband who thought
he could have been guilty of such conduct
The husband saw that it was the work of
the fakirs and he went over TO the central
Office TO complain. AS usual he got nc
satisfaction. but that night his phone
came down.
Not week after this minister walked
into clothing store with thirty boys
trailing at his heels. He called for a
member of the firm.
That was a kind offer of yours he
said, and / have brought my choir BOYS
down for the surplices'
'Surpiices? asked the man in aston
| ishment
Yes, surplices. got telephone mes
sage from you yesterday telling me that
you wished TO make a donation in the way
OF surplices, and / came for them
The clothing merchant said he had
never sent such q message or made such
an offer. He told the minister that il was
/ the telephone taking gangs work and the
! little boys had to tramp away without their
surplices.
Late one night soon after this. one NJ
/ the women most prominent socially was
! giving a musical reception. While the
festivities were going on there was a call
at the phone and a demand for the lady
| of the house. This is the chief of police.
said the voice at the far end, and tn,
neighbors are complaining of the noise al
your house. You will have to stop thai
music right now, and if you don't | viii
send down men TO have the house pulled.
The woman never thought for mo-
ment of the fakirs; in fact, she probabl,
had never heard of them, and she said she
would stop the music. She whispered tc
her intimate friends that the evening woult
have TO be closed and begged them to go
so as 10 get Others way. Well in ten min.
utes the music had ceased for the night
When everybody had left, the woman con.
fided 10 her husband the order from police
headquarters. He was ready TO Shoot any.
body on the instant. The chiefs Office de.
MED that any such message was sent.
These are only samples OF the fake
| tricks nlavnd hV the gang coi 70 ir,