Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1900-02-05
J. c. Brecken Too Smooth For
Bunc0 Men.
GAME OF POKER SHARPS
Put Up a Job on a Stranger in Zion
u
q and Got Jailed for
. the Trick.

J. c. Brecken, a Montana railroad man,
proved too smooth for a gang OF Salt
LAX confidence men who tried to work
him. THE Salt Lake Herald Of Saturday
contains the following account of Breck-
ems experience:
There are still a few grafters in Salt
Lake and they made their presence
known to j. c. Brecken, a young 'stran-
ger within our gates" yesterday after-
noon. Lucky for Brecken, he is Of a sus-
pecting disposition n lost only 81. One
steerer was arrested. He was a 1ashily
dressed young ma and gave the name
of J. II. Price.
Brecken picked up an acquaintance
with Price on the street and after a few
conversation and a walk around
town they went to a South Main street
rooming house, where Price, being a
stranger in town, said he was to meet a
man who was an old friend of his family
and had kindly offered to identify him at
the bank, where he was to cash a check
for 5000 from his mother" When they
got inside two affable gentlemen received
them. No, Mr.. So-and-So (the family
friend) was not in, but would return
shortly, and wouldn't the boys like to
make up a little game at poker. They
had hoped a friend would call for the
two of them found it hard to pass away
the time.
Price was willing. It wasn't his prac-
tice, no, but he didn't object to accom-
modating a friend. Brecken. too, fell in.
He didn't know the first principle of the
game, but hoped to get next. The cards
We're dealt. Price dropped out and went
to coaching Brecken. Three queens! He
knew that was a good hand and tossed
81 into the pot. The man across the table
raised him.. Then Price took a look at
the hand and vowed he would play it,
a. cNhiy1r tho ahn11x for com ool >o:-:--
back. This was to enthuse the sucker.
The others objected, though, to Price
lending the victim money, and it was sup
posed Brecken would, after Prices play,
dive into his pocket. Instead the sucker
grew wise.
to the "a, and he laid down his three
queens. y
"TEhree kings here said his opponent,
simultaneously raking in the money.
Then IS Brecken demanded his money
back and they simply laughed. The vic
tim had tumbled to the game, and said
he'd ''a.seei it through" but they little
He followed Price out onto the street
and walked to the postoff1ce, passing po-
licenlen, but refrained from calling one
in the hope that Price would pay him
back. Is 81 w.,
To get rid of him, Price managed to
41iSGN ~ IVY WIN duVlS6u Ilil
that the penalty for gambling was "three
years in the PEN" but Brecken only re-
piled:
Then you'll all go with me-
The young confidence man was clearly
becoming desperate. He could not shake
the ~up-country man, n finally officer
Miner was encountered by the two.
Price OWNED Breckan's intention and
called out first:
"Oflcer. arrest this MANI
Immediately Brecken cried:
Il want this man arrested"
Miner was puzzled for a moment, but
finally took both men to police head
quarters, wahsre they told their stories.
1t didn't take long to discover the facts
IN the case and Price was thrown in jail
and a search instituted for his confeder-
ates, but without avail.
Price claims he was feeced out of SAT,
but the police think differently.
Brecken promised to appear against the
CRATER today. He is a railroad man from
Montana.