El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-12-18
MONEY WAS CHEAP
TWENTY DOLLAR NOTES
SELL FOR TWO CENTS.
$500, Went to Kansas City, and
Lost Large Part of His Wealth,
But Not in the Customary Way.

Dink Lightner, of Maria, sold a sa-
loon there a week or so ago, and took
a little trip to Kansas City. He was
not as careful of his money as he
might have ben, and as a result soon
after he struck town, little street gam
ins were selling twenty dollar gold GER
tifcates to the highest bidders at the
rate of two cents each.
The kids thought they were counter
felt, the niger mammies thought they
were advertising matter for patent
medicine, and the notes went begging
until the boys got in the vicinity of
small theater. Theatrical folks are
proverbially impecunious, and the
twenty dollar bills quickly sold at the
price of postage stamp.
The story is thus told in the Kansas
City Star: 7s5>. O.
Three small negro boys created more
than a mild sensation at the Giliss OPP
era house at the corner of Fifth and
Walnut streets last night They were
selling 500 gold certificates for two
cents each. When they couldn't get
two cents they gave them away 1t is
fair to say, however, that there was a
steady demand for the currency.
1t is needless to say that the negro
boys had no idea that the notes they
were scattering about so recklessly
were of any value. They believed
| them to be merely picture cards got
ten up in the imitation of money to
advertise some patent medicine. The
police recovered $240 from the men
who had bought the money of the ne
groes, and they believe they can re-
cover 500 more.
Dink Lightner sold out his saloon in
Ell Paso, Texas, last week. He arrived
in Kansas City last Monday with
something like $1,000 in his possession.
This he carried in three envelopes in
his inside pocket. While in a saloon
at the corner of Fourth and Walnut
streets last evening about o'clock he
took out his money in order to give
his brother a 500 note. In putting the
money back into his pocket one of the
envelopes containing $3.50 missed his
pocket and finally working out from
under the vest dropped on the side
walk almost directly opposite police
headquarters. Augustus Tarwater, a
10-year-old negro boy, kicked the old
envelope as he passed by the restau-
rant the footsteps of Lightner half
an hour later. Then he picked up the
envelope and opened it. The contents
looked like money to him. He ran
hastily to his aunt Mrs. Rhody Brown,
who lives at No. II West Fourth street.
| To her he showed his find.
Go way; don't poster me-" exclaim-
ed Mrs Brown Dat amt money.
It's one of dem advertinsin' white
folks gets up to tell about medicine.
Dem pitchers is men has has been
cured of de shakes. Run along now
and don't bodder me-
Young Augustus Tarwater ran. To
two of his playmates-James Steele
and "Dago" Smith-young Tarwater
gave a fair share of the bills, twenty
four of them, gold certificates of the
value of $40 each. But to these boys
they were simply picture cards.
The excitement caused by the
simple exhibition of what he supposed
was advertising cards scared young
| Tarwater, and he went to police head
quarters and showed his last remaining
note to Lieutenant Weber. That Of
fetal gasped in surprise when Tarwat-
err guilelessly told him that he had Civ
en- away twenty-three bilsl just like
the one he was showing him. Officers
were detailed to recover the money.
| They worked rapidly and expeditions
~. Seven men were summoned to po-
! lice headquarters for supposed connec-
/ ton in the transaction. Two of them
had to be locked up before they would
disgorge, and one man is now confined
at police headquarters who is believed
finedto have two of the notes.
With the exception of the two or
i three men confined for refusal to give
up the money which they had secured
! there were no arrests. The boys rem
dered material assistance in Identify
ing the men who had bought the notes.
Lightner did not miss his money I'M
til 10 o'clock last nigt. He took his
loss philosophically and did not report
it. A friend told him of the sensation
created by three negroes giving away
$50 notes. Then he went to police
headquarters. He easily convinced In
spector Halpin that he was the man
who had lost the money. The two en-
velopes in which he carried the balance