The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-07-29
TRICKS OF AN EASY CROOK.
AND A GOLDEN STRAW rs STICKING
IN HIS HAIR.
made Up ~ a Farmer From Wayback. He
Swindies shrewd Business Meu-A Few Of
His Most Successful Games Dsscribsl,
From he Kansas City Journal.

From me Kansas City Journal.
The golden straw was sticking In hs hair.
A very smooth farmer. who passes as q very
green young man. has victimized a large num-
Der OF people here in a clever manner during
the past few weeks and the police are warm
on his trail He might be a twin brother to
the girl whose golden hair was hanging down
her back. lie wears an air Of ey exaggerated
verdancy that Il very deceptive. He has
given a dozen aliases. His right name may
be Peter johnson and nc may live in Kansas
City. But he has already confessed to being
james Howard Of Topeka. William Henderson,
OF Snt-a-Bar. Thomas Jenkins Of Maryville
and Thomas johnson and Bob Manley Of
leivenworth Reports Of his operations are
coming in by ptecemeal. He has given other
names and the list is a formidable one
The most accomplished actor could not have
made up tho part better. and as this particular
specimen Of the genus countryman wandered
down the streets Of Kansas City he was the
object Of commiSeration from the city-born
chafs in fiannels and rough straws But
there was a great deal OF wasted sympathy
for the countryman. as the sequel will show,
for lie was n genius Of d~uplicity and q thirty.
second-degree confidence man. His work
was exceedingly ine and p,anv were the shekeh
that he garnered in from the merchants Of
the city,
The countryman had evidently Just arrived
in the city. for he stopped at a convenient drug
store and pored over the directory after the
manner Of those who study out the inscrip.
tions on the tombs Of the ancients. Some
times this sturdy son of the soil would scribble
with a stub Of n pencil on dog-eared leaves
of an old notebook. and anon he would wipe
his perspiration from his honest, toil-worn face
with a biz red handkerchief.
After collecting an abundance Of data the
stranger left the store and, after turning
ar round a few times. after the manner Of Q
carrier pigeon. he started of in a direct line
for a big Office building. A glance at the Office
directory assured the stranger that he wa
on the right track and soon he entered the
Office Of a big loan company with the proper
hesitation betting rural diffidence.
rs the proprietor in2" asked the stranger.
removing his hat and assuming the attitude
OF abject humility.
Il am the manager" responded . suavs
gentleman. seeing in the countryman q lamb
with a heavy fleece.
Soon the countryman had explained that he
had a good bottom land farm near the city
and that he wanted a small loan so that he could
get money enough to send his little daughter
10 "A CITY lOSplIdl where SHE COulu DO ueAte0
for a chronic ailment, The loan agent was
delighted with the sweet simplicity OF the
countryman. and soon a deal was arranged.
and it only remained for the closing UP Of the
details. By this time the countryman had
regained much Of his composure, and he had
actually yentured over by a window which
1 Sioisnt o siar e" a ND ' sisppins sqSdi s oTa hat hs s dOsn q
over his ears. he exclaimed as he ran out OF the
office:
eCaTa1 auin Mt thann gtrpaf nara ThAv'n rim
away and smash things If ! don't catch en-"
This brought forth a sally Of laushter, from
the rows OF sallow clerks. and It was fully AZ
opened the door and appeared. Ills facs bore
rueful. signs Of anxiety and 1t was plain thas
some thing had happened.
the office manager. remembering the exact
place where the negotiations for the farm loan
They did. though" replied the countryman.
whose woful expression caused the tawny-
haired clerks continued amusement
That's too bad" replied the manager. BE-
to returning to the matter OF business.
wall. ] guess III hev 70 20. as the blamed
hor ses hey busted up the harness and got to
get 'em home" continued the countryman.
putting on his hat and starting for the door.
Alarmed, at the prospect OF a good 6inS
SLIPPING through his fingers, the manasef
sought 10 dctain the customer.
Cant we TX things up about this loan1' b
anxiously inquired.
Mop, not to-day; | got TO lead them horses
all the way home. guess, as I have spent all
the ready money. | had with me Sorry ! can't
fix up that loan"
Wait a minute" ex claimed the manager.
II think | can fix that matter all right. Ill
LEI you have enough TO get your harness liked
and while that is being done We can close the
loan"
Wall. now thet might be a good idea and Il
would save time. ! don't know how much the
harness fxin' will cost, but II you could let me
have, about s. will take the horses around
md 1nnNn thorn in a AIgHln mud not tho hoVnaaa
fixed. will come back here as soon a. ! hev
made the arrangements and We can Close the
deal about the loan"
pocket and skinned a five from the top. Hand.
ing i to me stranger he said he would expect
him back in half an hour to close the loan deal.
The manager i still waiting,
The countryman with the crisp flyer tucked
away In his leans. with a whole lot Of Others OF
big denominatons, disappeared for awhile.
altered garb, This time he wore a derby hat
OF ante-b@nnm days. a short sack coat. which
might have been a good III when the wearer
collar and. gorgeous red n~ecktie. In his hand
he carried an old oilcloth gripsack, A tiny
wIsp OF golden straw was actually sticking In
his hair.
Ambling awkwardly down the street he
created much amusement among passersby
through his continually "rubbering" at people
he seemed not TO be familiar with city streets
and was continually getting under the feet Of
others. But there was deep strategy In the
youths stumbling gait. Approaching q
police officer he asked.
Mister, are you q constable9"
Being assured that he was talking with Q
representative Of the law, the youth asked
his way 10 a certain big wholesale house, the
members OF which are among Kansas Ctty's
best known business mon. Arriving at the
wardly in the Office until at Inst he was noticed
by the office boy, who began n quiet Josh" OF
the new arrival. At length one OF the mem.
beers of the firm caught sight Of the new arrival
and called him over To- his desk and asked him
what could be done for him.
I'm looking for my uncle, said the youth
with the guileless air Of rural innocence.
Who Is your unclep" asked the merchant.
Here the youth named the senior member OF
the Arm, who happened, as the youth had as
oertained. 10 be out of town.
When so informed the youth expressed the
way from n remote town in Missouri TO pay Q
visit to his uncle and he had no money to get
back home on or 10 pay his expenses In the city
while waiting for the uncle's return.
The thing worked beautifully and In ten
minutes the youth left the store the richer bI
several dollars. n he had been we'll dressed
be would never have been able to have worked
his game, but, as was said before. this stranger
was an artist In duplicity,
The next venture ~ the countryman was IN
Q wholesale grocery house, where he represented
thai he was a general merchant from the country
and wanted to lay In q big stock, The clerks
we're all attention. and In the course Of an hour
several hundred dollars worth of goods were
selected. A. this point in the deal the stranger
said he would drive his team around and load
lie LETT and soon returned with the dtscour-
aging Information that his wagon had been run
into and da mayed so that II would BE- necessary
TO have II fixed As he intended 10 pay for the
groceries with . check on a well-kncwn bank