Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1900-01-11
Und0ing Of a BunkO Sharp


i caused by the easy separation OF
eX-Alderman French, of Brooklyn
from $4,000 of his good money by two
expert youths was severely offset by
an occurrence in the Broadway Cen
trail hotel in which pair of the broth.
erhood of bunko steerers figured re.
spectively second and third to John
KAISER, of Arizona. The pair invested
a little cash and considerable time and
trouble III NJ. KAISER, and, though he
didn't pan out, they still have cause
for thankfulness that they are alive
though battered.
Mr.. KAISER is superintendent of the
Live Oak Copper Mining & Smelling
company. with mines at Globe, a. T..
and he is here with his wife on bust
ness. They are at the Broadway Cen
tral. Mr.. KAISER is of foreign eXtrac-
ton. He is possessed of a slight s,c-
cent, a bIandly quiet manner, a con-
fiding smile and general aspect of
material but nonmetropolitan pros
perity.
When he comes to New York he
doesn't follow the example of some of
his western friends and cast himself
madly into the embraces of ready
made frock coat, a silk hat and new
pair of tan shoes with white laces; he
wears the same clothes that he wears
at home and goes about his business,
and if people infer therefrom that he
is from the west he makes no moan
over that. Globe he considers to be a
pretty good sort of place to come
from, and he isn't ashamed of it.
For some time past there has been
hanging about the corridor of the
Broadway Central a gentleman pos
sessed of a certain appearance of
sickness which has not commended
him to the favorable notice of the
clerks. So far as they were able to
discover, his sole occupation seemed
to be to chew toothpicks. derived from
the hotels cigar stand, and watch the
people in the lobby from the depths
of an easy chair. He was middIe-aged,
plump and we'll dressed. The hotel
would have been glad to get rid of
him had opportunity offered. How
ever. he only came occasionally, and
his behavior was not such as would
warrant his election.
On Tuesday morning this person
accosted Mr.. KAISER, who was stand
ing locking disconsolateiy out into the
rain.
bad weather we're having" said
the man. Have much rain in your
part of the country?"
''Yes. 1 get used to pretty much all
kinds of weather." replied Mr.. KAISER.
''Going out, ] see,'' continued the
stranger, glancing at the others UNI
breIla. "Going uptown"
Mr.. KAISER turned upon him BEAM
ing look, but made no answer.
whats your line of business, any
way?" continued the other, persua
sively.
my business" responded the west
erner, with a gentle smile, sis not
yours"
''Oh, well, you needn't be offended
Just because I'm stranger" persist
ed the other, looking somewhat hurt.
gers. anyway"
Nothing in particular" answered
the visitor, 'but come from the west,
you know, and I've heard that New
York was full of bunko men and
swindlers."
'Oh, ho-hol Ha-ha-ha! That's rich,"
cried the other, slapping Mr.. KAISER
on the back. ''You took me for a
bunko mani Why, 1 live right here
in the hotel. They all know me. Ha-
ha-haI That's pretty goodi"
Pretty good" assented Mr.. KAISER,
smiling at the other as if he were his
bosom friend.
"well, if you're going uptown"
81 amt" said Mr.. KAISER, and he
walked out, chuckling.
Upon his return he saw nothing of
the ELUSIVE stranger, but when he
came down into the lobby the next
morning there stood the man, well
groomed and smiling.
'Ahl" said the stranger, as Mr.. Kas-
ser approached. "Just down? I'm
Just through breakfast myself. Nice
day."
To this proposition the westerner
agreed. Then his friend invited him
into the cafe to show there was no i'll
feeling, and after some conversation
they went in together, the stranger
saying:
after what you said about the bun
ko business you can't DO less than
have a drink with me. Ha, ha, ha!
That was good one!"
.Yes, wasn't it?'' responded Mr.. Kas-
ser. ssBut I don't drink"
''Well, come sit down and have
cigar" said the other, and led the
way to a table where sat a young man I
with a protruding under jaw, striped
shirt, a glass diamond, long drink
and certain other evidences that he
wasn't a minister of the Gospel. The |
friendly stranger gave no intimatlon
that he knew this man, but kicked |
him as he sat down. AS the man didn't /