The Saint Paul globe., 1900-05-04
ASSESSED ST. PAUL 81. 800
CONFIDENCE MEN WHO RECENTLY
WORKED EASTERN CITIES
APPEAR HERE
MOSES DE ROCHE A VICTIM
Fairfield Avenue saIoonkeeper Is
SwindIed Out of $1,000 by
a Pair of Clever
ROgues.

SWindlers mulcted Moses De Roche, a
| saloonkeeper at 81 East Fairfield avenue,
| of sl,3oO yesterday, by ''bunco" game
| that has recently caught a number OF
victims throughout the country The
money represented all Of Mr. De Roche's
savings and though the case has been
reported to the police, there seems little
hope of apprehending the confidence cp-
! orators
| The successful termination of the swim
! d1ers operations yesterday was the re-
! suit of three weeks planning. ard irdi-
! Gated that the 'con" men well knew the
ground, and We're a pair of accomplished
| rascals. AS though by the merest chance
a well-dressed stranger dropped into Mr.
! DE Reche's saloon some three weeks ago,
and, while slipping a glass of beer, ad-
dressed the proprietor in his native
French language. The next day the
stranger. appeared again. For nearly a
week he visited the saloon once or twice
a day, each time getting on better terms
with the proprietor The stranger told
remarkable tales of travel and informed
Mr De Roche that he had just come from
| Paris. Thus the acquaintance nrogress-
ed until Mr.. De Roche became quite at
tached to the genial countrynan. In the
course of many casual conversa tions Mr..
DE Roche impaired to the STRANGER that
ne owned some West side property. and
mad a bank account OF $1,300 When the
friendship between the two had become
quite ripe the stranger began telling NJ.
DE Roche of friend whom he was ex-
pectlng from Paris. The stranger VINO
gave the name Of Joseph Boullineau. Id
the expected friend was a most unsophis
tlcated young person, with more money
than he knew what to do with, and was
LOOKING Tor some advantageous invest
ment He enlarged upon the expected
friends wealth, and suggested that ne
might be induced to purchase some of
Mr. DE Roche's real estate
Inc second con man appeared on the
scene Wednesday afternoon, When he
was taken to the West side saloon by rne
man giving the name of Boullineau He
was introduced to Mr.. De Roche, and ap-
peared all that had been represe ented He
was dressed in the height Of fashion.
seemed to be utterly bewildered by the
foreign surroundings, and had money
oulglng from every pocket. Every time
he put his hand in his pocket he br ought
to light big roll of bills He bou-nt
all kinds OF drinks, disdaining to take
change for small bills, ard soon began
TO talk business He wanted to invest
In real estate, SO Mr. De Roche took hlIo
IN a carriage to see the West side lois
Inc Par1slan liked the Dropartv nnd-
seemed impatient to become its owner.
An agreement was reached where tht.
transfer was to have been made vester
day morning.
Early yesterday morning batb tho
strangers Went to De Roche's saloon
They talked finance for while and drift
ed 10 the subject of American banking
institutions. The luxurious Frenchman
declared he would like some safe place
TO deposit some of this money.
He declared he could not for the
life of hiE understand the noystorioI.s
system of banking, and Mr. De Roche
explained showing his certificate of de-
post to prove that he had money in
safe keeping that he could draw at anv
ume. The stranger was delighted with
the idea OF having his money taken care
OF, but was dubious about the little slip
Oh paper being worth $1,000. He had
about $50000 to put away, he explained
and would Ike to be certain that he
could get it whenever he wanted i1. tn
prove this he asked Mr. De Roche To
go to the bank and draw out his account.
Mf. DE Roche demurred on the ground of
losing his interest. The stranger Offered
to make this amount good Then Mr..
DE Roche consented. With the two con
hdenee men he visited the Garmal-Ameri.
can bank and got MS savings. It was
necessary in drawing the whole amount
Tor witness TO sign a paper aad SO the
con man giving the name of Joseph
Boullineau, obligingly gave the bank Of
HclajS his signature. The apparently
green Partisan '-bunco" man was de-
lighted with the simplicity OF the test and
suggested Visiting saloon for a drink
This was agreeable and the trio went ia
the saloon on Robert street, Just at the
north end Of the Robert street bridge.
Here in private room the corveFsa ton
reverted to the real estate investment
The wealthy Partisan wanted to take a
look about town before becoming a prom
erty holder, however, and said he hardly
knew what to do with his money while
out sight seeing. He did not want to put
IL IN the bank for so short time Orc
of the con men had been carving
with him small tin box. 1t was sug-
gested that Mr.. De Roche place the
money ne had drawn from the bank in
the box, While the stranger would also
put his money in the box, and Mr.. De
Roche could take the combined wealth
to his saloon and put ii in the safe for
little while. This was apparently done
ana Mr.. De Roche started for the West
SIDE, while the stranger went in the cp-
poSite direction. Half way over tie
bridge Mr. De Roche became suspicious
He went back but could not find his
friends Then he went home and broke
open the box. There was nothing inside
but Il bundle of old papers, cut the size
OF bank bills
Realizing he mad been swindled Mr. De
Roche went to the Rondo station to find
his friend Capt. Rouleau. He missed the
captain and visited mis- home on the West
side. In this way much time was lost
and it WAS o'clock in the afternoon be-
fore the police got to work on the case
BY this time the con men had doubt
less left town. Mr., De Roche describes
the swindlers as. both young men, the
first to appear having been a blonde, with
a Van Dyke beard, the other OF average
height and build, dark complexion and
wearing black mustache.
This same swindle was worked month
ago in Chicago, on a French resident,
by three men, one of whom was arrested.
1t mas lately been practiced in Pittsburg,
Pa, New Orleans and other cities, where
the Victims were invariably Frenehmen.
Six years ago John Delina, proprietor of
the Lafayette hotel, 4S-420 Minnesota.
street, was victimized to the extent Of