Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-11-24
SHARPERS AT WORK
Confidence Men Again Seeking Vic
tins in This City.
some OF THEIR SMOOTH SCHEMES
Police and Detectives Are on the
Alert for Them.
TIM ES TO BE CA REFU L

Confidence men of all kinds seem to be at
work in this city just now. and the police
and detectives are making every effort to
land them behind the bars. 1t usually hap
pens at this season of the year. when people
want something for nothing, or are anxious
to get little extra money for the Christ
mas holidays that the swindlers have an
easy thing of it. This year has proved to
be no exception to the rule.
The monte men who appeared in Wash
ington this week are the first sharpers Of
the kind who have operated here for some
time Their game is an old one, and while
the police and detectives are anxious to
catch them, their victims get but very little
sympathy. In the first place, the picking
of a certain card from three or four cards
is apparently a gambling game. pure and
simple, and if played squarely the loser
would have no well-grounded complaint to
make The game as it is ordinarily played,
however, resolves itself into steal. for the
worker of it finds it an easy matter in the
manipulations of the cards to get rid of the
one that would prove a winner if it were
actually picked out Years ago the game
was played quite extensively, ana many
strangers who came here sightseeing We're
taken over the river to witness a supposed
unwilling of a monument, and there robbed
of their money. At times the manipulation of
the cards would turn down the corner of
the winning card, accidentally, of course,
and the VICTIM in picking out a card that
was marked, invariably selected a losing
one. 1t so happens that victim with
plenty Of money is permitted to make
winning in order that he will next put up
a larger amount of coin, but in the end he
is invariably loser The men who are
now working the game are very much in
demand by the police. and if captured they
are liable to get all the law can give them
nnA mi IeJ
Another confidence worker who has given
the police considerable trouble is a colored
man with a gold filling in a front tooth who
has victimiZed number of coored people,
getting as much $40 from one. He has
also worked in Baltimore and Philadelphia
quite extensively, going from here and re-
turning after visit to the other cities. His
game is a novel one and he has worked it
successfully thus far. Meeting his intended
victim on the street he becomes acquainted
by asking If work at a good salary Is de-
sired and the answer is usually in the af-
firmatve References are required, but it
seldom happens that his victims have ready
references and money showing is demand
ed in order to convince the prospective en-
pioyer that the applicant is a person OF
standing. A letter to the prospective en-
ployer is given and with it the applicant
puts his money. The application, letter and
money are put in al envelope and sealed
and off goes the victim, only TO find that
envelope containing a piece of blank paper
has been substituted. In one case woman
gave up $40, went away on train ana
found herself fifty miles from the city with
out a cent in her pocket. Several of the
victims of this sharper were colored men
who were robbed of every cent they had In
the world.
Soliciting Magazine subscriptions.
Another Of the gang of confidence men
working here now is a man who is soiicit-
ing magazine subscriptions for the holi-
days. He makes an offer of several maya
zines. and number Of books in addition,
and the charge made is less than the regu-
lar price for one of the publications. Can
offer special inducements at this time of
the year, and the police advise that where
strangers are dealt with the buyers should
pay no money until there is delivery Of
the goods. One alleged bogus agent is re-
ported to have VictimiZed number of peo-
pie during the past week.
This One Needs Watching.
The bogus plumber is also at work again,
and although he has visited a number of
houses this week he has not succeeded in
stealing anything so far as the police know.
His scheme Is to call at a house. pretend
he has been sent to repair the plumbing
work in the bath room, and in this way get
on the upper floor of the house. During
past years he has been somewhat success
ful, but now that warning is given the po-
lice hope that the occupants of houses will
be on the alert and cause his arrest before
he robs any houses.