The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-11-18
GRAFTERS GOT BUSY.
One Countryman Permitted Himself
10 BE SwindIed Twice.


10 BE Swindled Twice.
From reports received yesterday the
grafters. who fioated around during the
State Fair, made grandstand finish,
and added to that which in quieter
Way, they made during their stay in
the city. Few of them were seen on
the streets yesterday. and it is proba-
BILE that they took their departure on
the early morning trains.
A resident of one of the rural dis
tricts was fleeced out of $14, and when
he had the men who had swindled him
within his reach. he permitted himself
to be buncoed the second time. The
stranger reported to one of the CITY
detectives that he had been swindled
by two men who had a lottery scheme.
He explained that they wanted him to
work the game in the country, and in
showing him how it was done, won
$14 of his money. They refused to re-
turn it, claiming that he had lost it
fairly and he looked up an officer.
The detective accompanied the coun-
tryman through the business section,
in an effort to find the grafters. but
without success. Near the market it
was agreed that he should make a
search alone, and meet the officer In
half an hour. In less than that time
the man came back, returned smiling
and announced that he had located the
swindlers, but that they had squared
matters. They had given him the lot
terry device and his money back, and
he expressed himself as being perfect
ly satisfied.
The victim stated that when he told
the grafters that he had been looking
for them with an officer that they
agreed to make good, and that he show
ed his willingness to let by-gones he
by-gones if he got his money back.
The countryman declared that his
money had been wrapped up in the
lottery game. and produced a package
to show that what he said was true.
The officer insisted upon his opening it,
and to his establishment the victim
found that by some twist the money
had not been put in the bundle. BY
that time the birds had flown and the
countryman announced that he would
take the lottery game, which had real
ly been given him back to his home,
and make his money back in short or
der on those in his neighbors who have
never seen it worked.
A short-change artist got in his work
with several Broughton street mer-
chants. although the police say they
have no report of the operations. The
men used a $40 bill and in each case
made ten-cent purchase. When he
received his change of $3.50 he invari-
ably put up the cry that there had been
a mistake and after the clerk had be-
come sufficiently ratified would make
the announcement that he had been
given too much money.
To those whom he worked he stated
that his wife had only given him IS
with which to make the purchase, and
was certain he had not had a $40 bill
about him. When the point was reach
ed where the clerk got almost beside
himself the sharper would locate the
five spot and during the excitement
that would follow the discovery of the
money have it exchanged for the $40
first given, thus winning out $3.50.
An individual with two trunks full
OF phony gold watches was given no
| opportunity to play his game during
the Fair and told a hard-luck story to
the clerk of Council Saturday He
stated that he had been unable to
make any money and asked permits
| sion to sell thirteen of his watches to
one man so that he could get money
enough to get out of the city. He stat
| ed that he only had thirteen and want
| ed to sell his entire stock, without hav-
| ing to take out a license. The man was
| turned down and nothing more was
| heard of him.
The grafters We're not the only ones
| who were busy on getting away" day
and several women have been left In
the city stranded as a result of the
Fair. They came here for various and
sundry purposes and find themselves
without funds. One of these was EN-.
ployed in the store-ho show oper,
ated on Broughton street. She claims
ed to be a native of Canada and that
she had been fired and had been given
no money for the work she had done
She reported the matter to Superin-
| tendent Reilly a short time before the
show pulled up its stakes to go to
Jacksonville. An officer saw the pro-
prietor of the aggregation and the wo-
man was put back to work.