The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-12-08
ri TIMES: RICHMOND VA. SUNDAY. DECEMBER 1901

nay4en;oy a glimpse of the red man ~, y,
,aint and feathers, knocking around .'''
edge Of tl.i woods nervously. The lnoian
AN sag ogga- pho-aphra' ana SIN
lar words indian vernacular. ms
ne says imp. lssively, as though ne req req,
" means it, and it goes pretty wen.
50 much so that the victims eyes oulse
out and he has visions OF the peautiiui
yellow metal in bulk.
MAKING TILE TEST.
II is soon decided to bore into DIG
,unk of gold. just to see If 1t Is genuine.
These borings, or others sl1rewdly sub
tituted without the knowledge OF the
victim, are carried to a. reliable local
ieweler. He makes the test and pro-
,ounces the sample Q. *.
In case Of further suspicion, the mint
nan is accidentally discovered as guest
IT a local hotel, where he is, OF course
.ouping, en- route from the mint III
,har1otte or New Orleans, where he mas
peen examining specimens of gold just
AIKEN from some new mine He Is
distinguished looking scientist, an expert
Saver. with long experience in such
n:,tters after twenty years official
connection with the Government. Acids,
.uhes measurements, scales of q delicate
mechanism and other equipment are at
hand in a grip-sack, and. only after some
nleadinE and fee of $40. is he induced
70 make the test, which he does IN
ruff and irritable way after he mas
poised his glasses exactly right and ad-
iusted his microscopic facilities to a.
molecular nicely.
THE DISCOVERY.
Good. Very good! Eighteen carat!
exclaims the assayer, and looks more
pleased. So does the victim.
Then the assayer wants to buy a lot
IF the same kind for the Government
,fgering several thousand cash for the
gold brick The victim refuses, feeling
now confident that he is on
to a good thing. He pays
some 5000 for q couple OF blocks
Of the metal and planks down the nara
cash. The blocks are deposited in
safe at the bank or in a jewelry store
and goes ahead to make arrangements
20 take a nice large interest In the new
mine He feels rich and happy and goes
to a friend to borrow enough money to
nav for his interest in the mine. Dur
ing the conversation his purchase is d.
vulged.
"Faked!" You've been buncoed!
cries his friend, and then they go out
and re-cxain1ne the brick. 1t has
valuation Of about thirty cents.
During all this the bunco man mas
lost no time in making himself scarce
The Indian remembers that he has bust
ness elsewhere and the asSayer dlscaTds
his test apparatus and becomes an ortl-
nary citizen en- route to New York. The
victim decides that he has acquired
nice large experience that Will hold out
for some time.
IT WORKED HERE.
Now. this very game was worked to the
Queens taste right here in Richmond
several years ago. A. W. Withers,
well known citizen of Gloucester, was
the victim He put up 5000 to learn
the details and hear the Indian say
Geographic aphral.'' The Indian said it
fuently. Only one Of the bunco gang
was caught. He called himself FRANK
Parker, and was one OF the smootnes.
in the business. Spending a good deal
OF money. he was denied bail in klch-
mond. Henrico and Greenesville. He Of
fered several thousand dollars for bail,
but everybody knew he would fly away
and never come back, and he dld AFTER
having a snug sum for bail. which was
granted by Judge Isaac Christian, OF
New Kent county. No less than a 90
zen rural gentlemen from West virginia
Ohio Indiana and other States came
here and identified him as the same IN
diyidual who finl-nammed them out OF
amounts varying from SEQ" to S9'oVo
each. And the Indian figured pic
turesnue in each deal.
And now Parker is behind the pars
for at least a few years and Bunco syn
dictate stock has dropped several points.
Everybody here remembers. Parker he
was handsome polite and magnetc-
Good cigars were his hobby and ne az
wavs had several extra ones IN ms right
hand upper vest pocket. -,n,,,n