Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1901-02-27
BILL SMITH CAME TO TIME.
How Two Sharpers Cot the Better Of Third
In Confidence Game.

How Two Sharpers Cot the Better Of Third
In a Confidence Game.
The slickest confidence man that ever
perambulated down the pike was in
Memphis last week and did some
smooth business Of the. bunco variety,
according to Patrolman Pat Horan,
that makes the clumsy Memphis meth
cd pale into insigniflcance. Officer Ho-
ran refuses to give his name, but he
says that the victim in the case was
a king-bee Memphis confidence man,
who thinks he is more than 1.-TWO or
three" and who happened to be out
looking for hayseeds.
The con. man dropped into a certain
hotel in Memphis to lay for a "fish." +"
and had gotten himself up to pass for
a commercial traveller. He was soon
spotted by the "slick one" who seems
to have a lofty scorn for the innocent
"Rubes." and loved to make monkeys
out of swelled-head frauds who think
they know it all. Not long after the
slick zone" spotted the Memphis shark
a hayseed Rube Of the most harmless
looking type came into the hotel lobby
and glared through his spectacles at
the men sitting around. Failing to see
the face he was looking for the old
Rube stood a moment in the centre Of
the floor and then walked over to the
clerks desk He took long range
chance at the cuspidor and missed,
and then, addressing the clerk, asked,
HAS Bill Smith been here looking for
me?"
The clerk looked up and, seeing a
chance to have some fun, began to hu-
NOR the old man.
The Memphis shark grew interested
and drew near Soon the whole hotel
was a stranger he had met in the
morning who had borrowed $50 from
him to pay a freight bill, promising to
meet Rube at the hotel and pay it
back. Rube was certain he would be
in soon, because it was now past the
appointed time.
The old mans apparent innocence
amused the crowd and he was advised
to 60 on and forget Bill Smith, as he
would never see Bill Smith any more
The old man replied good humoredly
that he guessed he would wait awhile
for Bill, and winking at the crowd, he
OF
remark that he had plenty Of it left If
Bill should go back on his word.
The eyes Of the Memphis shark gis-
tened at sight of the wallet, and, ap-
preaching Rube, he began to manifest
the tenderest sympathy in his case,
and assured him that Bill Smith was a
rascally thief and that the town was
full of sharks.
Rube grew nervous under the repeat
ed filings at his friend Smith, and in
his excitement pulled his money and
swore he would bet every dollar of it
on Smiths honesty.
WELL" said the Memphis shark, "I'll
Just bet you $50 that Smith don't show
up with your money"
Reuben took the bet and with tremb-
ling fingers, pulled out the fifty, and
the stakes were put in the hands of
the clerk.
After this Rube grew silent and nerv-
ously paced up and down the lobby.
Presently, as Rube was standing some
distance from the desk, pensively roll
ing his quid and gazing through the
skylight, a smartly dressed man walk
ed briskly through the door and up to
the clerks desk, cycling the bystanders
critically as he passed. Selling pen
rapidly wrote on the register, "William
]. Smith, Hushpuckana, Miss"
AS he was writing Rube had once
more advanced toward the desk, and
seeing the form at the counter, ne
strode eagery forward. peered into the