Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1901-06-06
WHERE THE GREEN
GOODS GAME BEGAN

upon them IL himself made the victim Of
the sharper who has offered to sell him
the bad bills. There Is no call for sym
pathy for either side. 1t is interesting,
therefore, to know that the Bowsry OF
New York, abused Ia song aud prose,
shares with Cherry street the doubtful
honor oil having been the birthplace OF
the game. In all Its promises to
be good" the Bowery has never con-
fessed to this as IL should. But SO it
seems TO be, and the story of the
original green goods .gsme" is now
told by one who ought to know. For
many years Detective Evanhoe was
terror to eviluoers, and since his re-
tirement, soon after his share IN the
solution of the Borden diamond rob-
berry case, he has had leisure to group
his memories Possibly the story oan-
not be told with more advantages than
in his own words, as related to group
of reminiscent friends not mile from
Mulberry street the other day.
lin the latter part of the '7os,
Owney Geoghan, the prize fighter.
kept sporting house at Nos. lob and
los Bowery. He mixed bit ia politics,
and when Police Captain Foley was dis
missed from the Police Department,
Geoghan claimed the credit and held
wake over him In his saloon 10 the
Bowery that caused so much excite.
ment that the police ordered him to
remove the stiff or dummy that he had
laid out in coffin. From that one
can see Geoghan was quite card at
that time. EIe was short, stout man,
thicker than two boots, and as cunning
as rat. He would resort to airy kind
Of mean trick to win either in or out
of the ring, He did an enormous
business, and his PLACE was frequented
by all classes of people.
Among them there was fellow by
the name of Casey who kept hole in
the wall In Cherry street for which he
had no license. Now the excise in
spector In whose district Casey had
his strong store soon got on to his
.bloomin' lay, and Was only too glad
when Casey proposed that he could
come down and cop $40 once in while
ifNhe SAID nothing about it; and, of
course, as Casey was doing good
business, the excise Inspector probably
called little too often. One day they
met in Geogbans, in the Bowery, and
had few drinks, and while there they
met a d-haired man, fairly we'll
dressed, who was only too anxious to
treat out of his turn, which all boozers
know is very unusual thing, and quite
remarkable because, from my obserya-
tion as to drinking, there are u lot Of
men who never get on the line at all.
"a few days after the red haired
man came Into Casey's saloon In
Cherry street and set them up for the
crowd, Casey was glad to see him and
every time he bought-a drink he paid
for it with new bills. He called again
several times after that and did the
same thing always paid with new
bills. Casey and he got quite friendly.
Zone day the red headed man came
in, took Casey to one side and said !:
Casey, have you got any OF those new
billsYp Casey looked Ia his wallet and
in his drawer, and all he could find
was one. The red-headed man said /:
Give it back to me, and what did you
do with the reetY' Casey remarked,
We'll, paid the brewer and put some
OF it in bank; but why? What is the
matterf' We'll, said the red headed
man, Il found out that you and were
from the same place, County Cork,
Ireland. but came over when | was
quite small, and don't remember much
about the place, and want to tell you
that that money is counterfeit money.
!. Casey was astonishsd, but, having
passed all the other money, concluded
that IL must be very good counterfeit
stuff, and inquired il he had any more,
and the answer was, Yes, ha ;e $50
here; these are the best counterfeits
that ever was you can send them to
the bark, and they will never know
the difference.
They got bum in the place and
sent hum to the bank to get the change,
which he brought back ali right. Casey
was delighted, and hsked his friend
from Cork where ne could get 1t, and
what 1t would cost. After a lot OF talk
about what care should be used, and
the dangers attached, and how much
you must buy at time, they agreed to
meet In Geoghan's, and Casey was to
buy $1,000 worth OF counterfeit money
for $500. Casey knew that he could
shove The queer on several people with
out any danger. One of them was the
brewer and the other was the excise
inspector.
"Geoghan was taken in on the trick.
He was to furnish tho 50, In new
bills, which were kept behind the bar
in a large envelope. Casey met his
friend as agreed. There was round
table in the corner opposite the bar
and they sat down and had several
di inks and a talk. Casey had the 5000,
and asked the red.headed man If he
had the stuff He said: Yes, Just step
to the door and see If there is any
police officer outside or anybody who
looks like a detective, and while he
was there Geoghan handed the red l.
headed map the envelope which he
put under the table.
Now, the table was a round, re-
volt ing table, with a place underneath
for glasses. Casey came in and said it
was all right. The money was taken
out and counted to him. He was
cautioned that If anybody approached
the table he was to put it underneath,
so that 1t would not be found ON him.
This was all in view of the bar, where
Geoghan was, aud it goes without
saying that no one would get out Of
Geoghau's place with $1,000 of his
dough for $500. Geoghan comes from
behind the bar, taps Casey on the
shoulder and gives him a good halloa.
The table revolves half. After a short
talk and caution to take it home and
put it under the carpet AMI put tack
in it, and after drink at the bar.
Geoghan said he would take a little
sherry, which was cold tea, because he
never drank anything, but for which
he charged ten CENTS, all right.
A few days later Casey came to
Geoghan and wanted to know where was
that red headed fellow. Geognan SAID :
Why Casey said, 'All | want is to
lay my hands on him. Geoghan told
him he had gone to Boston IA, train for