The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1902-08-29
OF Fakirs in a Board Of Trade
Game in the Great City Of
Parkersburg on the Banks
ofth Ohio River
Out Of Pocket Big Amount
Marble in the Slot Cost Him $40
Had Place Pulled and Will
Return to lndict Those
who FIeeced Him.

A young man giving the name Of
Henry Keller who residesat Jarvis
vile, told a tale of woe at police
headquarters in Parkersburg Sunday
noon.
He said that he had come in on the
excursion train which arrived about
11.3O. Going down street he said he
asked some one where there was a
good restaurant where he could get
dinner. A tall, well dressed young
man, with apleasing address stepped
up and told Keller that he was B.
& o. detective, had come in on the
same train with him and was going
out on the same train. He said he
knew of good restaurant and would
take him there. They went down
Market street, entered a big building,
entered a saloon, and his companion
asked him to take glass Of beer, and
he did SO. Then he was taken to
rear room where there were three or
four others. His companion announc-
ed that he had guest for dinner and
told the Others in the room to treat
him right.
Keller was invited to come up and
watch game they were playing, in
which one Of the men was winning
wads Of money. The game is known
as the tBoard OF Trade" played by
dropping a marble in slot. 1t is
purely a robbing scheme at which
many poor sucker has bitten. KEEL
Ter was invited to play, but he demur-
red. They threw the ball for him and
it won. This wasn't for keeps, but
Just to Illustrate to him how easy it
was TO fleece gang of fakIS. Then
they induced him to put down a
quarter and give 1t try, He won
81. so on his quarter, but they explain
ed thathe would have to putin again in
order to get his winning. He went
along for while winning large
stakes and had to put down to make
it good. He became somewhat sus-
spicious and said he would withdraw
the money that he had actually put in
and let them take his winnings, as he
wanted to get out of the game. They
explained that 1t was now two late to
do that, buta as soon as the series had
run out he could get his money and
his winnings. Rather than lose the
money he had already put up he kept
on playing until he had $40 Of his
hard earned money in the game.
Keller then made a vigorous kick,
and demanded his money. He was
surrounded by the fakirs who told him
that if he made a squeal the police
would arrest the whole bunch, Keller
included, and they hustled him out of
the place.
Keller told Chief Landslide that
he would remain here to prosecute the
fakirs, and was willing to be locked
up If they thought he would not stay.
Monday morning Chief landslide
took Keller down on MarketStreet and
he identified John McNerney's as the
place where hewas fleeced. Warrants
we're issued by Recorder Smith for
McNerney, Mike Sheehi and Jock
Earnest, and they were brought up
and tried.
The recorder assessed a fine of $3.50
against McNerney for keeping his
saloon open open on Sunday, and also
s23. so for allowing a game to be played
in his house.
Keller positively identified Jock
Earnest as the man in charge Of the
game and Earnest was fined $3.50.
Sheeht was not identified and was
released.
Keller will return to Petersburg
for the criminal court grand jury and
will indict the parties.
--------~ -