Evening journal., 1902-12-23
CAUGHT ROGUES
IN THE TRAP
The Great Smallpox Swindle
and How 1t Was Worked
Years Ago

great smallpox swindle," said the ho-
tel manager. "The facts OK that re-
markable affair were withheld at the
time for the most urgent reasons of
policy. and even now prefer to tell
the story without names or localities.
IL happened in the fall of 1856, when
certain hotel In a large western city
was crowded with tourists. One day,
at the height Of the season. two gen
tlemanly looking strangers put up at
the house and were assigned TO what
we call double ROOM About week
later one Of them appeared at the Of
hce and requested a private interview
with the manager. i regret to inform
YOU he said. after the door was clos
ed. that my friend is down with Sc
we're attack OF smallpox
''rhe proprietor nearly fell out OF his
chair. There was known to be small
pox In the city, aud the bare sugges.
ton that the disease had appeared In
the hotel was enough TO empty It Ia
twinkling. To let the news get out
meant the loss of thousands upon thou
sands Of dollars. 1t meant the ruin OF
the seasons business. He must be
quietly removed at once, said the pro-
prletor. trying to control his agitation.
Removed exclaimed the other
Taken through the cold air 10 a laze-
retto! Why, man, that would be mur-
der! III not permit IT,!
''The hotel keeper was thunder
tTnr Won suaun 20 uuv h.l rtnaf
stay herer he gasped.
Certainly said the stranger.
1T was a tlcklish situation. The ho-
tel keeper dare not enforce his sugges
tlon. while to let the case remain was
like storing gunpowder In a furnace
room. He pleaded, protested, begged,
threatened and clustered, but all In
vain. The man was firm as rock IL
you attempt to eject my sick friend lac
declared, I'n publish your inhumanity
70 the entire community.
"Flnally II occurred to the distracted
proprietor to see. first. whether II was
really a case Of smallpox. SO he sent
for a physician, swore him 70 secrecy
and hustled him up to the room. The
face on the pillow and reported that
the malady was there IN malignant
type. He advised the mans immediate
removal at any cost. 'If you keep him
concealed. he sald the disease may
spread, and It would ruin you for life.
You owe something to your guests.
Again the proprietor interviewed the
friend, and again the latter refused to
bulge from his position.
"'Where can take himY he demand
ed. You know very well l can't gei
comfortable quarters for such a pur
pose, and | won't have him butchered
In a pesthouse to please any landlord
lon earthg The hotel man felt his hail
stand on end, but concluded to LET
things stand as they were until morn
ing.
Next day he sent for the sick mans
friend and asked him whether he had
any suggestions to make.
b" Yes. he replied; 4 thought up a
plan over night, which you may adopi
or not, as you like. As | said before,
he continued, II is useless to try "a
rent quarters for such a case. We
might, however. buy a small cottage
and take him there. have figured the
thing up and the total expense would
be about $1,000. IL you are willing e
hand over that amount l will take him
away and assume all further respOn
slblllty. I make the offer entirely oui
OF sympathy for your guests
''rhe landlord looked him IN the eye
b L, too. have thought the situation
, over he said, and I'm convinced ~
a confidence game pure and simple
! I'm convinced there's nothing the mat
} ter with your dear friend up stairs
! but am also convinced that the slight
est breath of the affair would great.
J damage the reputation OF the house
AS a business proposition consider 4
worth $1,000 to get rid OF you
"The ether man smiled ironically
, Call a cab and get out your money,
he said, and inside an hour the incubu
had been spirited through a side doc
swathed In blankets and driven away.
''As the landlord shrewdly surmlsed
the whole thing was a confidence game
, and he learned the particulars later ol
through a sport he had once befriend
ed There was nothing the matte
with the rascal up stairs except tha
his face had been prIcked little wifi
quill dipped IN croton oil, somethlnl
that makes a horrible looking pustule
, which disappears in few days AM
leaves no mark. / always thought th
hotel man showed good sense In tax
ing the course he did. He was caugh
In a trap and took the cheapest wa,
out. The bare rumor OF even sus
pected case would probably have ln
volved a loss of $4,000 or 10000.
was far better to pay the $1,000 an
charge It to education."-New Orlean
Times-Democrat.