The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-08-09
METHODS OF The FAKIRS
ONE OF THE CRAFT TELLS OF THE
WAYS OF THE PUBLIC.
New York the EASIEST, City i'm the
COuntry-Grafters Must Purchase
Freedom from the Police.
The I~ndependent.

hcs Al OOiCo u ANSA u AoS lass At 10 NCA-
spicuously the type, have sought TO force ac-
quaintance with those very readers upon some
city streets-New York or Baltimore, Chicago or
San Francisco, according to their progress in an
itinerary of which the only guides were the
Of the police. The Fakir's narrative, less edify-
ing than instructive. Is less instructive with re
tone Of municipal police forces. The methods of
Fakirdom so often cross the line of bald swind-
sponsibility for its suppression by city authori-
ties has been almost universally recognized. The
manner in which the authorities of the various
large cities, that are referred to in the course OF
the article, hold the candle to the devil might
those who hold and exercise the right of fran
chise.-Editor independently
Two reasons and a train of circumstances
made me a fakir. One reason was my lack
of education; the other, not a very robust
physique. 1 could not earn a good living sole
ly by the exercise of my unframed inteIli-
gence, and I could not hold a position re-
curing physical strength. The circum-
stances which led to my taking up the life
of what 1 call an itinerant merchant were
due to a series of uncommon reflections on
my part, accumulated by my discharge from
a not too lucrative position as a collector for
a small installment house.
AS l walked home that Saturday night l
paused at a corner where a man was talk
ing volubly to a crowd of people, in his en-
deavors to sell them patent knife sharpen
ers. 1 noticed that he wore good clothes; his
person indicated prosperity; there was no
sign of hard work apparent in him. That
night, after he had closed up his grip, 1 fol-
lowed him to the hotel where he was stay
ing and managed to enter into conversation.
When ! left the hotel l was a fakir. On
the following Monday 1 purchased from him
all the knife sharpeners that S3-my avail
able capital-would buy, bought a ticket to
a town twenty miles distant, and, with
him launched myself in the business which
1 have been following for fifteen years.
Now, sonny" said my tutor, this towns
open. You don't need any reader-license.
All you have to do is watch my grafton.
Beat 1t if you can; and then paddle your
own canoe"
vociferated until we drew a crowd together.
Soon / was making mental notes of his lies,
and seeking 10 improve on them, as rival de-
partment stores do in their advertisements.
The Sharpeners cost me 3 cents apiece: all
were sold in that town for 20 cents each;
and / had not even strained my voice in do
ing it Then and there 1 made UP my mind
that it would be a shame for me to deprive
any one of the opportunity of working hard.
/ have never taken the bread from any hard
workingman's mouth by asking for his po-
SiIAOi Il q dC " hllllt SudID p
eners for a long time; and, in fact, they are
to-day a stand for all fakirdom.
INITIATION COMPLETE.
My initiation into the craft of the fakirs
was a matter Of no further trouble. But as
a neophyte needing experience I was ad-
vised by all the old-timers to go to Chicago,
and there. in honorable strife, win my spurs.
1 thought, in my simplicity. 1 had about all
of the business learned, but when 1 left
Chicago / confessed to myself that 1 really
had known next to nothing of its mysteries.
Have you squared yourself?"
A policeman asked me that question on
the morning of the day in which L made my
first pitch In Chicago's streets.
l told him no. He gave me the direction to
police captain. When / left the station house
my roll of bills was smaller by one, whose
denomination was 50; and 1 had nothing but
the verbal assurance of the captain that
things would be all right for a week."
And look here, young man. he added,
Just try to stick to the sharpeners. Don't
you jam or work 'slum' without paying
ming and s. for SUM-. Remember that"
| squared the policeman at the rate Of
about a dollar a day for drink money and
had no trouble. 1t was a strictly honorable
and satisfactory arrangement. There are
towns not a hundred miles from New York
where the police will take all the money
| that you can be made to give them and
then arrest you.
1 became acquainted there with a few
fakirs who had returned from a trip through
Indiana and Ohio; but the way they spent
money made them too fast company for me.
/ thought myself as shrewd as they, and I
| determined to learn how they made a hun
dred dollars while 1 was earning only ten.
A gaining of their confidence initiated me
into the mysteries Of graft" a generic
term for getting other peoples money with
out giving anything in ~return-largely APP
,1tnoh1a e Vyol N cfrnat II fhink o1fhnnoh Of
course, Wall street has another name for it.
1t was explained to me that 'slum" was a
term for anything which might be placed in
packages, including jewelry. handkerchiefs
| and other small articles. The main STEM
Of a town is its main street. tanning is
a slang phrase which requires some expla-
| demonstration it will be easier when de-
| scribing the event to revert to a tense Of
the verb and say one was TANNED"
The first thing to be done when jam
ming is the order is to see the police.
Next hire a good horse and an open car
| piage. The stock in trade usually consists
of some packages Of harmless medicine,
because the fakir erects his own stand as
showmen pitch tents-is made. And the man
who is to do the talking, which is called the
spiel" begins his remarks.
THE BANKERS SPIEL"
Now, then, gentlemen, 1 am going to
| present to your notice tonight the world
l renowned NeSeIdDle cure u mOSt OF the Ills
| which mankind is subject to. This cure will
| not plant your seed, nor will it grow your
|! crops; neither will it teach you algebra and
the dead languages. 1t will do everything
| which it is guaranteed to; and the firm
| which manufactures it is going to give the
| representative citizens of this town an OPP
| portunity to secure it for tonight only free
Of charge"
The Representative citizen business gets
them feeling good, but when the talk of
free distribution comes in the crowd loses
ell its dif1dence Immediately.
I'VE are going to give this medicine to
men of substance only; and / am going to
ask each of you neighbors to give me a quar-
ter for the package and then 1 will return
your money"
AS the quarters come in they are handed
back with the medicine. but only a few in
dividuals are allowed to purchase.
Now / am going to increase the price to
a dollar and give you your money back"
A few dollars come in; and they, too, are
returned with the medicine.
Here comes the most unprecedented offer
ever made; to those who give me S. 1 will
make a present this time which is of value
AS the money comes in each donor is
handed the medicine and a small package Of
cheap jewelry. He is told TO stand near the
wagon and await the distribution of the ad-
dit.onal present. The 'spieler" gives a quick
| glance toward the driver. There has been no
mention of the money being returned, but
the crowd infers that ii will be.
AL right. Jim he yells.
a cut of the whip, two figures crouching IN