Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1903-04-25
OLD NAG SWINDLE.

being sold in the good old fashioned way
despite the great amount of advertising
these swindles have had" said a well.
known horseman; "but what ! cannot un.
derstand is how men can still be lone IN
horse deals, when newspapers, funny maya.
zines, and even fiction for the last 20 years
have been devoted to showing up the meth
DDS by when the guilible are roped in by
swindling horse dealers.
"a friend Of mine was done in a horse
deal the other day by a trick which was very
popular rs years ago, but which haven't
heard Of as being tried in this city for IL
years at least. That it is being worked, and
probably with a great deal Of success, is in.
dicated by the fact that shortly after my
friend was caught another dealer tried the
same trick on him.
The present generation probably hasn't
heard OF this old trick, so III just tell the
experience Of my friend. He wanted a
nice road horse and was willing to pay az
much as Sl25 for tie right animal. He hasn't
owned many horses, but is still a fair Judge
of an animal when be sees one. don know
how he fell in with the horse swindier whom
he did deal Wit finally, but Tat doesn't
matter. The fellows stables are in -
street, and be i supposed to be doing o
reputable business.
"tNow, Mr.. Joees. he SAID to my friend.
when Jones aa1 sta e. c;Sbusines i ave
the very thing ( you wart. brt ] can't
sell it to You ST. at FIRST telling the owner
all about you and wat you intend TO use
the animal for.
"'You see, Re KENT on, 'tis EoTse is
one Of five t8at belong to a wealthy widow
who is going abroad for several years. Toe
animals are all sort Of pets of lers and she
would rather .e3 F. en 10 a man WAC would
treat them well FIR half Of what they are
worth than let them get INTO bad hands.
'"The horse was trotted out, and it was
a very sleek-looking animal, apparently
sound as a dollar. 1t was the very thing my
friend wanted, and he offered his limit al
once. The dealer was quite sure the deal
could be made at 1925, and said he would
give the rich widow my friends assurance
that the animal would be used for a light
road wagon only and would always have the
best Of care. He was to call the next day
with the money and get the animal, provid-
ing. of course, the rich widow didn't inter
pose any objection.
"Well, as my friend was leaving the stable
q nice-looking man came up to him, said
he had seen him looking at a horse and asked
uliil II ne MtuHb - DH9 bilC dnlildlr
"'Yes,' said Jones, he's cheap at sl25,
and think III take him.
NOW, see here said the stranger, that
ASS Of a stableman won't sell me that horse
just because I'm a dealer. 1t belongs to
some fool woman who thinks it will be
abused. / offered him $50 for the horse,
and he turned me down. I'll tell you what
III do. III give you $3.50 for the horse after
you've bought him. viii you close with me
or not|
"Weli, my friend is something of a com
mercial person, and he hadn't entirely
made up his mind about the horse anyway,
he thought it was a good chance to pick up
$25, and agreed to make the deal. He want
ed some kind of a guarantee that the other
would take the horse after he had bought
him, and the stranger promptly handed over
SOS agreeing to pay him $l25 more after he
had bought the horse.
'The next day Jones appeared at the
stable, and near the corner he met the
stranger, who showed him a large roll of
bills and urged him to hurry and get the
horse, as he was afraid the stableman would
find out what he was up to. Jones hustled
over to the stable, and learned to his de-
light that the rich widow had agreed to let
him have the horse.
"'Shall l send him?' asked the stable.
man, after the money had been paid over.
But Jones was too cute for him. He was
thinking Of the man at the corner waiting
with Sl25, and he said he would lead him
away himself,
"Well, when he got up to the corner the
horse dealer wasn't in sight. He waited
around for half an hour, then took the
horse to the stable where he kept his road
wagon, and returned to the corner. But
the dealer never showed up. Neven sus-
pecting anything. Jones rather congratu-
lated himself that be had got a horse for
500 instead of the price he had expected
to pay. He went back to the stable, hitched
up to his road wagon and started out for
a ride. Before he had gone three city
blocks the horse went lame in three legs
and a veterinary who looked at it that night
said it was a hopeless cripple.
"a light began to dawn on Jones. But
he was game. and took his medicine. Witt
the firm intention of licking the man who
had sold him the horse, he went to the stable
three times, but never was able to catch him.
He was evidently expected
"The trick is an old one. The idea of one
of the swindlers in giving up real money to
IDe NlCi4iu - W Nli4lAh the Sdlt. ne NlClln
never doubts the good intentions of the
dealer who has given him so liberal a deposit
and is sure to buy. In this case the horse
was worthless, but at the outside the owner
could not have got more than $40 for him.
With the s25 the confederate gave up the
swindlers invested S35 and took in SIPS, a
clear profit of 800. And they had put my
friend in an extremely embarrassing posi-.
ton so far as any prosecution was concerned
for he would have to show himself up as a
double dealer.
"Wen, Jones never got square on the team
that did him up, but he did get even with
another team just like them. Amonth later.
when he supposed he was dealing with a
reputable man, he ran afoul of the same
swindle. He didn't say a word until the
second man approached him with a propo-
sition to buy the horse and then sell it to
him. Jones punched the man in the Jaw,
and kicked him a few times, and then did
considerable street cleaning with the fell
- - NJ " Co.