Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1903-07-25
Slick Circus Fakir Who BiIked
Las Vegans Seized in Hotel
Roof Garden.
S0C0RRo D0INGS
Clever Manipulations In Ell PasO.
Where He Comes to Speedy
Grief.
HOW THE TRICK WAS WORKED

The slick young man, who under the
pretense of ordering supplies for
Ringling Bros circus worked one or
two Las Vegas merchants and failed
to work number more whom he ap-
preached, has come to great grief in
Ell Paso. Here. the fakir gave the
name of Frank Sands, there he sailed
under the appellation Of A. D. Prim-
rose, claiming to be brother to Geo.
Primrose, the worlds prince of min
strel performers. The man of sun
dry names and shady achievements is
now in Jail in the Pass City charged
with bilking easy merchants down
there out of certain sums Of valuable
collateral. The fellow tried his art
in every important town from Seattle,
Washington to Denver. Being COM
PEELED to leave the Colorado capital on
the double quick, he fastened to Las
Vegas, but the notoriety Of his at
tempts had preceded him. He went
farther and Jared worse. In Socorro,
though he didn't do SO badly. There
he signed contracts for supplies for
the circus under the name Of A. D.
Rose.
One OF the Socorro contracts was
with Jose Vigil to post bills: another
was with P. N. Yunker to furnish 4
site for the circus and feed number
Of employees; one was with Harry
May to furnish teams and wagons fol
the advance bill posters, who wodid ar
rive July %; another was with May 6
Yunker to furnish feed, and another
was with Hill & Fisher to furnish beef
The plan Of the fakir was to get
prices for supplies and then say that
the circus was used to paying more
The proposition was then made to ad.
vance the price and make divy on
the advance. The fakir always gladly
accepted his part Of the divy in cash
leaving the merchant to collect the
whole amount from the circus when
the supplies were delivered.
The young man started in on his
campaign in Ell Paso and succeeded in
working Fenchler Bros. for a small
amount. Other merchants declined to
make any divy on the price of supplies
1t was Las Vegas man who exposed
the deal. He had seen the fakir here
and reported him to the FL Paso po
lice.
The story of the arrest Is interest
ing. The man registered at Hotel
Angelus as A. d. Primrose of New
York. He was exceedingly nervous
and seemed to be impressed with his
own importance to considerable de
gree. He claimed to be brother OF
George Primrose. the far-famed min
strel star, and the representative Of
the Forepaugh & Sells Brothers big
railroad shows. He was their advance
oommisary agent and, after asking fol
Mai. Ammon Barnes, the proprietor
spread out his credentials and con
tracts ON the ONCE desk. He refused
to do business with the chief clerk
COL Kinkaid. He showed his Elks
pin to Maj. Barnes and played the
brotherly act at once.
All seemed to 60 well. The bel
boys, in the hope Of promised tickets
to the big show. we're IS polite a. q
basket OF chips, and the porters could
MT do enough for the advance agent
He next won the heart Of the negro
barber, and soon many Of the employees
we're his abject slaves.
This was the tale Of yesterday, when
Mr.. Primrose was man Of means. To
day q different side Of his makeup
was presented.
Early in the morning Chief Of Police
Wootton received from Fred Fenchler
q telegram, sent to the latter from the
east. asking that the police arrest AMI
- =
George Primrose, who purported to be
their advance agent. On this informa
ton, Oficers Greet and Franco were
sent to the Hotel Angelus with war
rant for Primrose's arrest.
About $3.50 . message was sent up 10
the mans room, No. a. informing