The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1903-11-27

q matter of fact, he IL the most gun
bile, and is robbed of millions ever
year by the schemes Of clever swiI
dlers. whose devices are exposed j
all the newspapers Of the land. Ye
these warnings fail to decrease th
harvest Of the professional sharper.
who has only TO use the old schem
I'm q new dress TO find victims for tn
asking.
Ii Is astonishing that the absurd.
threadbare gold brick" swindle shoul'
continue in this day as an enormousl.
profitable industry. Yet within th'
last four years II il known that on'
gang OF artists secured more thGS
100000 by selling gold bricks" ir
the Eastern States alone. Their plan
Of campaign was so elaborate aud ar
tistic, down TO the smallest detail OF
make up" and stage setting that Is
deserves special chapter In the his
tory OF the booming industry OF sep
arating the sucker from his wealth
The police could not withhold trib-
ute Of genuine admiration from the
painstaking genius that directed this
operation. AS perpetrated in n flour
ishlng town of Northampton County,
Pennsylvania netting $4,000 In one
lump Of clean profits, the plot was
worked out precisely asa follows:
,fLate I'm the summer afternoon, n
dusty and travel worn stranger walked
up the main street A slouch hat Of
venerable vintage, faded cutaway
coat. and breeches tucked into stout
leather boots were the leading features
OF his makeup. The old fashioned
white choker and gingham shirt were
clean. The coat fitted atrociously, and
seemed to have been kept carefully for
years as "go TO mcctin'" clothes. A
simple kindly face shonc from be
meath the old, broad hat a middle
aged countryman, used TO hard toll,
with shoulders bowed, he looked green,
cOnfidlng, harmless.
He entered the hotel with his big,
knobby valse, and asked for the land
lord
1.-The stranger bent over the blotted
register, grasped the pen AZ If about
to swing a pick, and with infinite
labor and the solemn wagging Of his
chin whiskers, traced wabbling line
which he announced stood for "Will-
fam Matthews. Colorado" Then he
said to the waiting landlord:
r"You see how II is. | amt never
had much schoolin' and | can't write
nothin' much more than my name.
was raised In this state. but they
worked me so hard on the farm that !
lit out when l want morcn n pup,
and drifted West An fer thirty years
I've been prospcctin', COW punchin',
and ranchln'. Luck turned my way n
whilc ago, and | dug ont East TO
rustic round TO my old country ana
look for my brother. John.
"Do you happen TO know anybody
by the name of John Matthews in
this section? I'm here TO find him or
bust a trace"
nThe landlord and the interested cir
Gle in the hotel office could not remcm-
Der any John Matthews, but all were
inspired To friendship and sympathy
by the story of the stranger. The post
master was suggested ms a possible
news channel and bystanders named
several prominent citizens who had
been long In the county. Mr.. William
Matthews thanked them simply and
cordially, and seemed to pick mp hope,
He invited the party into the bar
room, and there described his brother
John" and passed around a photo
graph Of the missing one, taken several
years before and sent West
MTwo of the young men showed Mr.,
Matthews the way To the postotlicc,
but the dispenser of mail had not come
across the name in question, although
there were two families of Matthews
living over the mountain.
p The stranger was out bright md
early next morning, hired team ana
drove twelve miles over the mountain.
60 look up the two families of his
name. Disappointment met him. hut
he was indcfatigablc, and followed the
slightest clews for three days, talked
with every one he Glanced 10 meet,
but made no headway. BY this time he
was mild sensation In the town. and
many people knew of and were inter
ested in the stranger and his quest
Among the townsmcn with whom
Mr.. Matthews became acquainted was
the president of the local bank. The
official was amused and sympathetic
when the stranger would drop in his
office, wearied and dusty, and tell him
the troubles of chasing long-loSt
brother He drove the earnest and
picturesque pilgrim around the region
and wrote TO his friends in other parts
Of the country.
On the sixth day the bank president
met Mr.. Matthews by chance in the
hotel. The man from Colorado was
debating a letter 90 ohe OF his new
found friends and OF course did not
expect it 10 be overheard. SD the bank
man picked up newspaper and wait.
ed. Mr.. Matthews remarked paren-
thetically TO his amanueusis:
You know. ] amt no shucks with
pen. II 1t were only crowbar.
could swing her along"
Then he resumed in stage whis.
per:
Write this: I'm afraid I'll have TO
give the blame job up. can't get
on my brothers trail. This is the
likellest place 20 hunt him. but | amt
found hide nor hair. Evcrybody's been
mighty good about heiph' me. bu IL
ain't no use. OF course. lin anxious
10 sec him, but that ain't the worst
OF IL, as you know. don't see lao
way 10 dispose Of the gold because