The sun., 1903-06-17
GOT A BACK-NUMBER CON GANG
BUNCO MEN FULL AS REMOTE
FROM DATE AS THEIR PREY.
McCIusky. With . Gold Brick Case and
an Airship Stock Case on His Hands,
Thinks the Dead Line Must Have
Drifted From Its MOOrings Recently.

Thinks the Dead Line Must Have
Drifted From Its MOOrinEs Recently.
Holy Smoke!" exclaimed Head Detective
McClusky when Detective Sergeants Strip,
Kane, Moody and Leeson brought before
him yesterday morning four middle-aged
men. who, after complaining about the close
fit Of Manhattan handouts. said they were:
Harry Russell. 1874 West Thlrty-fourth
street.
George Gordon. ?4 East Thirty-third
street.
Charles La yden, l2l West Nineteth street
Edward Mclean. 10 East llsth street
Behind them trailed little man who,
besides carrying an old-fashioned handbag
wore chin whiskers. The four middle-aged
gentlemen were accused of trying to work
on the little man the same old con game
that originated among the Greeks about
the same time the phony horse passed the
gates of Troy.
DO you mean to tell me that these guys
tried to move that game in this town. de-
manded McClusky Who are they any
way?"
The four sleuths explained that the four
men were from Missouri, and had been in
town but few days They had been OBJ
served by the sleuths at the Cortlandt street
ferry to be following the little man. At
Broadway and Cortlandt street Russell ap-
preached the little man. saying:
why hello. Mr.. Atwater. What are you
doing here?"
I'm waitin fer this parade to pass an
then I'm going over to Brooklyn to see
my cousin replied the stranger, who
added innocenly: But l amt Atwater.
I'm William r. Groce Of Rockland, Mass.
and I'm superintendent of the waterworks
up there
Russell excused himself. saying that he
had mistaken MIR. Groce for Obadiah At
water. under whom he had learned tine
rule OF three in the school at 1imidity,
Ky. Getting away. Russell was soon
busy with the three others over a bank
they discovered that f. P. Torrey was
the president Of the First National Bank
OF that city.
Mr.. Gordon then sailed TO the corner OF
Broadway and Cortlandt street. where
Mr. Groce was still waiting for the parade
20 pass, and slapping the little man on
sHow dye do, Mr.. Groce! How's the
folks What, You don't remember mes
Don't you remember little Eddie Torrey.
whose uncle ~ president OF the pahk IN
Rockland?'
Mr.. Groce excused himself for being so
absentminded. but declared that his folks
had been telling him lately that his memory
waa failing. However, he was darn glad
to see Eddie Torrey.
Eddie steered him up TO the turning
Joint" in a boarding house in West Eigh-
teenth street and all the bunch were show
ing him how easy 1t was to win $500 on bit
at bunco when the four sleuths broke into
the room. The latter first confiscated the
five-hundred-dollar wad won by one of the
confederates and found that 1t consisted
of twenty one-dollar bills wrapped around
a cheap edition of THE Newcomes.
Were you frightened when the de-
tectives came into the house, asked
McClusky Of Mr.. Groce.
aGosh, no! Why, ! was run over by two
trains once and beat that out" replied
the little man from Rockland. @Say,
Chief, this will make great yarn fer our
local paper
vent to a heavy sigh. On his desk lay a
gold brick that a New Jersey farmer had
purchased near the Barclay street ferry,
Near it lay a bunch OF stock certificates
Of an airship concern in which an up
State dairyman had invested his savings.
Nothing has been printed about these
swindles because the detectives are trying
to find the swindlersJ Picking up q
newspaper Of recent date which quoted
him as saying that the dead line for crooks
was now near Tarrytown. Mcclusky said:
We'll, III be damned
The prisoners were remanded