The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-08-06
CONFESSION OF A "FAKIR.v
The GuIlibiIity of the Average Amer
lean Crowd.


In the current Independent are published
the confessions of a street 'fakir' who
for obvious reasons remains anonymous,
from which account it appears that the
business is profitable.
The fakir's real beginning as an indie
pendent operator was in Chicago, of which
he says: Chicago is the only square
town in this country-that is square from
a fakir's or grafters point of view. You
pay for protection and you get it."
He paid the captain s. for a week for
permission to sell knife-sharpeners, and
gave the man on post about a dollar
day. He was warned not TO try any jam
ming t'slum at this low rate. These
privileges cost $40 and So day respectively.
TANNING" is getting possession of the
money of a crowd on the understanding
that it is to be given back, and then whip
ping up fast team of horses and driving
away. "Slum' is selling packages of jew
elry, handkerchiefs, etc.
There are towns that are not square.
In Cleveland the confessing fakir paid for
protection and. was afterward arrested
and fined Then he came to New York,
IL is town of easy marks" New York
is closed" except just before Christmas,
but there is something doing In sneak
pitches'-that is, in "squaring'' the man on
post and selling for few minutes between
the visits of the rounds However, when
the artist tried it he was arrested by the
very man he had bribed, and thence went
to Philadelphia, of which he says:
philadelphia is the cheapest city in the
United States. The policemen are paid at
the rate Of 81. IS per day, and fakir who
gives one of them a quarter for protection
is hailed as a Carnegie. For a dollar a day
the guardian of the beat you are working
on will keep your territory clear of other
fakirs and vote you prince of good fellows.
There is not much money to be made
in Philadelphia by a fakir, for various
reasons. First, the people have an inner
tied trait of thriftiness; second, they live
their lives less feverishly than in any other
large city of the United States; and there
are home guards in the town who take
care of all the surplus cash floating around.
Il always manage to spend month in
each year in Philadelphia, not for the profit
particularly, but mainly for the nerve tonic
L get from the restful life there. Pittsburg
is different. There is money in abundance
in that town, and l have had the pleasure
of assisting at the partition of several large
PACKAGES OF ITS cash, put not Oh iate. Re-
police of Pittsburg in such state that they
afraid to trust even themselves. 1 do
not worry about things like that, however;
l have seen reform attack cities before, and
the disease is not severe enough to even
leave a scar.
New York and Chicago are the headquar-
tiers for new novelties, and fakirs of the
first class secure the new things. The fakirs
keep in touch with the novelty supply COM
panies for new things. and scan the papers
constantly for announcements which indi-
cate some unusual event that will draw a
crowd.
Il think that for straight taking alumni
mum gastips were the most profitable things
/ ever handled" says the account of the
fakir in the Independent They cost me,
with the brass pillar attached $l25 per
gross. laid out $500 In tips and printed
matter planned my campaign, and began an
itinerary which occupied four months Of my
time. Ny bank account showed a balance
to my favor just s4,527 in excess when
completed my tour.
Il had my circulars distributed in every
place of business in the town upon my
arrival. / had each tip stuffed with cotton,
but 1 told the victim that inside the pillar
there a regulator, asbestos screen,
and any other mechanical contrivance not
too bulky to need separate building for
installation. He usually believed me.
Il called his attention to the printed price
on the circulars cents and as a favor,
just for an advertisement, 1 would sell the
required number to him for 25 cents each.
II he wavered l quickly placed tip on his
gas fixture, lighted the gas and gave him
an ocular demonstration. AS a final, i'm
pressive argument / would pass a news
paper behind the light and show him how
easy 1t was to read through the flame. That
settled 1t. / never failed to make sale.
But while was expatiating on the beau
tiful light given I did not tell that IT was
produced at the expense of increased gas
flow, nor did / explain that you can read
newspaper through any gas fame