The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-09-06
NO USE FOR THE SQUELLER.
If YOU'RE SHORT-CARDED on
SRIPBOARD LET 1T GO.
ahsts What Vast MaJesity q the Black.
less Victims Do-An VI. pa Adventure
with . Pair Of Women Swtndlers and
what II Cost Him when He Yelled.

LEGS Victims D0--An VI. pa Adventure
with . Pair or Women Swtndlers and
what II Cost Him when He Yelled
Il could never make out why a man
should squeal after he has been foolish
enough to allow himself to DO done by
eea- going sharpers," said n veteran purser
81 a transatlantic liner. 'In ninety mine
cases out Of hundred the squealer gets
the laugh and nothing else. Nobody has
the slightest sympathy for the squealer
no matter how thoroughly he has been
shredded
"A short time ago young man attached
TO one Of the Government scientific bureaus
IN Washngto OH allowed himself to he done
out of $40 by couple Of cutters Of the
rough edge cards on one Of the English
boats The beef he made about it to his
follow passengers was dist ressing When
the ship reached New York he had the
pair Of sharpers pinched. but he got the
horrifc boot TO such an extent on all sides
that he didn't have the nerve TO appear
against them, and they were turned loose
which is the way il nearly always happens.
They haven't any Use for the squealer
b England. either Not SO many years
sgo a Member of Parliament took a ride
to Australia for the sea air. When he left
tho steamer at Melbourne he complained
to the police that couple Of female fellow
voyagers had done him ont Of $500 at
whist. He had them arrested. The two
women were crooks. all right, but moth
ing could he proved against them. and
The magistrate acquitted them.
AL Australasia united in giving the
Member of Parliament the laugh, Sar
donic accounts of the affair were cabled
to England The Member Of Parliament
slIked and took the next steamer for
home
When he stood for reelection to Parlia-
ment he Was showed under His con-
stituency was sporting one, It was bad
enough. in their view. that their repre-
entative In Parliament should have squealed
I all over gambling loss, hut that he
should have squealed over being cheated
by women was intolerable.
As q matter Of fact, however, the fell
lows who squeal after being done on the
steamers are very few. The public hears
OF only about one case in five hundred
IN which transatlantic travellers are done
by the sharks. The other four hundred
and ninety -nine victims take their medi-
cine and say not hing, like sensible people.
They know that it's their own fault in dis
regarding the Ware the Gamblers
placards, and even the verbal warnings
Of the ships officers in many cases. There
are some fellows who would play cards at
sea with strangers IL the letters OF the
warning placards were three feet high,
so what's the use7
Most Of the sea going swtndlers will
fall to an ingeniously framed-up scare
them hastily and even eagerly cough up
their winnings on several occasions under
the impulse Of extreme fright Mere
threats Of handing them over to the police
upon the arrival in port do not bother
them-they only laugh at such threats.
But there are other methods.
"A few years ago a young Buffalo chap
who had inherited few thousand dollars
was on his way to the other side to blow
IN the money Despite all sorts Of warn
lngs, he sat In two-handed poker game
with notorious liner worker. The young
fellow was one OF those would-be foxy
lads and was so enamored with his own
skill with the cards that he'd just like to
see the swindler that could skin him when
he had his eyes wide open, that's all--and
let me add. by the way. on the side, that if
possessed one one-hundredth Of the money
that I've seen lost to swinders by these
perky chaps that are dead in love with their
own card craftiness in any and all clrcum-
stances, and no matter what they're I'D
/ hnvn IN nn tn a
packet purser any longer.
The sharper got the Buffalo boy for his
bundle, OF course-a matter Of three or
four Thousand dollars. But the way the
thing fell out proved that the Buffalo lad
had plenty Of craftiness at that even if
he hadn't known enough to duck game of
poker with man he d never seen before.
The steamer was only half day out
from Liverpool when the young chap lost
out on the final jackpot and found his
legacy all in. The excitement of the last
lose-out had given his face fine working
pallor; He pushed his chair back from
the table and stared straight ahead Of him
out Of bullying eyes In crazy sort OF way,
We'll. it's all OF with me, he gasped
hoarsely. I've got no kick coming, Of
course, having lost out in fair and square
game. But the dough didn't belong to
me. It's my boss's money-he runs a big
millinery place in Buffalo-and he sent me
mings with it. don't dare go back. Of
course. It's all of with me, and the only
thing for me to do is to pipe out. that's all
And with this he yanked a gun out Of
his hind pocket and started to point 1t at
his head The swindler Instantly leaped
over the table and grasped the hand that
held the gun. The Buffalo boy didn't
know 1t, but this swindler had done nine
years in an English prison for forgery.
He knew, therefore, not only the severity
of English prisons, but of English law. The
steamer was close to Liverpool, and he
knew that II his victim shot himself he,
for it under English aw He had put in
his nine years working at breakwater
building, in water up to his waist. He
didn't want any more Of English prison
life in his.
Cut that. you Internal young whelpr
the swindler growled, wrenching the gun
out Of the Withholding youths hand and
LAYING it on the table. m give YOU back
what you lost. you miserable cub. he added
in a sort Of panic. What the devil do you
mean by playing cards with money that
doesn't belong to your
Oh, it doesn't matter--I'm tired of it
nll anyhow gurged the desperate looking
youngster. trying to reach for the gun.
His acting was pretty good. 1t got the
swindler going. at any rate. He pulled the
gun out OF reach, hauled out his wallet and
hastily. with trembling hands counted
out on the table the amount out OF which
he had cheated his youthful victim. Then
he pushed the stack OF money across the
table. saying
There you 60, you COMPOUNDED like;
and you may be damned glad that you were
playing with an honest and conscientious