The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-08-04
new KIND OF GRAFT.

'They frame up some new kind of a
kTrafting game about every twenty min
i utes over in the old town." said a New
York insurance man who was In Wash
angton last week, but job that was
recently put up by a dissolute chap in
my business, life insurance, and the
sequel to the job, come pretty close TO
making story.
This fellow has been selling life in
eurance of and on for fifteen years, and
ne cOrlxin good man at the work. too.
when he keeps himself in shape. But
rum and the ponies got him going, so
that at length he found himself unable
to attach himself to any of the COM
panies as regular man, and picked up
q precarious livelihood by mailing live
ones occasionally for the different life
insurance companies Of New York.
About six weeks ago. after a pro-
longed jamboree, this reckless chap
found himself down and out, without
the price of a shave. Then be began to
get busy as TO his thinking apparatus
One of his running mates was a dissi-
pated sculptor a man of fine talent VINO
has done some splendid work ALREADY
and could easily become distinguished
were it not for his frequent huge sprees.
The insurance man and the sculptor
had been swirling around New YORK
together on their toots for good many
years. The sculptors wife had been
compelled to leave him on account OF
mis- irregular habits
Well when he awoke without the
price in his clothing. the life insurance
man dug UP his pal, the sculptor ana
found that talented artist on the water
wagon for the easy reason that ne
hadn't a sou rnarkee wherewith to take
the drop from the sprinkling cart
"'Chum' said the insurance man 10
the sculptor, I've got scheme: m
going to get you to insure your lie 1or
10000 H.. o-o
T,tVcf tod
For $4,000 repeated the insurance
man And YOU can throw that nice lit
Gle policy in your wife's lap as peace
offerfnF and if that don't get your hap
py home together again L m a bum
- Dream on dismally said the sculp-
tor.
You're a big. we'll muscled and healthy
proposition. and locker. You're dis
tinguished sculptor, engaged in making
q big name for yourself. and with the
prospect of doing a whole lot OF the
sculping for the St Louis fair. You're
a sound risk and "a man of pretty fair
means. You've got the buds to put up
a front-top hat and all that, and l can
right it up so that they'll salaam be-
fore you when 1 take you to the office
of the company to be looked over and
examined by the doctor. You won't
have to nav ANYTHING dOWn-gOOd thing.
that eh?-for I'm pretty certain that I'll
be able to get you three months time,
on your note. for the first premium.
How about it2'
Anv old thing said the sculptor
THE insurance man hiked right down
to the office of one of the companies
with which he had been doing business
for a number Of years and where he
was known as d hustler and a digger
when he kept himself right. and told the
manager that he had snagged toppy
live one-sculptor of reputation, de-
signer of such-and-such statues, etc,
and that he was going to insure him for
$4,000. That sounded pretty good to
the manager for the dissolute insurance
chap with the scheme on hand was
manipulation of south wind in class A.
90 Fetch your sculptor along for eXami-
nation said the manager.
I'm have him down this afternoon
paid the reckless one By the way. he's
Just finished paying off a big mortgage on
the house in which his studio is located,
and for that reason it'll come a little in
convenient for him to pay anything down
right away l guess You can handle so
good a mans paper on three months
basis, can't you?
''The manager said that that would be
all highland the reckless one hiked back
to the sculptor's place.
- 'Tog out he said. Put every glad rag
on that you can yank out of your chest
we've got to get away with this thing
1.-THE sculptor proceeded to make an elab-
crate toilet. He had a good suit. with
frock coat left out of the wreck with silk
hat and other good fxings, so that he
made pretty nne inquire OF 1t when pro-
nounced all ready. being an unusually good
looking man.
The Insurance chap and his pal. the
sculptor. went down to the office of the
big company. and the sculptor was intro
duced to the powers and made inn
preston with his fine presence and man.
ner. The doctor examined him and pro-
nounced him an all right risk The sculp-
tor gave his three months note in lieu Of
a first payment on the policy. and the
absolute insurance chap who had rugged
UP the phony scheme out of pure despera-
ton. being In urgent need of change, calm
ly drew down $50 in cash, his first commits
sion on the transa ction
Looked like a pretty bad job up to that
point. didn't 1t? And it looked worse when
the insurance man and the sculptor with
$50. went out and proceeded to paint the
town. They wound up the following after
noon. considerably the worse for the wear
at the Morris park race track the insur-
ance man being race horse fend. And
here's where the sequel of the transa elton
that looked pretty dark happened The in
Burance man had a little more than $50 Of
his $50 left and he put $50 on a horse that
was at 50 to 1 in the betting. The horse
romped in an easy winner in the mud and
the insurance man found himself Just 81
900 to the good. He passed 81 900 of the
winnings over to his pal, the sculptor