Arizona republican., 1904-01-04
CONFIDENCE NAN CALLED
But He Came Near Getting Twenty
Dollars Easy Money.

This is the story of a man who has
more heart in him than knowledge of
the worlds wickedness. The marvel of
it is that one in his line of activity
should be so easily taken in by a con-
fidenCe man, for he is a middle aged
gentleman who is engaged in travel
ing over the country as an agent for
manufacturing concern in the east, his
own home being San Francisco. He
has been on the road for some years
and among other places extensively
toured is old Mexico, a part of the
earth where it is supposed one needs
bis wits with him. His name is con-
cealed for the reason that his only
crime was being too good and the no.
toriety might not be desirable. The
other man concerned gives the name of
w. 7. Gary, and it is probable from his
methods that he has in other parts al
ready achieved more notoriety than he
could possibly get out of this incident.
About two years ago Mr.. Blank and
Mr.. Gary met on a railroad train in old
Mexico. They formed a mere speaking
acquaintance and did not meet again
till last Thursday, in this city. After
the usual greetings, Gary told Mr..
Blank that he had a very sick wife ir
Denver and showed him a number of
letters from her. He said that he was
without funds and would like to go to
her in Denver, and asked Mr.. Blank if
he could give him $50 to help him out.
He was refused at first. but later re
turned with an alleged telegraph mes
sage saying his wife was dying, where
upon Mr.. Blank gave up the money.
Still later Gary returned and asked for
CON -l,y, Ill Isa1f
rate ticket through the influence of
the w. c. T. L. society and could get
through all right if he only had $40.
This occurred Saturday afternoon and
as MIR. Blank was growing suspicious,
he began to investigate.
He called at the rooms of the w. c.
T. [. and was told that no such per-
son had been there to their knowledge
nor had anyone of that sort applied to
them for assistance. Then he hunted
UP Gary and demanded the return of
the 500 he had already given him. but
Gary told him he did not have it.
About 10 o'clock Saturday night he
formed the acquaintance of Officer An
drews and told him his story. asking
for the arrest of Gary. Together they
went to a house on West Madison
street. where he had been lodging for
a couple of weeks. but learned that
Gary had gone. They also learned that
he had paid all his indebtedness and
seemed to be a man who had all the
money he needed for incidental ex-
penses. Coming back up town. they
looked through all the public houses
but could not find him. Then Mr.. Blank
decided TO give up the search and go to
bed at the Hardwick hotel, as he want
ed to leave for the north yesterday
morning.
Arriving at the Hardwick, he found
Gary there and going over to the Santa
Fe depot telephoned Officer Andrews.
who placed Gary in custody, and with
Mr.. Blank. escorted him 70 the city
hall. The marshal was notified and
gave instructions that the man be lock
ed UP. A search of his effects revealed
the letters from his wife. but the
telegram on which the money was
raised was not at hand. AS the evil
dence was scarcely strong enough to
hold him. the officer decided to give
Car n little rope and let him hang
himself. Being a talkative person this
was easy. and Gary kept his mouth
working while the others paid little at
tention to him and refused to converse.
Finally, Gary said that if they would
let him go he would go down town
with them and get the twenty dollars
from friend and pay it back to Mr.
Blank, to which arrangement the lat
ter consented. Just rs the trio was
about 20 start to find the friend alluded
to the officer was called to the tele-
phone and as he partially turned his
back to Gary, the latter was seen to
"a 20 h1 toll 1o11
piece from 1t. Handing it to Mr. Blank
he asked him to make his word good
and let him go. Mr. Blank thereupo1
announced that he did not desire to lay
over to prosecute Gary. so he was dis
charged There was. IN fact. little to
prosecute him on then, except general
principles.
Gut Gary knew that he had queered !
himself in this town, 50 when the train
left yesterday morning he was on
board and presumably he was not
broke either, for he was riding on the
cushions as was his victim. But the |
cushions were in different seats.
Blank admitted to the officer that he |
was not the hardest man in the world !
to rob and even were he wiser he was
easily appealed to by those in distress |
He did not miss the money so much. !
for when he gave it up he never ex-
, ected to see it again, but when he |
learned that he had been robbed. the |
twenty dollars looked as big as a hun
dred. He said he had been gaining ex-
perience ever since he could remember !
and the first consignment was pur-
chased on a street corner along with |
a package of soap that was supposed to |
have a one dollar bill in it, His next |
investment was in a book bought on a |
train from a newsboy whom he saw
put a bill in it Immediately preceding