Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-09-09
MExIcANS ON THEIR GUARD
American BunLO Man and His
varied Games Interest the
Natives.

Even ancient Mexico Is not free from
the American confidence man. and, as was
demonstrated by the recent roundup. of a
number OF swindlers in one OF the towers
OF the old cathedral the old, old games,
worked with such success in the United
States on the unsuspecting, are just as sue
cessful in. the land OF the MonteEumas as
in the land Of their origin.
The smoothest of all the crooks is the
confidence man. The little games he works
on the uninitiated are interesting to that
portion OF the public that has already been /
up against one or more OF them, as we'll
as to the ones who have never been bum
koed. To be bunkoed by a clever group
OF operators is an experience that has
fallen to many. and many a lesson has
been gained thereby. II you have never
been bunkoed don't laugh too heartily at
those who have, for who knows but you
may be slated for an experience similar
to those who have gone before.
In Mexico the ratero is purely local
product. He is credited with being about
the most expert litter of valuables in the
world as many a tourist, with record of
many thousands of miles Of travel in for
eign land and loads Of experience. will at
test. The ratero Is credited by some with
being able to take OF your vest remove
your valuables and then replace the gar
ment without even you being aware Of
the trick. But his game is a coarse one.
In the language Of the ''perfesh" when the
genuine bunko man appears on the scene.
This genius OF CRATER has in the past been
practically unknown In Mexico. and the
easy prey to which many OF the unsus-
pecting have fallen to the first ones ar
irving in Mexico leads 10 the belief that
more OF the gentry will soon leave the
original fields In the United States and
make tour of the republic Some OF the
smoothest OF the class could doubtless make
very profitable tour In Mexico should
| they SO choose.
II seems that the simpler the game the
| easier 1t is TO take In the average human
being. game that IL too complex is
Stunned by all the experts Of the business
and only the apparently simple stunts are
used. The confidence men usually work in
twos and threes. The best looking and
most affable man of the lot will land the
prey and each of the others will appear at
the right time to get In their work. with
the result that by the time the bunco men
get through with their victim he is out a
considerable amount generally about all
that he has, for these men do nothing by
| halves and he Is much the wiser for his
experience.
The first game worked was the old one
| OF matching coins with three in the
| game. Instead of proceeding in the usual
| manner, the victim was led to think that
he was in with one OF the others and that
the two of them were taking the money
of the third man away, only to return II
to him and to give him a lesson Finally,
when the big sum was stake and every
man had his pile UP before him, the
grafters got in their work and buncoed It
to the victim, In the most approved style
among the profession 1t worked so easy
that the grafters must surely have hated
to take the money" Probably acting upon
the old saying that "the better the place
the better the deed they chose the cathe-
dral tower for their scene Of operations
But alas they rounded up one too many
Of the innocent and they are in the hands
Of the police awaiting trial The conf
dence men have many other stunts than
the one tried as a starter in Mexico and
from time to time II is expected that the
unsuspecting will spread the news of new
games that are being played. The police
of the northern republic are giving the
confidence men such trouble that It Is
only natural that they should drift to
another climate.
Beware of the smooth talking individual
who becomes your friend 30 easily. II he
wants you to learn the little game with the
peas under the she'll, don't go up against
1t. There is many a man who has bet his
all that the pea lie still under the shell
where the man put it. but when the shell
was lifted the pea was not there. If a
nice appearing young man falls In with you,
! you have a few drinks and he offers to
show you the town. keep your eyes open.
When he gives you his talk about the
wonderful prosperity that he has enjoyed
in Mexico and tells you of many invest
ments he has made, believe II II you want
to, but look out. When he leads you
through the Mutual building which he
tells you belongs to him. and shows you
all its many fine points, don't decide to
buy 1t on the spot and give him big slice
for the option. Just remember about this
time that the Masonic temple and the
Auditorium. in Chicago, the Flatiron and
the New York Life buildings. in New York,
are sold daily in this manner for sums
ranging from 5000 TO $4,000. It all de-
ponds upon how much the victim has. OF
course. the latter game Is usually worked
of on the members from the rural pre-
cincts. but because your home is the
county seat don't think you are immune
TO the games OF thoroughbred American
''bunco steerer. mexican Herald.