The San Francisco call., 1906-08-12

fallen into the midst of gathering of
men of fortunes.
Above the talk of the visitors the
stranger heard the noise of stock tick
ers and telegraph instruments, and the
jingling of money at the cashiers desk
suggested to him that the place was
doing a great business.
AS matter of fact, however, II was
all stage play. The big rolls of currency
were 'foney," the telegraph and ticker
wires tended only as far as the back
room of the fiat, and the talk of the
supposed patrons was nothing more
than "con" talk worked up for benefit
of the game during the presence of the
intended victim.
On leaving the place the stranger
was advised to keep the fact of his
visit quiet and to frequent the place
for several days in order not to arouse
suspicion.
Let them think you're lying in wait
for a good thing" advised the bunco
man. and next Thursday I'll tap the
wire and telephone you at the pool
room how to play $500. You'll have to
get your money on quickly, for l can't
hold the results back very long" and
the stranger and the bunco man parted
to prepare for the Thursday coup.
The rest is easily imagined. The man
with the money was a steady patron of
the poolroom, and on Thursday he was
called up there on the wire and given
his tip how to play his $500. OF course
the horse he played lost, and he was
shy $500, If the bunco men thought he
would stand another $500, they would
go after him again.
When I told you to place the money
on such and such a horse l meant Of
course, that you must play it for
place" the man VINO had had him in
tow would explain, and in six cases out
of ten the victim would go back to the
poolroom and lose again In his hopeful
attempt TO even UP on his previous
days loss.
How many men of easy integrity
have been victimized by the Bush street
gang there is no means of determining,
but that they have been plentiful is as
sured by the prosperous appearance OF
the bunco r1en and their freehanded-
ness with money, There has been an
occasional case lately where there has
been a comeback which in plain
English means that the gang paid back
to some victim part or the whole of
his losses, when he had threatened TO
go to police headquarters. or possibly
had already done so and had encount-
cred kid" Sullivan, who has happy
faculty of being around when the
mulcted stranger is seeking redress.
Several stock deal fakes have also
been perpetrated on number OF well
known men who were introduced into
the fiat on the pretense, that il was
commission" firm for the exclusive use
of big spectators. In every case where
victim has been mulcted the capper
who brought him to the fiat has re-
ceived a rake-off as well as been fur
nished money to play the part of
good fellow about town during his
search for victims.
Yesterday when Call reporter and
a photographer stationed themselves
on Bush street opposite the bunko
paratory to photographing the bunko
mems headquarters there was COM
motion within the establishment, and
In few minutes an emissary appeared
at the entrance and followed the re-
porter UP the street, finally approach
ing him with the remark that there
was nothing doing at 22l5 Bush and
that 1T would be appreciated II any
reference to the fiat were omitted
1t was later learned that some one
had ''sauealed'' and that two of the
gang who had helped to rob the fellow
a week ago had skipped out to the
ocean beach. to remain in seclusion un-
til the victim had been pacitied or re-
imbursed