River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1906-01-04

manufacturer and purchased ali the
culls or seconds and thirds of about
the same retroactive power as he him
self wore for reading and close work.
In each of the solid gold frames he
put pair of these cheap lenses.
The frames cost about 20 cents each:
the cost of lenses did not exceed 81
cents per dozen pair, which made the
entire cost of each pair of spectacles
about 80 cents.
A town of any size could be worked
on his graft, but he found that cities
ranging in population from 10000 to
$4,000 were the most profitable. On
arriving at town he donned an old,
well-worn painters blouse. In select
ing victim he chose man about his
own age, possibly grocer, or the pro-
prietor of meat market.
Calling upon his man he explained
that he was painter by trade, and
had just arrived in the town with a
view to looking up job On going to
the post Office he said he had received
news from his wife that his mother
him to hurry home. Then he took a
pair of spectacles from his pocket.
81 am here almost stranded" he
continued, ''and I am nearly frantic
to reach my mothers bedside. 1t will
cost me five dollars to get home, and
if you will let me have that amount
on my spectacles, will send you six
dollars as soon as get home. and you
can return them to me. They are
solid gold, and cost me $12 when new.
OF course | am a stranger to you, and
perhaps you are no judge of the quail
ity of such frames. but to show that l
am honest will leave them with you,
and return this afternoon, as my train
does not leave until evening. This
will give you plenty of time to take
them to some jeweler who can tell
whether or not they are solid gold.
If you will help me out, / will have
the six dollars back here inside of two
days."
After planting" this pair, as he
termed it, he Immediately started for
the other side of the town and "plant-
ed' another pair with some business
man on the same proposition. Before
rounding up he planted on an aver
age four pairs in each town.
Toward evening he made his round
up and either got back the spectacles
or borrowed anywhere from three to
five dollars.
When asked how it happened that
he had been arrested so many times
he laughed and explained that the
greatest trouble he had was, that most
invariably every man with whom he
planted a pair would take them to
the best jeweler in town. This fact
often led to unpleasantness and it was
always hard to explain matters.
1t was not an uncommon thing for
him to call upon some man on his
"round up and find him ready to call
an officer.
When caught he found that the best
way was to look bis man squarely in
the eye and say:
"This is my way of doing business;
you have yours. At any rate, no
reputable jeweler in this town can say
that l in any way misrepresented these
glasses when I told you that they were
solid gold. There is no law to COM
pei you to loan me five dollars and
no law to prevent me from asking you
for loan, so what's going to be done
about it?''
He said that he found this plan much
better than to cringe and attempt an
apology or explanation.
The last time saw this old graft
err whisky had gotten the better OF
him and he was nearing the end of his
career.