The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1907-03-06
SAME olD GAME PLAYED AGAIN
VICTIM GETS HIS MONEY BACK
WITH HELP OF POLICE AND
Is GLAD.

lars ne mad earned Dy nara work on d
farm, shook the dust of Montana from
his boots and came to Portland to see
the sights of the metropolis of the
west, he had never heard of such a
thing as a three-card monte game.
Two accommodating gentlemen intro
duced him into the mysteries of deal
| ing three cards so that the sucker
will always lose. at the city park on
ser just $500.
This was a .big price to pay for one
lesson in cards. but Salser didn't see
through it until yesterday, when he
appeared at the police station and told
Detective Hellyer his tale of woe.
| Through quick work of the detective
the bunco man was captured in Van
cOuver and forced to return the money.
| Salser, too tickled to get his money
| back to think of causing the bunco
man any trouble, declined to prosecute
him. Tucking his gold safely into his
jeans, he boarded the first train back
| to the farm in Montana.
The Agreeable Stranger.
| The game which came near costing
Salser all his money is one of the most
daring worked in Portland in many
months. Salser was strolling about
| the city Saturday when a we'll dressed
aboI oSlyp6
the way to the city park. He made
| himself very agreeable, and learning
that Salser was a stranger induced
him to go to see the park also. After
time they sat down on a stone wall
| in the park to rest.
Another WELL dressed stranger saun-
| tered up and asked where MI. Brown
| lived. Neither could tell him. He then
asked for a card to make note on.
Bunco No. / pulled out three slips of
pastebOard, but said they were bust
ness cards, and refused to give one to
No. 3. The latter remarked that they
looked like peculiar business cards,
whereupon No. l admitted that they
We're trick cards.
You can't fool me with any trick
cards." boosted No. 2.
We'll, it's my own trick. and l bet l
can" answered No. 1. No. 2 bet $50
that he could draw from the three
cards one bearing the words, Pull me
out" No. 2 pulled and won the $50.
No. l, who had passed himself off
to Salser as foreman in logging camp
down the river, and had already hired
Salser as teamster at $40 month,
to his employee and asked if he had
any money.
Il can't be beat at my own game
he remarked, land 1 want to get that
money back
Salser felt in his pockets, but could
find only So in silver.
well, haven't you any bank paper
on you?' asked No. /.
The Rambling" Scare.
Salser produced a draft for $500.
That's all right" said No. l. Just
indorse it and 1 will pay you as soon
as can get to the bank, where 1 have
bunch of money on Deposit
Salser bit. He Endorsed the check.
No. l bet $50 that No. could not draw
the winning card again. He drew, and
10, it was the winning card. No. 2
reached out and closed his fingers
around the draft.
Now look here he shouted in a
-oio
gambling here and running gambl-
ing game. There is a state law against
gambling, and l am going to have you
both arrested"
No. 1 protested, but No. was de-
termined and started for a police
man.
Come on, we had better get out of
here quick suggested No. l to Salser i
and they fled. When they reached the
town No. 1 said he thought they would !
be safer out of the state, and suggest |
ed they go to Vancouver. They went !
and slept together at a rooming- house
Saturday night. During the night No.
stole Salser's letter of Identification.
Wrong Day Of Week.
The object of the bunco men was TO
keep Salser in Vancouver until today,
when they could cash the check and
disappear. But when he discovered the
loss of his Identification letter, he be-
gan to get wise and came back to
Portland where he related his story to
the police. Detective Hellyer returned
with him to Vancouver, and soon To-
Gated bunco man No. /. The latter
sent to Portland to his partner and
got the draft, which he turned over to
the detective Salser didn't want to
prosecute the bunco men, and no ar
rest was made. This morning Salser
got his draft cashed and started back
to the farm.