Los Angeles herald., 1907-06-30
BUNKO STEERERS
FLOCK TO LONDON LONDON
AMERICANS VICTIMS OF CON-
FIDENCE MEN
Begin Work on Big Liners, Where
Meeting Strangers Is Easy-Live
at Swell HoteIs and Fleece
the Unwary Daily
necial Cable to The Herald.

Special Cable to The Herald.
LONDON, June 29.-The advice OF
Scotland Yard is: Don't on your life
talk to strangers; this town is packed
with 'bunko steerers' who are after your
money"
This also is in substance the good ad-
vice which Americans are giving their
countrymen newly arrived in London
for the season. The advice appears to
be a very necessary warning against
the wiles of the International confidence
tricksterS known to Americans as
'bunko steerers," who are now flock
ing in shoals to London.
This year, apparently because rec
ord year in travel is expected. these
swell mobsmen have rushed to London
by hundreds. and over dozen expert
gangs are known to be at work. Al
ready the London police have received
many complaints from confiding Amer
leans who have trusted well-dressed
strangers and have lost their valuables
ir consequence.
Aristocracy of Criminal Class
"These confidence trick men are the
aristocracy of the criminal classes, y
said a Scotland Yard official in an in
terview upon this subject. "There are
so many crooks in the world and
they are so daring; so different in their
methods of operation; so difficult to
bring to book. They travel like princes
and many of them succeed in stealing
more than the income of cabinet min
lister.
This year they are up to all manner
of new tricks, for they are always up
to date and ready to play any part to
fit it with the seasons arrangements.
of n ha nIIltinll-
lionaires or even English aristocrats.
Their mainstay, however, is the old,
old trick of inspiring confidence, get
ting their wealthy victim off his guard
and then robbing him of all they can
lay hands on.
Are Not Easily Caught
"They are very hard to catch. for
often the person robbed refuses to pros
ecute for fear that the news of his folly
will reach his friends at home. 1t an
noys the Americans to let others know
that any one has got the better OF them
in this way-even by trick.
"They begin their tricks directly the
liner on which they engage saloon
berths leaves New York. In the smok-
ing room they play cards with accom-
plices until they have induced others to
take a hand, and then they start to
make their passage money.
"On their arrival in London the con-
fidence men usually engage rooms at
the best hotels, where they and their
methods are unknown. Here, dressing
Immediately and living on the fat of
the land, they await their opportunities
and make the most of them when they
do come.
Quickly Led Into Trap
"When a homesick American is met
iii London by a well-groomed, prosper
Gus and affable countryman who, by a
strange chance, knows the old home
well,' he is naturally taken off his
guard at once. 1t is not long after this
that, on some pretext or other, the
American is induced to show his valu-
ables or money, and the rest is easy
for his new found friend.
1.-The chief stock in trade of these
rogues is the art of inspiring confidence.
One man who posed as member of a
millionaire New York family sold a
string of valuable horses only a few
days ago to new arrival, who was
anxious to shine as the owner of the
stock. The only flaw in the bargain
from the point of view of the purchas-
er was that, after the confidence man
had vanished, it was discovered that
the horses belonged to another and a
respectable American"