The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1908-07-29
SEATTLE PROVES
A FRUITFUL
FIELD
Confidence Men Work
Electric Saddle" Game to
Very Good Advantage to
Themselves.

4ffAAttt mas NtsM RiiN tAfANAAA HHl+
die" aud has fallen for the game
Which. in language more Boston.
esqne. means that certain Seattle
citizens have been swindlad BY ciev.
~ confidence men who have used.
a. an aid 20 their operations. a
saddle equipped with an electric
battery
This saddle IL sim IA Seattle. and
IL being used to-day bg these conf.
racing season opened It's owner WIS
guest AZ the Butler hotel. and
there. IN his room. the saddle was
kept
Half a dozen men work Il the
game Al the head Of the gang Is
= G. Allen. who was ruled of the
track AZ the Meadows a week or
ten days ago ON the complaint %
one Of the men who had been swim
died Allen had string 81 horses
nj the Meadows. and is further re-
nowned through his ownership of
the famous saddle.
How Victims Are Secured.
The men working with Allen are
known Ia the underworld as steer.
erW Their business ~ to ontrap the
victim In various ways they gain
the confidence OF a man with mon.
ey. They represent themselves az
business men OF reputation. and
are liberal IN the expenditure Of
money while IN the company Of
the prospective "iive one
Quite often a visitor 10 the city
IL picked up by these confidence
men. From the hotel register the
name and address OF the man IL ne.
cured. and then from the bankers
directory the confidence man gets
the names OF bankers in the home
town % the intended victim.
Didn't meet you some time ago
In Butte" will be the greeting ex-
tended. n the prospective victim
happens 10 hail from the Montana
city.
Have Mutual Acquaintanees
lie admits that this might have
been the case Then IN a familiar
manner his newly found acquaint-
ance speaks Of prominent Butte
bankers. and the game IL on In ear
nest Subsequent casual meetings
occur and during these the conf.
dence man is often called away 20
whispered conversations with a
third man. these conversations al.
ways occurring while the Butte man
II looking on.
At the proper time mention Is
made OF the electric saddle and of
the efforts being made TO induce
the Montana mans newly found
friend 10 put some money into a
scheme to beat the races.
THEY have an electric saddle up
stairs. the Butte man is told. that
they say can be placed on horse
aud the current applied at the
proper time. SO that the horse may
be forced under the wire a winner"
Wants 70 See the Saddle.
The Butte man is interested and
asks TO see the saddle lie Is sworn
TO secrecy and Is admitted 10 the
room There he is shown the sad
die with the electric equipment. and
Is told of the marvellous things that /
may be done with It.
Take a horse a length or two in /
the rear OF the first horse in the /
race. aud apply the current 20 him, (
and he viii Immediately Jump a suf .
ficient distance to Insure victory" /
the third man tells his two visitors. 4
Were going to put a horse over In /
few days. and we want some big /
bets made"
The result IL that the victim final /
~ falls for the game. He doesn't I
make his own bets. but gives his !
money 20 his newly found friend /
or course the horse doesn't win and /
tho Butte man doesn't get his |
money back
Police Don't interiors.
The game has been going on in |
Seattle ever since the present meet /
began at the Meadows The police /
have heard OF Il. but haye made no |
effort 10 SresS up tbe gang. the |
members W which are AoUs~Sq in /
she iAS6tonaols hos@sS. mad aac 10 |