The San Francisco call., 1910-05-15

the exactions of the circus proprietor when he makes
his deal with the faker is that the latter en-
ploys good" men-that is, men who will not "over-
look any bets" While he is at it the circus man
wants to get the biggest rakeof possible. But once
the chief has all the takers that he thinks necessary
no more operate the grounds about that circus
"Buttinskis" absolutely not tolerated 1t is the
duty of the "sleuths" employed by the graft depart
ment to report any such, and it is an unhappy day
for the latter when the other fakers catch him.
And, be it said to the credit of circuses all pick
pockets are consistently fought. Owing to the obvi-
Gus necessity for secrecy in their work the pckpock-
cts not easily detected by the circus authori-
ties superiuous gambling takers, but they are kept
off as far as possible They come around and work
Just as they do at county fairs and various places
where they may find great crowds but it is not be-
lieved that any pckpocket has worked with the sane
ton of the circus-at least, not in recent years.
Entirely distinct from the gambling graft is the
short change" graft The who works this does
not pay tribute to the chief of the gambling fakers
nor is he in way connected with that department.
except by interest He makes his own deal
The rule that the proprietor must have his half al
ways stands.
There is seldom any short change work, either by
the who sells tickets at the sideshow It isn't
that he's honest The circus thinks wouldn't paw
AT best his graft revenue would be comparatively
small and he would put thousands of otherwise unsus
pecting dupes their guard against further swindes
A man might not make much of "squeal" about
being Short changed" of 10 or IS cents on his
way into sideshow, but he would keep his hands
on his pocketbook when he got inside. And it is in
the sdeshow that the great bulk of the games are
worked.
The principal fake gambling games worked on cir
Gus grounds the "three Shells" the three card
game e-that is three card montc-rouette, the "bee-
hive" "Klondike," the tobacco box" the "strap
trick" the send joint" the fish game" the eight
dice, the envelope game" and the "dial"
The striking characteristic of all the games is that
one can win with just the same facility that million
aire can ride a low browed double bumped camel
through the eye of No. 90 needle But it must be
borne in mind that these devious games have never
been permitted by the owners of at least one of the
biggest circuses.
Nearly everybody knows that the working outfit
of three shell consists of three English walnut
shells and an elusive little cork or rubber ball the
size OF pea. The object of this game is for the
guy, as the victim is called to guess which she'll
the ball is under The faker shows the ball under one
shell and then the shells brsky, one at time
back and forth across the board The guy" is lucky
if the ball is under any of the shells when he makes
his guess. For in this game one can win only as
often the man behind the shells sees fit The peo
pie who have not won on this game could make the
standing of Japan look the of police squad
IN Bucyrus. 1t is game too, in which the "capper"
is an essential cog. The capper' drifts up and wins
and then the rest of the crowd begins elevate its
eyebrows and finger its ready money.
The man slides the little shells over the board and
carelessly leaves the ball peekng from under the
edge of one she'll stranger who had won money
himself only moment before whispers hoarsely in
the of the victim "See it. Don't you see it there
Bet him!"
After the victim or victims have put up their money
the man gives the shells an additional move or two.
which gives him chance to pick up the ball between
two fingers. Except for this fact many might win.
"See." he says, picking up a shell, you guessed
wrong. Then lifting another one and dropping the
ball from his fingers "it was under this one all the
time
The crowd looks around for the "capper,o who
gave the bum steer" but he is gone
Pennsylvania Dutchinan is mentioned as the
ceverest shell worker that lived. He had short
fat legs and he could form the table he needed for his