The San Francisco call., 1910-05-15
By Fred C. Kelly

Avs showing in country town Early in the
Aafternoon wearing ready made four IN
hand and corduroy breechcs rushed to the chief
of police.
THAT feller over on the show grounds skinned me
out of $50 jest now" he painted. 81 want him in
Come right along with me and I'll show him to you"
But somehow the chief wasn't enthusiastic
the chance to win fame by the capture of a smooth
circus crook
How'd you lose your money!" he inquired. What!
Playing that shell game, eh? Then you gam
bling, too? Uh huhi Then if I do my duty I'll be
obliged to lock you upi Didn't you know that gam
bling was prohibited by city ordinance?"
With wise stare straight into the eyes of the
from the country the chief went on: Tell you what
you'd better do. I don't want to lock you up-al-
though of course I'm supposed to lock up anybody
guilty of gambling. Now, the thing for you to do is
TO skin along home. I'll walk over to the grounds
and see what I do. What sort of looking feler
was he? Yes. Well you hustle on home now, and if
there's any roundup or any trouble you'll be in the
clear"
The chief of police you observe, had been efectu-
ally fixed"
City authorities who have spurned corruption by
political rings public contractors, the liquor interests
OF others who would 'use" Them have "falen" for
the plans laid by the circus "fxer" They see no OBJ
lection TO few Harmless little games of chance"
Perhaps is the pcturesquensss of the circus. Maybe
they think it wouldn't be circus day in town without
three card monte.
In the larger cities, general rule, effort is
made to work or "fx" In the first place there are
IN fhe vde-a md
these that the takers take their bait And
then it is not considered practicable to FIX" the
authorities in a large city. The officials may be cor
rupt enough but they get their graft in more re-
fined than that employed by the circus "hxer
in getting" officials The circus grafters paradise is
one of these isolated of about 10000 souls, or
even less which draws the simple country folk from
miles around circus day. In such places the circus
revenue from ilegtmate soures has been as high as
$1,000 for the dayeven aside from the Short change"
graft
COMPANY OF FAKERS
The takers with big graft" circus usually num-
her not less than 80. Even in the old days of the
wagon shows with the entire circus troupe comprs-
ne not more than 80 there dozen or more fax
ers with private vehicles of their own. But those
were the primitive days of the circus-and of takers
as well
First there is the CRATER in chief, sort of man.
aging faker who employs his staff, acts as banker
deals with the circus manager, directs his and
keeps a general oversight TO see that something
doesn't slip up" He doesn't do any work The
"hxer IS OF course. part of the graft system but
he is usually employed by the circus itself He ar
ranges with the police or sheriff for interference
The chief CRATER makes the deal with the circus man
ager at the beginning of the This deal pro-
vdes that the circus proprietor gets half of the gross
receipts of graft the grounds. That provision is
invariable The circus must always have half
The head CRATER gets something less than fourth
OF the total of the day, for fourth goes to
the individual fakers-the shell men, the three card
men and the others. And then of his own portion
he must hire the cappers" and two three "seuths"
Each faker, of his prohts-and this is true of
the whole graft departments required to pay his
board usually about $40 week, and S. for bunk
In the old days, when the shows used to travel en-
trey by wagon and the grafters had provide their
vehicles, they charged up with the feed of
their horses.
The "cappers" and 4slcuths7 are paid straight
salary which usually from so 20 SIS week. ac-
cordng their efficiency. In fact the fakers chance
OF being hired At all depends upon his ability One Of