Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1910-03-04
BUNCO GAMES IN MEXICO.
Rogues Who Could Pick Even the
Great Pinkerton's Pocket.

Rogues Who Could Pick Even the
Great Pinkerton's Pocket.
More ingenious rogues than the
rateros of Mexico city have yet to be
bred, says a writer in the Travel
Magazine. The great Pinkerton him
self fell a victim to their skill. He
had shown some scepticism over the
wonderful tales he heard concern
ing these gentry and the Mexican
chief Of police felt that it was up to
him to make good.
The chief had a private interview
with certain pickpocket who at the
moment wasn't wanted in the usual
manner The result was that the
ratero before night brought a hand
some gold watch and laid it on the
officials desk. Half an hour later
Pinkerton himself came in, sheepish
but convinced.
Imagine a porter constantly at
your side carrying your valise to the
depot and you are watching him too.
Then, after the train starts, you find
your grip neatly slit open by sharp
knife and all your shirts taken out
You cannot tell how the fellow man.
aged it, for he not only slipped the
garments out under your eyes but hid
the stiff, awkward things under his
jacket in the bargain. Yet this is an
amateurs achievement.
1t has become unsafe to deliver
anything to a stranger in the city
of Mexico without a personal order
with some secret mark on it. These
rascals have been known to empty a
furnished house in broad daylight
under the servants eyes while, say,
the family was away on a days pic
mic. They will duplicate the station
cry Of business houses and in some
way learn that such and such a bill
is to be collected at a given time, or
that such or such a party is to deliver
certain goods by previous arrange
ment. They then present the dupli-
cate bill or order and so come in for
the booty.
There is one trick particularly that
has become classical. citizen one
morning met a friend on his way to
business. He stopped to invite the
friend to a dinner party for the fol-
lowing evening. The two talked for
a while there in the street when the
o;t I'll l..
ting late.
He felt in his pocket, but his
watch was not there.
You'll have to tell me the time" "
my pillow again"
An hour later a we'll dressed man
pulled the knocker at the citizens
door and asked for the citizens wife.
When she came to the door he in
troduced himself as a business friend
of her husband. He had taken the
liberty, he said, to send for fine
turkey from his ranch, which he beg
ged her to accept for the supper
party of the evening following; and
there, sure enough, was the well
plump gobbler. The citizens wife
was greatly pleased and accepted the
gift. The we'll dressed man begged
her not to mention it, and with the
usual compliments he was turning
away when, happening to remember
something, he said:
"Oh, yes, Mr.. - forgot his
watch this morning, but l might as
well take it to him. It's under the
pillow" he said.
1.-The citizens wife hurried ur
stairs, and there indeed she found the
watch under the pillow and gave it to
the accommodating stranger.
That evening the citizen on his re-
turn home was provoked when he
heard the story, as you may imagine
He was out a watch, but at least II
had cost the ratero the investment OF
fine turkey. They would have that
turkey for the dinner party just the
same He would tell the joke to his
friends as they ate the bird; and the
next evening he began relating the
jest as soon as his guests arrived.
But" interrupted his wife. "the
police caught the fellow, you know >
Caught him." repeated her hus-
band.
"Why of course" she said, land
you yourself sent up a man from the
police court today. He wanted the
turkey as evidence"
And you gave it to him."
Ito be sure l did"
The ratero had got back his orig
inal investment.