The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1911-04-28
Local SyrianS SWindled
By Two Smooth Con Men
Solomon and Thomas Moses Pay
si,4oo for Five Papers and
Half a Brick.
WERE TO GET A SHARE
IN FORTUNE IN CHICAGO
Coin Is Apparently Placed In Box
and Strangers leave-Diseov-
cry Six Hours Later.

IL newspapers always brought such
prices as were paid here yesterday
by Solomon Moses and Thomas Mo-
ses the business would certainly be a
lucrative one. The two gentlemen
mentioned, who are well known Syrk
ans OF the South Side. handed over
fourteen hundred dollars in good
American money and received in re-
turn two Wheeling Registers, one
Wheeling News. one Pittsburg Ga
zette Times and one Fireslde Com
panion with half OF brick for good
measure. All were neatly encased in
a little tin box. and thereby hangs q
tale.
About a week ago two strangers OF
the familiar smooth" variety arrived
In Wheeling and cultivated the ac-
quaintance OF the aforesaid purchas-
ers or literature. One of these very
plausible and fascinating strangers
once had brother. but he poor fellow
died just short time ago in Chicago.
Alas, Poor Yorick: | knew him, Ho-
ratio! Well. when brother died he
left some very valuable real estate,
but. unfortunately. i'm order TO get
possession OF this fortune In the
Windy City it was necessary. don't
you know, for his relative to put up
the trifling sum of $2,S0O
Now. Mr.. Smooth Stranger had by
honesty. industry and frugality accu-
mulated half this amount, and he was
longing TO meet some one who would
accommodate him with the other half
and share in the profits. After secur.
ing possession of the estate they
would 90 into a very profitable busi.
ness and his kind friends would be
paid $50 a day for his services. This
philanthropic plan struck Solomon
Moses as one OF the most roseate he
had ever heard: so he got together
$1,000. part OF which he had earned
by hard labor at the La Belle mill
and the rest by running a pool room.
Thomas Moses wanted a share too.
so he was generously allowed TO con-
tribute the remaining four hundred
plunks.
The Finishing Touches.
All the details being arranged, the
two strangers. accompanied by Solo
mon and Thomas. went TO the Antler
hotel yesterday to partake of a few
light refreshments and put the finish
ing touches on the transaction. The
strangers. somehow. had a distrust OF
banks. so they declared that a safety
deposit box would be the only thing
for them. II was agreed. therefore,
that he funds would all be placed in
neat tin box with an ornamental
cover. which one OF the strangers
bought and paid for with his own
money.
Then the two strangers. to all out
ward appearances. placed their share
OF the money in the said box and Sol
omOn and Thomas did likewise. Just
while all this interesting transaction
was taking place. happy thought oc-
CURED to one OF the strangers and he
peeled a fifty on Of Solomons roll and
handed II back to him as travelling ex-
penses to the scene OF his twenty-dol-
lar job. a colored waiter at the Ant
Ter saw the money switched. but did
not say anything at the time. The
box was then closed and handed 20
Solomon for safe keeping while the
strangers went out to see whether
their attorneys I'm Chicago had sent
them telegram Such must have
been the case. and the message must
have been a summons TO come at
once. for they boarded the first train
hence. ToOt' TOOt, GOodbyel
After keeping the box until evening
Solomon and Thomas decided TO take
a look AZ the coin. just to see whether
10 had grown any They took a look.
and then instead of seeing the money
they saw great light After talking
the thing over. Solomon and Thomas
decided that on account Of the Regis
ters being I'm the box the contents
were not worth the price. 30 they noti-
fed the police. The police did all
they could. but the smooth strangers
had six hours start and you know the
iron horse can travel some distance
IN six hours