Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-08-01
0KLAHOMAN TAKEN IN
BY CLEVER SW|NDLER
Chance Acquaintance Pro-
poses Coin-Matching Con-
test With Third Man.

T1di boilTIHSeT, d stranger III " dSHiHS-
ton, was standing at Pennsylvania ave-
nue. and Sd street northwest yesterday
afternoon gazing in the window Of a
store replete with knick-knacks. souvenirs
of the capital, picture postcards and the
like. He was thinking about buying a lit
tie remembrance for the folks back home
His eye fell an ornately painted
ash tray. with a composite photograph OF
the Capitol the Treasury, the White
House and the bureau Of engraving and
printing, and he was about to go inside
to buy it when he became aware of
some one standing by his side, and a
pleasant voice spoke to him:
Going to buy a souvenir"
Yes replied Bohringer. I'm thinking
Of sending something back to Oklahoma
"Oh, you're westerner. them
"Surest thing YOU know"
We'll, L m a stranger in town myself"
The two struck up an acquaintance. To-
gether they stroled toward the Capitol.
Pretty wide-open place. Oklahoma is,
l imagine said the new-found friend.
Wide Open Town.
Wide open and red hot" said Bob
ringer why, in my town. Blackburn.
a fellow can get any sort of game he's
after-poker. faro. seven-up, anything.
Say, they're a slick lot, too
Ever match coins?'
mo. can't say that did to any great
extent"
We'll it's the safest game. see. If
you know how to work it you cop the
coin every time. Two good men can
trim sucker seven days week.
Just about that time the two strangers
were accosted by third man:
rs that building the Capitol"
Yes" said Bohringer, that's the Cap
itol You're stranger here, too?''
1t turned out that No. 3 was a stranger
from Canada He said:
I've come here to sell a little prop
erty for my mother. I have sold about
seventeen hundred dollars worth
Stranger No. 2 nudged Bohringer:
I'm just match you a dollar Of that
money, to see if it's good
You're on" said the Canadian, for
getting his accent. and in about two
winks the Canadian had No. rs dollar:
That's too good to keep" said the
Canadian: TN just run over here and
buy some good cigars"
Plan to Trim Canadian.
While he was buying the cigars No.
arranged with Bohringer to trim
the Canadian. They framed up a game
whereby the odd man always won, and
between them they figured they would
win two out Of three matches, anyway.
The Canadian. being a game sort Of fell
low, took to the idea immensely when
he returned with four fine Havanas, and
the three began matching coins in the
Capitol grounds. The Canadian must
have had a charmed coin, because the
combination didn't work exactly right
Traces Of annoyance fitted over No.
rs face occasionally, and Bohrnger,
who was losing money by flves and tens,
began to feel that something was wrong.
Finally Bohringer's entire fund of S16O
was gone. He said he guessed he had
enough, and began to wonder how he d
ever get back to Blackburn. Okla, where
gambling games are SO wide open. The
Canadian took pity on him.
Here; I'll lend you thirty-eight dol
lars"
Tells His Story.
With that the trio separated. Some time
after Hal Bohringer saw a great light
and called on the police and told his story
briefly.
He didn't run across a Canadian, did
hep asked the police captain.
HE certainly did said Bohringer
And the Canadian didn't say he had
just sold some property for his mother,
did he?"
Exactly"
Well commented the police captain,
that's the same game they tried on an
other western man from wide-open
town, Spearf1sh. 8. D. s. c. Henton of
Spearf1sh was his name. They tried him
last week, but didn't get much 1 WON
or Uvo ~ otcl,