Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1911-10-26
AN OLD COLD BRICK
Used For Fleeing the InnocentS
a Generation Ago.
THE PATENT SAFE SWINDLE.
II Was a Plausible Trick That Gen.
orally Caught the Coin and Sent the
Rewildered Victim Out of Town In a
Hurry Fer Fear of Arrest.


Hurry Fer Fear of Arrest.
Although the essentials of imposture
remain unchanged from generation tc
generation. so that the rogue Of today
would have no trouble in recognizing
his counterpart of the seventeenth cen
tury. nevertheless there are fashions
in thievery, as in everything else Old
tricks are cast off like threadbare
coats in favor of newer ones. and
these in turn are discarded when pub
hcity has rendered them familiar and
therefore less effective. but plausibility
and address are the indispensable
qualities of the gentry who live by
their wits
The newest type of confidence man
is the get-rich-quick individual who
breathes of money and wouldn't turn
his hand to small "job." He angles
for victims with new corporations and
great business ventures for bait. but
he is the same man who a generation
ago raked in the sheckels by means of
the patent safe game This game is
now an outworn fashion. But it had
its points.
Let US suppose a countryman, car
petbag in hand to have alighted at
the union station and set out to see
the sights. Although his name is con-
veniently printed on the outside of his
bag or set down in a legible hand on
the hotel register, he is amazedsto find
himself Hospitality greeted by an utter
stranger, who knows his name and
the town from which he halls. The
stranger is an old friend whom the
countryman is ashamed to think he
cannot remember-place is the word.
But the stranger is very affable and
lays himself out to entertain the new
conner. They stroll about town in
company. visit a bar or two, exchange
"reminiscences and at the end of a few
hours are bosom companions. The
stranger invariably pays the score. has
a lordly disdain of money; good fell
1owship is its own reward.
The two stroll by devious ways until
finally while they are walking arm in
arm down a quiet bystreet the stran-
gers eye is caught by a curious object
lying on the pavement. He pauses to
examine it. 1t is a miniature globe
about the size of billiard ball. The
stranger turns it over curiously in his
fingers and finally sees that it is fitted
with a small plug, which comes out
under pressure Continuing his ex-
plorations, he then unscrews the top
of the plug, takes out piece of crum-
pied paper, shows his dupe the empty
box and throws the paper on the
ground. There is a similar bit of pa
per in the small chamber at the end
of the plug, but this the countryman
does not see. The two then stroll on.
discussing the mysterious ball.
Presently they come upon a worried
looking man, who is studying the
ground with face the pattern Of de-
spair. The roper observes him and
wants to know whether he has lost
something
"Lost something, indeed" says the
man. why. I've lost an invention of
mine that l wouldn't have taken $1O.-
600 for. 1t was a patent fire safe
which would save hundreds Of. thou
sands of dollars worth of papers and
every year. / was just on
my way to Blank & Blanks, the safe
manufacturers. to get one made. and
here have lost the model"
The roper is evidently much touched
by the inventors distress. He pro-
duces the wooden globe and is imme-
diately overwhelmed with expressions
of gratitude.
"But what good is that invention of |
yours?" asks the roper.
''Well," says the inventor with pride. |
you see. it is set on props. When there
is a fire all you have to do is to knock |
out the props and the safe rolls down |
an incline right out of the building as
neat as you please. There's box in
side to hold the papers. There is
paper in this box right now"
At that the roper winks slyly at the
farmer and whispers in his ear. 'I'll
make him a bet on that piece of
paper"
Come" says the roper. "that's a
pretty tall yarn. don't believe there's
any paper in that ball. I'll bet there
isn't scrap Of paper in it."
'I'll bet you 81 900 there's paper in
it," says the inventor. much incensed-
= haven't that much with me-" says
the roper. but I'll just bet you a hun
dred on it." With that he takes out a
number Of bills, say $50 or so. and
bank check for the other $50. To his
friend the farmer he says. "Will you
just lend me $50 on this check until
.an get to my hotelT
The farmer sees that his friend is
sure to win. He advances the $50.
when. behold. the inventor draws out
he plug. removes the concealed paper
rom it's small chamber and collects
he bet The roper is decidedly crest
ALLEN, but while he is still lamenting
ais folly a policeman rushes up.
.harges him with gambling and makes
grab for him. Roper fees. but the
armer is cnught After protesting his
the farmer is allowed 70 de-
art Still fearful Of arrest. be fees
he city. When be presents his check
ie discovers that roper inventor and
oliceman are all confidence men who
ave enriched themselves at his ex-
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