Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-08-01

| from his fingers 'it was under this
one all the time
The crowd looks around for the
| "capper" who gave the bum steer"
but he is gone.
A Pennsylvania Dutchman Is men
| toned as the cleverest shell worker
that ever lived. He had short, fat legs
and he could form the table he need
ed for his shells by throwing his leg
over the handle of a heavy cane he
carried.
One old circus man tells Of the day
this man took 800 away from SNUG
] looking preacher. The minister fell
over in faint and fairly began to
| froth at the mouth. you've killed
him." remarked this circus man, who
happened along just then. Where
upon the shell man took the money
and showed 1t into the mans hand. II
was just foolin' you," he said, and the
minister began to revive.
1.-The next time get any Of his mo-
ney he can just croak and stay croak-
ed" grunted the CRATER disgustedly
when he saw how easily the man was
restored to life.
But Of all the unconscionable crooks
that ever stepped on a show ground by
far the smoothest as well as the or
neriest and meaneSt. say the old tim
ers, was Canada Bill" whose game
was three-card monte. He dressed
shabbily and posed as "greenie" try
ing to initiate the real takers. His
makeup was so clever and he possess
ed such skill at acting his role that
the crowd could not conceive Of the
possibility that he was slick enough to
get any Of their money. He would get
hold of small piece Of pine board
and then sneak off to a fence corner
or other out-of-the-way place and be-
gin to throw his cards. A crowd would
soon gather. 81 seen some o them
fellers throwin' these things" he
would remark with an ingenious grin.
"I b'lieve 1 en- do 1t as well as they
kin, soon's I practice bit"
A "capper" would come along and
win some money and then the crowd
would stampede up to try to do the
same thing, even though 1t seemed
like a shame to take money from such
novice. But "Bill' would win. Got
you that time!" he would cackle. II
guess I'm gittin' pretty good"
One day big chap lost $40. Before
the monte man could pick up the win
nings the stranger grabbed up the pile
of bills and broke away through the
crowd.
LET him co. laughed the monte
man in a hurt tone. He amt honest,
that feller amt. beat him fair and
square"
He had his reason for not chasing
the man. Il could win twice as much
while I'd be chasing him." he would
explain to the circus man.
Incidentally Canada Bill' was as
much Of sucker" as any Of his VIC
tins. He made his headquarters in
Omaha, where he was fieeced by other
sharpers out of all his stealings.
Fully equal in Importance to the
man who actually works any Of the
gambling swindles Is the "capper." The
"capper," whatever game he may work
at, always is dressed like a "rube"-
not with pink chin whiskers, blue
overalls and figurative clover In his
eyebrows. like the grotesque country
man who is part Of the circus parade,
with a hayfork over his shoulder
that makeup would be too obvious.
THE 'capper" watches his chance
to get alongside Of some man from the
uncut who's sizing up the alluring
banners in front Of the sideshow. If
the "capper" can make the acquain-
tance of the guy" on the outside their
intimacy will be all the further ad-
vanced by the time they have seen the
tattooed mamie of the pictorial cla-
vicle and scapula-the sword swallow
er and strong man, and finally the
games themselves. -.
Been in yit?" the "capper" asks
the stranger at his side, as the two
stare up at the wonders on the banner.
mo, not yet" the farmer replies.
Your"
Nope" says the "capper." II sort
O. hated to go in by myself. Tell you
what I'll do, I'll buy tickets for both
Of us If you'll go In with me-"
That looks good to the average
mark" He readily takes advantage
Of the ingenious young mans liberali-
| ty.
The "capper" doesn't take much in
terest in the game at first. But finally
he whispers to his companion that he
has a notion to have try. He decides
to wager a dollar at any rate. If he
loses he will still have enough money
to see the show, and If he wins he'll
have made a killing.
And, would you believe it, the cap
per" wins!
The guy wishes he had taken a
chance. He makes up his mind that
he who never takes a chance never
stands to win anything The two drift
on to something else. Maybe they
stop at a three-card game. The sue
cess of this game from the faker's
point of view lies in the fact that the
movements Of the faker'S hands in
throwing the three cards are too rapid
for an accurate kinetoscopic impress
sion to be made on the retina; in other
words the hand Is quicker than the
eye, which is often just as true as 1t Is
trite. But the "capper" notices that
one Of the three cards has one corner
49,, oil orb a uvhfcnnro
the guy" that he has a little scheme.
He puts up $40 or so and wins. He
winks at his companion and tells him
it is a sure thing. Watch the one
with the corner turned up. He amt
noticed It," he says. The guy" sees
that his new found friend is right. All
he has to do Is to bet on the one with
the corners turned up and it will be
just like finding money. He bets all
he has, perhaps. and loses, because, Of
course, the faker turns down that cor
ner and turns up the corner Of anoth-
er one in the course of his manipula-
tions.
Oh, but have you ever heard Of the
"send joint" game? Compared to this
game all other forms Of gambling are
no more risky than buying government
bonds. 1t is at the "Send joint" that
You'll say the game lacks the proper
degree Of plausibility to catch the un-
wary But don't fret The "send joint"
never yet has failed to earn a substan-
tial dividend.
The game derives its name from the
fact that it is "joint" whence one is
sent after more funds to turn over to
the faker. 1t is in the form of lot
terry. Pull out a number just for
luck" says the man operating the
game. You don't need to put up any
money" The victim tried his luck,
wagering. let us say. $4,000 of imagi-
nary money. And he wins. Then the
faker gives the victim to understand
that he thought the play was in ear
nest. Yes. indeed. he thought it was
all in deadly earnest. If the man had
lost he would have expected him to
put up $4,000, and now he has won
the faker is willing to pay out $4,000
just as If the money had been regular
ly wagered-provided, however that
the agriculturalist will put up his ST.
900. just as a guarantee of good faith.
Magnanimous? Well, rather! This
offer properly impresses the man from
the fields Of flowing grain with the ia
ker's honesty-with the solid business
m 9th ode on which he conducts his