The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1912-02-01
AN old COLD BRICK
Used For Fleeing the Innocents
a Generation Ago.
the PATENT SAFE SW|NDLE.

eswiIdered Victim Out Of Town In
Hurry For Fear Of Arrest.
Although the essentials of imposture
remain unchanged from generation to
generation. so that the rogue of today
would have no trouble in recognizing
his counterpart Of the seventeenth cen
fury. nevertheless there are fashions
In thievery, as in everything else. Old
tricks are cast of like threadbare
coats in favor of newer ones. and
these in turn are discarded when pub
Lefty 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 a small lob" He angles
for victims with new corporations ant
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 ou,worn fashion. But it had
its points.
Let us cuppose countryman. car
petbag in hand. to have alighted at
the union station and set out to see
the sights, Although his name is con
venientIy printed on the outside of his
bag or set down in a legible hand on
the hotel register. he is amazed to find
himself Hospitality greeted by an utter
stra niger. 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 affabe 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 Gisdain Of money; good fel-
lowship IS its own reward.
The two stroll by devious ways until
finally while they are walking arm in
arm down quiet bystreet the stran-
gers eye is caught by curious object
lying on the pavement. He pauses to
examine it. 1t is a miniature globe
about the size of q billiard ball. The
stranger turns it over curiously in his
with 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. Tb"~~ is similar bit of pa
> per in the y III 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 worried
looking man. who is studying the
q ground with face the pattern of de
n spair The roper observes him and
" wants to know whether he has lost
h something.
!, lost something. indeed" says the
q man ''Why. I've lost an invention OF
O mine that | wouldn't have taken $40,
900 for. 1t was a patent fire safe
! which would save hundreds Of thou
sands Of dollars worth of papers and
i, valuables every year. | was just on
. my way to Blank & Blanks. the safe
manufacturers. to get one made, ana
. here l have lost the model"
a The roper is evidently much touched
o by the inventors distress. He pro-
duces the wooden globe and is imme,
, diately overw helmed with expressions
q Of gratitude.
y "But what good is that invention OF
yours ~ asks the roper.
q "Well.' says the inventor with pride
y :, you see. it is set on props. When there
= 10 fire all you have to do Is to KNOCK
!. out the props and the safe rolls down
a an incline right out Of the building as
a neat as you please. There's box in
side to hold the papers. There is a
: paper in. this box right now"
- At that the roper winks slyly at the
:, farmer and whispers In his ear. It'll
q make him bet on that piece OF
q paper"
9 Come" says the roper, 'thafs a
- pretty tall yarn. l don't believe there's
:, any paper IN that ball. I'll bet there
+ TINT scrap Of paper In t..
!. I'll bet you 1000 there's paper In
= T." says the inventor, much incensed
h y haven't that much with me-" says
q the roper. but I'lf Just bet you a hun
dred on it, With that he takes out
;. number of bills. say $50 or SO. and
bank check for the other $50. To bis
friend the farmer he says. "Wtll you
. rust lend me $50 on this CHECK until
4 can get to my hotel"
!. The farmer sees that his friend Is
y sure to win. He advances the $50
when, behold. the inventor draws out
: the plug. removes the concealed paper
: from its small chamber and collects
the bet. The roper is decidedly crest
oallen, but while he is still lamentine
; his folly a policeman rushes up
: charges him with gambling and makes
Z grab for him Roper fees. but the
I farmer Is caught. After protesting his
Z Innocence the farmer is allowed to DC