Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-01-17
SMOOTHEST FAKERS IN
LAND WINTERING HERE;
WIDELY VARIED CRAFTS

finger nail as he places it back in the
draw box, the indention Just visible.
She'll Game Always Good.
Business is bad today" he remarks.
The chances are all going against me.
I won't let any one draw for that watch
again for less than $25.
But the eager one sees some easy
money. He hands over his $25. He
gets the indented envelope, but its
number doesn't correspond to the one
on the watch.
"'Spieling the nuts is an old one
said a man who knows. 1T is some
times called the Shell game. But
there are no less than three men in
Atlanta who make their living by it.
1T is purely seight Of hand work.
The artist has three half English wal
nut shells and little rubber pea. He
puts the pea down on a table and lets
the crowd see him cover it with one
of the walnut shells. Then he puts the
other shells, hollow side downward,
alongside of the first shell.
He then offers to bet that no one in
the crowd can tell under which shell
the pea is Shrewd takers like the men
know can always get a bet, and when
they raise the shell selected by the
spectator, the pea is not there. The
faker raises another shell and reveals
the pea.
He turns the trick by catching the
pea in the first joint Of the little finger
of the hand with which he raises the
shell. He places the pea under the Sec
ond shell as he raises it.
Driven to Grating.
| ITO succeed, the movements of his
| little finger must be quicker than the
eye can detect. The trick is also per-
formed with a disappearing pith ball.
Il saw a man today who once traV-
eled with a circus and tried to make an
honest living-selling bird cages. These
cages were gilded and had clay cana
ry birds in them.
The people wouldn't buy them as or
naments.
| He gathered number of them up
in his arms and started a house to
| house canvass. He told the housewives
that the birds would attract flies and
poison them. He added, though, that
it would take about two days for the
poison to begin to eXude. That would
give him time enough to get out of
| town.
He did a great business that whole
| season.
Some of the men here are not so
bold in risking the law. They conduct
milder swindles.
| There are a number Of companies in
the East that furnish undeveloped pho
| tographs. Before treatment they look
| like white sheets of paper.
1T always takes a good looking
woman to work this stunt. But what
faker would object to taking a good
| looking woman along with him?
| "She tells fortunes giving pictures
! Of future husbands and wives. When
person pays 80 cents for glimpse
into the future, the woman moistens the
palms of her hands and presses one Of
the white slips of paper between them.
In few moments the moisture and the
heat has developed photograph.
Magic Astounds Spectators.
| The spectators marvel at the magic
These people like Atlanta because it
is always easy to get a living here, and
1t is never very cold. They don't make
much money, contrary to the general
| impression. Many of them could make
more doing legitimate work. But the
game has it's fun and excitement. These
men never know a dull moment when at
work
Yet l remember a man who looked
upon stealing as monotonous bust
ness.
Il was standing around circus
ground just before the parade returned
one day. A tail, slender man raised up
from a box upon which he was sitting
and stretched his arms above his head
Well he mumbed through his
yawn, the people are coming. I must
go to work
Who is he?' l asked a man whose
acquaintance l had made earlier in the
day.
He's got the dip" privilege with
the circus said the man.
What's that" l asked.
He's the pickpocket king said the
man, nonchalantly."
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