Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1913-10-31
TAKING FROM RICH
How a Newly Wealthy Pittsburgh
Man Was FIeeced.
Mr.. Murdoek Met Affab.e Stranger
Who Published Autobioaraphies,
and In Due Course Of Time 10
Separated from Much Money.

Pittsburgh, Pat was in the late
SOS that Pittsburgh suddenly found IL
self plutocratic. Iron had flowed into
town from the ore fields, changed into
steel in the blast furnaces. and, by
8 happy modern miracle, finally as
gold, banked to the credit of thou
sands Of surprised, half delirious citi-
zens. Trade was stimulated beyond
belief; spending was lavish; heads
were turned. Pittsburgh became the
capital of gold.
OF course, following prosperity like
Nemesis, in trooped the vultures of
civilization. Crooks of all the known
varieties swarmed through the town
for decade. reaping the fat har-
vest with an ease and a daring that
we're clamored half way around the
world-and In particular the under
world.
The police could do much to sup
press crimes of violence; it was not
so simple to thwart the vultnres who
preyed upon the gullability Of the
newly rich. Confidence games were
successfully worked in as many forms
as there were confidence men to in
vent them. / do not believe that any
police officer In the world was ever
confronted with as many preposterous-
ly obvious methods Of separating hon.
est men from their money.
The case of William Murdoch Is In
point Mr. Murdoch was a pillar Of the
community, a man whose business
sense had helped make Pittsburgh
what it was. On a certain Saturday
afternoon he emerged from throng-
ed barber shop and was accosted by
pleasant looking fellow outside.
Why, Mr.. Murdoch, how do you
dol" cried the pedestrian. holding out
his hand.
The benevolent financier paused, ad-
justed his spectacles and tried to place
the young mans face. He failed, but
being a firm believer In sociabil'
ity, as well as the other institutions OF
Pittsburgh life, he fell into the
strangers pace, ventured remark on
the weather and pursued both that
topic and his companions foot
steps until they reached Grant street
part Of the town fairly unfamiliar
to him
Upstairs I've got the finest history
Of Pittsburgh and its prominent citi
zens that has been written" said the
tempter at that point "Your name
and your picture come first in the
book. I've been looking for you fol
week. Don't want to sell you the
book, you know-it is not CONNER
cial venture. Only we need another
detail or two about your life. Won't
you step up and see the proofs?"
The old gentleman assembled with
alacrity. They learned from you'll
in the ONCE that the proofs had beer
sent to the New York printer one
short hour before. The conversation
4 extended now to three. was genial
however, and continuous. Mr.. Mur
dock had risen to leave twice befor'
the talk drifted to lotteries, specula
ton and the like-a fascinating sub
ject of which Mr.. Murdoch prided him
self that he know no mean amount
The two men produced a new apparet
US. a contraption Of the chuck-a-lucl
order, which the business man pres
entity found himself whirling witt
something nearer the gamblers pas
sion than he had known In all his eau
doUs career.
, In ten minutes Mr.. Murdoch hal
won $1,000. The winnings. in larg
yellow bills, were taken from
safe and spread before him on tn
/ table
But of course We can't pay tina
over to YOU" said one Of the mer
until you have assured us that VI
would not have lost our money II tn
game had gone the other way. Tel
thousand dollars-not a check. yo
know, but the kind Of bills that Ii
there ON the table-you'd do as
guaranty Of good faith"
One of Pittsburgh's safest bushes
men considered a moment, then pa
tiently started out to assure the ger
tlemen of his sincerity. At his ban
he succeeded in obtaining four $50
gold certificates, one package Q
$1,000 in bills of $50 and 500 demon
nations and another $1,000 packag
of greenbacks Of the same size fror
a gasping cashier, causing a hurrie
replenishment of the banks cash fror
a neighboring institution. Mr.. Mul
dock found his new friend waiting 70
him at the banks entrance. and t.
gether they made their way back {
the Grant street office and the gan
bling wheel.
The fascinated old gentleman playe
again and again. Ten thousand dollar
of his money and half that amount {
the strangers money were the stake
on the table. In half an hour Nj
Murdoch was informed that the c.
z prices of the chuck-a-luck wheel ha
I deprived him of the rightful OWNERSHIP
|, of not only his $1,000 winning but {
!. his $4,000 guaranty Of good faith
Dead Baby by Parcel Post.