The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1913-02-27

Ferdinand Piper of Fargo. n. D'
paid. 5000 as the price OF stoppihs
off here on a short visit in December
while an route to Cuba where he owns
some plantation property that nc WIS.,
tied during the mldWlhtet se,'SoH.
lie WAS robbed in much the same
f,sb;on as the others who were VIC
Tins of confidence men III
this CITY during the months OF Dccem-
Nor and JANUARY, and who arc IN part
now under arrest.
Piper has not identified any of the
men who swindlcd him, but there Is
little doubt but that arrests VII! oe
made in the case within a snort tlme.
The latest. addition to the colony ol
victims swindled here this season
might eve have been made. public
but for the fac that the story OF
the Frank p. Fox $50, 900 swindle was
given wide publicity. and Piper read
the papcrs, saw where parties were
under arrest, and decided to Try 20
aid in the prosecution IN the event
the men who swindled him were the
same as swindled Fox.
There is little difference in the de-
tail of the method of the Piper swim
die from those operated on t.ha ne
Mack and ]. T. Pumping. A take
racing outfit quarter at West End
park served to stage the robbery, and
while Piper was given opportunity to
witness a fight. faxed of course for
his attention between two of the OPP
orators, the others got no such serious
consideration.
Piper was not a victim rode here
to be robbed. On the contrary he
was what the confidence men would
call n kicked up" anywhere. or
~ cfi1r,IJn1 nS-or u,ifhnNf design.
And Piper was as easy a victim as
any. for it took little trouble to get
him into the net.
When Piper came here he stopped
at the Howard house. and took his
meals at the Merchants restaurant.
In the restaurant he found seated OPP
posite him at the table one day a
most affable fellow. Hammond" the
fellow gave as his name.
And Hammond reported that he
was in the employ of h Rothchilds
in South Africa and hat mere money
was nothing to either him or his at
mosphere of life. They talked cas-
ually. parted. and no suspicion arose
Another day they me again. and
again they talked. Hammond SEEM
ed interested in telling this North
Dakota man about himself. and Piper
was willing to hear. and they became
something of friends.
One day after their meal Hammond
suggested that they 80 out to the
ostrich farm and look at the birds.
Piper was willing, and they went.
They talked over casual things. and
nothing unusual happened until they
arrived outside the farm gate, when
Hammond observed a man standing
in the road counting a large roll Of
bills. That incident was unusual, and
Hammond called Piper's attention to
1t.
Both watched the fellow roll off bill
after bill. counting a wad hat look
ed like it might contain $1,000, 900.
Then Hammond became astounded.
He grabbed the arm Of Piper.
why / know hat man counting
that money. He is Miller, a big race
man, who wins all the time and never
loses"
Hammond went up to Miller and
Miller refused to recognize him. They
talked about a former acquaintance,
but Miller was obdurate for the time,
but later weakened and admitted his
identity when Hammond told him
that he knew he was here beating a
pool room somewhere near.
OF course Miller confessed, but
nothing was to be said as to who he