Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-01-20
CITY RUBES
BY Frederic J. Haskin

! seems to lack force In New York this season.
Too many people are being cleverly separat-
ed from their small change. For in the wake
| of the crime wave has come epidemic of
petty graft to which the shrewd, sophisticat-
ed New Yorker has succumbed easily as
he did to last year flu, showing himself to
be quite as gullible as his rural relatives.
Hardened shopkee ers of long city train
ing have been buying fake furs and paste
| jewels with a reckless good 44ature that
would astonish even a suburb and thousands
Of canny Broadway residents have been con-
tributing to fake causes with sentimental
abandon rarely exhibited by tbs citizens OF
small towns In spite of all the talk about
money being light, beggars and fraud
specialists are having nicer time in New
York this year than they have ever had be-
| fore.
Here is the sort of thing which is con-
stantly happening to enliven the atmosphere
along Broadway and Fifth avenue.
The other night friend Of the reporter
a shrewd young business man in Wall street,
was on his way lone when he was accosted
by well-dressed well-built stranger, who
stretched forth gloved hand in delighted
recognition.
st don't suppose you remember me- said
the unknown one, with an admirable mix
ture of cordially and reserve, "but have
seen you so often on the street. I'm employ
ed in the next office buildin" you know,
Here in New York we don't speak to people
so readily as we do in my home town, but
I've often wanted. Well, I'm awfully
lucky to run into you now, for I'm in need
of help. Just had an accident and had to
haul my car into garage about three blocks
from here and now I find I'm just five dol
lars short on the repair bill. Worst OF 1t IS
I promised to meet my wife at the station
Ithis afternoon. She'll be loaded down with
Christmas junk and won't have cent left.
AS soon as caught sight of you, though, it
occurred to me that you might be able to
help me out"
| A New Touch
At this point, the stranger drew forth his
wallet and disclosed a fat roll of small bills
| GIVE got fifty-three dollars here" he
smiled drolly, "but the repair bill is fifty
eight Then, with engaging frankness: Il
am going to ask you if you can let me have
the extra five until tomorrow morning.
can run right over to your office from mine
in a few minutes an6 hand it back to you"
"That's all righ.,'' interrupted our friend
uneasily but agreeably, taking a five spot
from his much mailer roll of bills Glad
to let you hav it. I may need some help
myself some time"
| And that was the end of the 1nc1dent-eX-
cept that the cordi l stranger has never
been seen since, and inquiry in the next Of
flee building revealed no information con-
corning him. But a few days later the
morning papers warned their readers about
! this particular form of touch
| 1t is extraordinary to wha; lengths the
small fraud artist will go to obtain five
snot as the voung assistant of a well-known
woman lhilanthropist here can tell you This
young woman was quietly cataloging IN ner
office, the other day, when nlce-looklns
young man, with soft brown eyes and neatly
combed pompadour, attired in Immaculate
clothes. dashed excitedly in the door and ask
ed to see Mrs J., the young womans en-
ployer.
flushed apparently from the exert1on Oh run
ming "I must see her at once. ran all the
way I'D here from the hotel down the block.
Gone to lunch? Oh, say, that's tough. Is
there an. way I can reach her Immediately
I-vou see I'm in rather embarrassing pre-
dicament." .
'I'm afraid I don't know where she u.s.,
said the assistant, but she ought TO De oach
in about an hour"
| sWhat am I to do?" exclaimed the young
man dramatically perhaps you can advise
me- You see I've asked girl to lunch, ana
when we were seated at the table down
there at the hotel 7 suddenly discovered
didn't have scrap of money on me. All In
nv other clothes, you know he explained
in evident embarrassment. So, knowing
Mrs J. very we'll thought could just run
up here and get loan from her, but sup
pose it's no use. I can't leave the young
lady waiting for an hour.
| The BOGUS Friend
| The Young assistant was sympathetic She
thought the young man looked very boylsn
and helpless, and she felt sorry for the dam
| sell who was about to be deprived OF her
luncheon with him So she took the fifteen
dollars he said he needed from from ner
own purse and insisted upon his accepting 1t,
| in perfect confidence that he would return
| it as he said he would, the next afternoon.
| But when Mrs. J. returned, the young as
sistant was dismayed to learn that that good
lady had never heard of Gavin Courtney, the
name the young man gave, nor did she Kno"
any young man who answered his descr1p-
| ton A few days later, however, when she
described him to the police, they seemed TO
| be on quite familiar terms with him.
One of the most expensive cases OF fraud
which recently occurred on Fifth avenue in
the shopping district was one n which that
most sophisticated of humans. a professional
chauffeur was hoodwinked.
| The mans employer, very wealthy
woman, had just removed her twenty thou
sand dollar sable coat from storage in d fur
rier's shop and upon returning to the car,
| left it in his care while she continued her
| shopping AS the chauffeur waited, strang-
er sauntered up and engaged him in conyersa-
ton about the town, the weather and about
various makes of cars. Then he sauntered
on and in a few seconds another stranger
| appeared on the block staggering in an al
most forgotten manner. The chauffeur found
| this second man so interesting that he fall
| ed to see the first stranger circle the car
and calmly remove the sable coat. The first
| he knew of the incident was Mhen police
man came and informed him that bus con-
ductor, from his position on top of an Avenue
bus, had seen it go.
The Reluctant Slot Machine
| oJo ;oIo% 0f hon Nr1Y re IN