Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1921-08-20
OLD CONFIDENCE
CAME WORKED
Man and His Daughter Vic
tins of SWindIerS, Who
Got Away With $4,000
POSED AS CONTRACTORS
Box Supposed to Contain the
Money Held Only Paper
When Finally Opened

Once again proof is offered that
"Barnum was right" But in the
opinion of cie local police the ia
NOUS show man was only half right,
since the latest bunco game reported
to them indicates a victim born
every half minute instead of every
minute, as the circus man had it.
Three thousand eight hundred dol
lars is the haul extracted from the
latest victims of the old Spanish
Game" in this city and the sum rep
resents the savings of many years
to John Lipsky and his daughter
Mrs. Cecilia Zmyewslly, of 661 Penn
street, who lost it.
Three days ago two Roumanlans
appeared at the Lipsky home, one
of whom represented himself as an
acquaintance of Mr.. Lipsky. They
stayed around the home for lengthy
periods, working themselves into the
good graces of the father and daugh-
ter. On Thursday the two became
confidential and revealed the TACT
that they were contractors doing
business IN Elizabeth.
Since they had become such good
friends, the men said. they had de-
ciGed to allow their new acquaint-
ances to participate in the great
profits that were about to accrue
from the contracting business, pro-
vided they could secure a cash sum
to put up as security to obtain large
contracts. 1t has not been learned
how the two men knew that Lipcky
and his daughter had $3,SOO in the
bank but, anyway, negotiations were
entered into whereby father and
daughter were to give the "contrac-
ol~ I, fnr
entire savings. At first Mrs. Zmy-
ewslxy refused to touch her savings,
but attracted by the enormous gain
to be had over four per cent inter-
est she finally consented and gave
the men check for the $3,S00.
Cashing the check at the bank,
the two contractors" purchased a
tin box on their way back to the
house. Arriving there they informed
the two victims that they would
put up an equal amount, lock the
money in the box and leave it with
Mr.. Lipsky if he would swear not
to open it until Saturday night.
Then came the queer part. Swear
ing by all the gods that he would
not open the box until the stipu-
lated period of time had elapsed
Mr.. Lipsky and his daughter per-
mitted the two men to go out of the
house and back of a clump, of
bushes to close the receptacle sup
posed to hold the fabulous sum they
were to receive.
Following the ceremony of closing
the magic box the contractors re-
turned to the residence and placed
it in the hands of Mr.. Lipsky, once
again swearing him to secrecy con-
cerning the whole matter. The men
then left, supposedly to obtain the
contracts. They have not been seen
since.
Mrs Zmyewsky became curious to
see all the money in the shiny box
and tried all day to induce her IA
ther to open it, but he refused to
allow it saying that he had given his
word not to open the box until Sat
urday night. Finally. after much
persuasion, the daughter succeeded
in persuading her father to open
the container. The result may be
guessed. Three dollars in bills were
lying on top of the heap but the re-
mainder of the $4,000 had been re-
placed with a first class collection OF
clipped newspaper.
Detective Lieutenant Gutowski has
been detailed to investigate the mat
ter and is now trying to locate the
father, who becoming frantic over
the loss of his savings, has disap-
peared from his home.