Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1921-03-24
Con Men In st. Augustine.

SH dllll~A ~
beginning TO pack their paraphernalia
for Swindling and ship il north and
east, preparatory to inaugurating sum-
mer campaigns along the north Atlantic
seaboard watering places.
Florida has been infested with this
crooked element since last November,
and they have thrived despite the
vigilance of civic organizations of
cities in this State and the police.
The newspapers have kept up an in
cessant warning to the tourists to be
wary of strangers with glib tongues,
we'll dressed, fine conversationalists
and men with cosmopolitan fronts
But these precautions have been use
less. Confidence men have reaped
their usual winter harvest in this
State.
ST. Augustine visitors have been
more fortunate than those who have
stopped at other places. Ii is report
ed that not more than $4,000 has
been secured by the crooked gentry
this season; that is. so far as known
There are likely instances where the
man taken in declined TO "suueal" fpr
fear of becoming the laughing stock
of his friends here and thOSe at home
who would hear of his being swindled.
But there have been several narrow
escapes, prevented only by the caution
of the St. Augustine Board of Trade
and other civic organizations.
The puzzling part of people being
taken in is because the same old fraud
is perpetrated. Ii is as old If not older
than the three shell and ball game
The scheme is 10 beat the races. Big
money made quickly. 1t is too tempt
ing to the victim to resist. He does
not stop to consider he is in a
"frame-up" 10 beat some other fellow,
and when he loses considers himself
badly abused And those who fall
for the swindle are men of affairs. who
have made large sums of money by
honest efforts, those who would give
the impression they were too wise to
victimized by such apparent methods
The latest trick that was tried in
st. Augustine was upon a grain dealer
who halls from Milwaukee, Wis. He
stopped at the leading hotel here and
for several weeks had as a daily com
panion man, guest of the same hotel,
with whom he had struck up a casual
acquaintance
On one occasion they journeyed to
the golf links, and while there his ac-
quaintance happened to meet a man
to whom he had been introduced in
Seattle, Washington. The man from
Milwaukee was presented to the north
western citizen. Later in the day the
casual acquaintance. who went by the
name OF Fisher, told the Milwaukee res
ident that The Seattle man, Harvey
by name, had made large fortune
betting on the. races, that in some man.
ner he secured inside information and
seldom, if ever, lost bet
The scheme was set. Several DAYS
later Fisher and Harvey took the Mil
waukee man out driving in an auto and
Harvey suggested they 90 to pool
room over in New Augustine, across
the river from st. Augustine, but out
SIDE the limits OF the latter city.
Harvey placed some small bets and
one OF $50 for the Milwaukee person
age. Both won. The mar !:um tie
zee that mad. a certain tccr famous
was asked If he wanted his winnings
or would he let them remain for A fu-
ture bet. He chose the latter. Other
visits to the pool room finally Melted
the intended Sucker" about 5000.
Then came the big Stroke. Harvey
had a certain 2 to 1 shot on a Canadian
track. He was going to make a kill
ing. He wanted to win 100000.
He would put up $4,000. Fisher 500
OOO and the Milwaukee acquaintance
was called upon to supply the addition
al $4,000.
About this time the man to be de-
frauded became nervous He had
come to Florida because of a nervous
afection and his experiences in play-
ing the races had added to his trouble.
he likewise became suspicious. He
told ms companions he did not have
SoO,OOO al his command He was
then requested to write a check. He
seemed hypnotized and did SO. draw
ing on his bank account in Milwaukee
and through a local financial institu-
tion sent the paper on for collection.
Inc man in reality was afraid of the
confidence men and was certain they
intended him bodily harm if he did
not accede to their wishes. He want
ed to get away from them.
He then met the secretary OF the
ST. Augustine Board of Trade and ask
Cd the latter If he could speculate in
grain throug IN that organization. II
was explained to him that this BODY
was one that promoted the best inter
eStS OF the municipality and was I'M
I've those OF the north, east and west
mere was no board on which to deal
IN commodities or stocks.
Then the Milwaukee citizen I'm
boSomed himself He told of his ex-
periences with the confidence men
me 9oo:ooO than be "ganged" and be
Geaten into a pulp. He was assured
the men would not attack him. ali
tney wanted was his money. He was
on me verge OF nervous prostraton.
and his condition was not relieved
when the crooks watched every move.
ment he made.
Upon the advice OF the secretary Of
the Board Of Trade, he wired his MI
waukee bank not to honor his cbact
and also instructed the postmas.er NOT
10 deliver his mail to anyone hut
llnSelf and thor, Ia. :: -