Year: 1874




late interview. had narrated his experience


In that line of industry, he next entertained


me with an account of his doings in what


he called the 'bunker" business. That he


so called 1t was doubtless the fault of his


pronunciation, but it is barely possible that


If he had been called upon to put it down


In black and white his photography would


have been correct, and he would have


written ''banco.' The word which describes


the game by which so many fools and their


money are parted, is variously pronounced
by its professors and their supposed enemies,


the police. Some say "bunko," others


''bunka while others, like my friend the


pickpocket, get as far off as possible. and


declare it is "bunker" To the victim.


however, it makes little difference how it is
pronounced He fares the same in either
case, and, being wholly ignorant of the
nature OF the transaction in which he is
engaged until the conclusion is reached.
may be supposed to be Indifferent in the
matter. With him it is a clear case of a
rose smelling as sweet by any name whatso-
ever. But there is weakness among
honest and decent people for correct
orthography, and | shall style this little
game ''banco," instead of bunker" as nv
friend the pickocket did when he gave me
detailed account of the method of PLAYING
1t. just now it is the most popular device
for fleeing the stranger who ventures into
the metropolis, and the unsuspecting can be
best warned by giving the story as nearly
as possible in the pickpocket's own words.


You see, sir he began, ''it's good
deal safer and more profitable than picking
pockets. If you are 'collared, i mean
arrested, sir-you are sure to get off with
something light, but the chances are ten to
one against your being 'collared.' The
sucker stands in with you, as it were, and
is almost certain not to 'squeal'-that is,
not to complain to the police. In this way
it's the panel game, which is the meanest
as 1t is the safest kind of robbery. Then
banco pays big profits. 1t don't take big
mob. | explained to you bit ago that
by mob wes mean any number of men
working job together. There is only the
dealer, the 'steerer, and his pal These
three, with the sucker, make quiet little
parry of four, and the sucker is skinned for
the equal benefit of the other three Why
do we call the fellows we swindle suckers
Really, [ don't know, unless it's because
they are so much like the fish of that name,
which swallows any bait that comes along.
We need a sort of an Office in playing this
game, but it S not expensive, for dingy
back room, in side street, that can be got
for S25 per month, is better than big apart
ments on Broadway. Then we want few
old drawings of the Havana Lottery, two
sets of dice, and moderate supply of
money, say 500 or $500


I'Having all these things fixed we 90 on
our graft We always 90 to one of the
frst-class hotels to lay for suckers, and we
never pick up the wrong man.s [ never
did, and | don't believe any of my pals
ever did. There is no trouble in telling
strangers from city men 1t isn't because
they stare at the store windows and signs,
for lots of city men do that nor is it always
their dress, for sometimes the countryman
swaggers along in the latest style. But
there is always something about him he
can't disguise which says he's a stranger,
and it's almost as certain that he shows
whether he's got money or not. Sometimes
we pick up sucker who's broke, but it
isn't often. Well, as l was saying, the big
hotels are our plant Now, suppose you
and / are on the graft. Nobody, though,
sees us speak to each other or in any way
one another, but for all that each
of us keeps sharp watch on the other.
Maybe we'll hang around an hour or two
without finding sucker. Sometimes we
don't find one at ALL If we DO find him /
give you the office, that is, l give you
signal you understand to watch sharp. |
then keep my eye on the sucker until he
goes into the street ] step briskly up in
front of him as if had just turned up, and
hold out my hand with great cordiality say
ing My dear Dr. Smith, I'm delighted
to see you. When did you come to town ?
How did you leave all the folks in Zanes-
vile? 1 say all this so quickly that the
sucker hasn't chance to open his mouth
until / get through. Even then he isn't
usually very fast about it. You see I'm
person of gentlemanly appearance and
address, and the sucker don't know at first
exactly what to make Of it all. When he
does recover from his astonishment OF
course he says his name isn't Smith.
Generally, he is very stiff about it, and
says very grandly Sir, you are mistaken
am not DR.. Smith, sir. Then comes the
finest point in our little game. It used to
be that the sucker would always follow this
up by giving his name and place of residence,
out lately they've got cursed fly and it
has to be wormed out of them in most
cases. If he don't give it, why | say
Really, beg your pardon, sir would
have sworn you were DR.. Smith never
saw such striking resemblance in my life.
Now, really, sir, if it's not asking too much,
[ would like to know your name, so that
may tell Dr. Smith, the next time | see
him, who his double is. This always
fetches the sucker He gets friendly all at
once, and says Certainly, sir. am
Mr. Thomas Brown, of Brownsville, Texas,