Year: 1866

The Latest "Confidencs" Dodge. .D


The Mansfield Hearald +, Of April 25th.
gives the subjoincd account ofan in
genions swindlc, by means of which an
old gentleman (who doubtless does mt
take The papcrs), was relieved of the
sum of $40, by compile Of "confi
dcnce' sharpers, who formed his ac-
qnaintance on one of the trains run
ming into that city; 5ru atr. E


At one of tho way stations, a plain,
farmer looking man got on board the
train. and after he had taken his seat,
ayoung man sat down by his'side The
latter carried in his hand small nal.
let or gavel, such as is used by auc.
tioncers. After the cars got in motion
the two became quite chatty, and at
last the old gentleman was informed
that he mallet was considered quite a
relic, having been used at slave auc-
ton in one of the Southern cities for a
number Of years, and that many of the
black race had been struck off to the
highest and best bidder, under this
hammer. OF course the listener was
interested, and he asked TO examine
the article, which request was readily
granted. After shaking it in his hand
for few moments, a rafting was
heard in the inside of the malIet.-
Both parties were much astonished
that such noise should come from
what appeared to be solid piece of
wood. The young man then carefully
examined it, and at last, to his aston
ishment, discovered cap on the end
of The mallet, which, taking off, gold
dollar dropped out Here was a dis.
covcry which astonished both parties.
The wonderful mallet was now an OBJ
ject OF interest, and it vas again cx-
amined to see if more coins Of the pre-,
cious metal were not hidden away in
its bowels, but without avail. TO the
hardest shaking it gave no answer.


About this time u third person came
along, and seated himself just in front
OF the parties mentioned above. He
took the mallet, and after looking at
it, said that there was II gold dollar In
the inside of it; that he had seen one
Just like it, and that it contained such
u com. This was impossible, said the
owner OF the maIlet. But the other in.
sisted, apd at last offered to bet two
hundred dollars that what he said was
true. Here was q chance TO make
money. True there had been gold
dollar in it, but it had been removed.
The old gentleman became intensely
interested. The two hundred was put
up, but the owner of the valuable nal.
let could only raise sixty dollars. He
turned to the old gentleman, whisper.
ing to him to loan him hundred and
forty dollars, to make his bet good;
that he was sure OF winning the mon
ey, for he had himself already removed
the money, and that he would divide
his winnings with him. To make the
old man perfectly safe, here was two
hundred dollar gold watch, that he
should keep until the bet was won. Our
old friend feeling confident that tho
bet was safe. one, handed over the
amount required, and tho stakes W. ere
put up. The mallet was again exa n
ined, end again opened, and out drop
ped II second gold dollar. The two
hundred dollars which they had so
surely expected to win were lost. The
young man was of course very much
astonished; old man ditto. But the old
man was consoled with the idea that
he was safe enough; that ho had a
splendid gold watch, worth good deal
more than the amount he had lost
The young man got his address, that
he might redeem the watch rs soon rs
he could raise the money, and at the
next station got off The old man.
much gratitied with his prize, showed
it to some parties, and he was horror
stricken when informed that the watch
was worth, probably, at u liberal esti-
mate, two dollars and half The
truth then cleaned upon his mind that
he had been swindIed out Of Il hundred
and forty dollars, by couple Of sharp.
ers, but too late to do any good.


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