Year: 1874

Then he says: Now, gentlemen, / would


like to have your names. We always take


the names of our patrons for reference, in


order that people may know that this little


gambling transaction is done on the square


He lays particular stress on gambling, and


that settles the sucker He is always in


hurry to get out, and he never 'squeals


Often he begs the steerer not to say any


thing about the affair, and he always pro-


misses, ofcourse, and, what's more, he keeps
it."


This, in BRIEF was the story my friend,


the banco-dealer, late pickpocket, told me
as we sat over our brandy and water, and


| wondered that it should be possible for
any one to be despoiled by so transparent
swindle


But l had no reason to doubt that he
had been giving me truthful account of
his transactions. AS we went along he
had enlivened his narrative by practical IL
Illustrations, which gave ample proof of his
sincerity. He had not left me in any
doubt concerning the proper way of first
greeting a sucker, for we both rose from
our chairs, and he went through the Incl
dent for my benefit When he came to
describing the game itself he became really
enthusiastic, for he descended to minute
details, and actually dwelt upon them with
pleasure, as if he were describing the latest,
greatest, and most benefcent thing in use
full art. l saw he was thoroughly prepared
to enter at that moment upon the game
had any genuine Sucker" man been at
hand, for he had his money down to illus
trate how it could be won or lost, and [
saw that he must have at least $1,000 about
him, probably it was more than double that
amount. Then from his coat pockets he
brought the two sets of dice, in the appear
ance of which the amateur could not detect
the slightest difference, but he speedily
showed me how easily it was to be mis-
taken, for these false dice had the same
numbers on all the sides, which invariably
made total of twenty-eight, which, as |
have shown, was the only number which
would be fatal to the chances of the suck
er After my friend the pickpocket had
been thus careful to enlighten me on every
point, [ was forced to the conviction that
for once in his life at least he had been
honest anti, Ia oiven me truthful account
of some of the ways Of the transgrcssor


Nor was [ without corroborative evi-
dence in the matter. In outline [ have
heard the same story before, and the fact
that banco has lately been played extensive
ly in this city is by no means secret. AL
though the sucker seldom complains to the
police, the fact that this game has It's daily
victims is well known By arbitrary pro-
ceedings the police might break it up, but
in very few cases could they get the evi-
dence necessary to convict the offenders.
The surest way to put an end to it is to
give the game the widest possible publicity,
with view of cutting off the supply of
suckers. Whenever a plausible, valuble
stranger forces himself upon your acquaint-
ance as an old friend from your town whom
you have forgotten, resist his advances. If
he has drawn prize in lottery and wants
you to 90 with him to get the money, bid
him good day, and go off Immediately about
your business. IF strangers coming to the
metropolis would follow these simple direc-
tions the outlaws would soon be put to the
of inventing some new swindle.
1t is pretty certain they would do it, so in
the long run the stranger who is too con-
fding would fare about the same.-Ne,o
York Times.