Butte Semi Weekly Miner

A SHARP RASCAL.

Lexicans Swindled—That Dirty Case Wilson a Fraud—Big Land Sale, Etc., Etc.

A SHARP RASCAL

He Swindles the Greasers out of $20,000 in Cash.

CITY OF MEXICO, December 3.—A tremendous sensation occurred to-day and is the subject of gossip in all the clubs, cafes and places of public resort. For the last two days there has been great excitement over the sale of tickets at the National Theater for the Patti season of five nights in January. The crowd around the National Theater has fairly filled the streets. The police were required to preserve order and it seemed as if the city had gone mad over the expected advent of the songstress. The prices of a box were $50 a night and seats $6. These were three times the ordinary prices. The ostensible agent of Mr. Abbey, who was conducting the sale of tickets, was a man giving his name as Mayer and claiming to be a brother of M. R. Mayer, Mr. Abbey's friend and business associate. He had with him letters, one of which purported to be from Abbey, which he showed to Minister Manning and other people.

The theater had already been engaged FOR THE PATTI SEASON by Edward W. Orrin, of the firm of Orrin Brothers, proprietors of an American circus who knows Mr. Mayer, of New York, but Mr. Orrin was overwhelmed with business regarding his opening of his own entertainment, which is a standard attraction, and had not time to attend to other matters, else the plot might possibly have been detected. The advance agent had letters to some of the best known people, and no one suspected fraud. The sale of tickets began Thursday morning, people waiting at the theatre door from an early hour to get the first choice of seats which were bought in whole blocks, some persons paying $1,000 FOR BOXES.

In the course of the day the box office had taken in $18,600, and on the previous day private sales amounted to $6,300, making a total cash of $24,000. The Governor of the Federal District was somewhat suspicious, and sent to Mayer to inquire if any one was responsible for the large amount of money being taken from the public. But Mayer managed to avoid any act that would further excite suspicion. It is understood that every seat was taken for the whole five nights, but some well-known persons, as is the custom, did not pay in advance, but merely gave orders, so that the amount of cash actually taken at the stand does not come up to the seating capacity of the theatre for five nights. Last night Mayer went to the hotel where he lodged, accompanied by a policeman, nominally appointed to guard him, but in reality to see that he deposited all the money in the hotel safe.

IN SOME INGENIOUS WAY it is said that Mayer has transferred over twenty thousand dollars in bills on the National Bank and the Bank of London to the pockets of his overcoat and deluded the policeman into believing all had been deposited in the safe. At all events this morning Mayer did not appear at the box office of the theatre nor was he seen at the hotel. The safe was opened and there was only found $4,300 in silver dollars which, of course could not be taken away. Now the authorities are looking for him and receiving as best they can the condolences of friends. It is said to be the biggest thing of the kind ever known at this capital.