Maryland Free Press

A Gipsy Swindle.-We have just heard the particulars of a swindling operation, by which a respectable farmer of this neighborhood, Mr. Daniel Snowberger, was mulcted in the sum of nearly five hundred dollars. It appears a stranger supposed to be a gypsy, made his appearance at Mr. Snowberger's house some ten months since and as is customary with such strolling vagabonds claiming to be doctors, professed to cure all diseases to which flesh is heir. Mrs. S. it seems had long been afflicted with rheumatism. He finally succeeded in getting the parties to believe that he could perform a permanent cure in her case in the following novel manner: They were to produce all the treasure about their house and place it on the table before him. He would then select a certain passage of scripture upon which they were to meditate whilst he arranged the money in nine bags or packages seated with their backs towards him, the children to be first removed from the room, with all of which they complied. The bags or packages thus arranged they were required to lock them up and not open them for nine months, in which time the cure was to be a permanent one. The nine months terminated a few weeks since, when Mr. S. opened the bags and found them to contain gravel instead of his treasure, nearly five hundred dollars, mostly in gold and silver.

These facts were obtained from Mr. Snowberger himself. They should prove a warning to the incredulous and superstitious in the future.-- Waynesboro' Record.