Vermont Daily Transcript

Swindling in New York City.

Various are the modes adopted by rascals to swindle unsuspecting strangers who visit the city of New York. Hardly a paper can be taken up without containing an announcement that Mr. so and so from the "rural districts," has had some confidence game played on him. Notwithstanding the repeated warnings given by the press, persons who are called "shrewd" continue to be the victims of misplaced confidence. New York is rather a large size village and strangers, and even old residents as for that matter, cannot be too much on their guard against the "machinations" of the large number of rogues that have an abiding place there.

The Sun has recently given its readers an account of some of the tricks that are practiced. One favorite method of inveigling the unwary, it says, is for certain well-dressed young men to fall in with a stranger on his arrival at the railway depot or steamboat landing, and entering into casual conversation, to gradually become friendly enough to ask, "What hotel do you prefer?" "What part of the city are you going to?" etc. These queries are accompanied by the offer to point out the desired hotel or street, or to give the stranger whatever information and guidance he requires. Committing himself to the direction of this newly made and seemingly disinterested friendship, he is led into some den of vice, entrapped by some "confidence" game in one or more of many ways frequently described made a victim of. It warns strangers against any persons at the termini of lines of travel who make advances or offer their services in any way unsolicited. Let none be ignorant of their devices, or trust such villains. If strangers want information, let them get it of the policeman whom they will usually find at or near the landing or depot in the city. Let them keep their mouths shut and their pockets close to men they do not know.