| Show I C I i c. c i II Jit 1 In How oW Con Men Staged the Fleecing at oi Henr By DT EDWARD H. H SMITH It W was S George core Cohan or Cohan-or or another another- I iso Is ho bo observed that tho wise guy gUT Bio o o. sucker Bucker after nIl all J Hut ut tho apt apt- less ess of tho Judgment Is Illustrated gain galu and again Nothing is la really so nsf r to as self self opinion cond astuteness All of once nee In lu ones one's own discovered anew In the bleh ma may maybe bo cc scent cent nt exploits s of Henry T Gallant if R. R GALLANT is til a rich veteran y 1 pawnbroker of St. St Louis He I news something of life Unless tra- tra Is utterly confounded most mosta and their insight a a ere rs do especially where bere theether the theether thee obtain Ug t to of humanity are con- con e ether er grades Ii thing our Uncle has haa If It there Is one is-one one e your knowledge knowledg of it is js the crim- crim al al' and quasi-criminal quasi conspirator o o a understand these persons and their is part of at the equipment of the lender Mr r. r Gallant k knew lew r Ibis II Ii kind of person he knew all about that at sort of ot thing And yet he be e has at jy handed over In return r the honor of shaving played faro ith a crowd wd of famous millionaires millionaires- I slowly and painfully amassed ro-fu ro ram om V the the trifling 3 per er cent a month I nd the unredeemed pledge I I If Ii is 18 not of or co course rte a unique thing ft t r away aVay Men have done dene varse rose Moreover it is understood Mr more But not a ant has plenty plen y very ivery man can can do de the thing thing in so intricate and original a f fash- fash hJ h- h Jon J on n as he in the ow Gallant Became Interested G Game me In St St. Louis Henry Gallant is a per- per of of a kind He has m money ney and knows oes o s a thriving business political t positions Some Seme of en in pol cal hese are his his' close clase friends Some Same too lose Iose Indeed Of the latter latter latter-at at least c or lag to Gallant and an indict- indict nent en ent Just lust returned in the Supreme ourt in New York York was was George Pohl- Pohl an n. n formerly a deputy sh sheriff in St. St tm uis and son of the ex Sh cx-Sh Mr ohlman had been a a. lifelong friend of he be pawnbroker an adviser a confiant centi I a ant t. t It was through Pohlman says that he met these affable mil mil- lo s who so sa obligingly relieved Jm im of his spare money v o Detective Sergt James J. J Gegan Gega cad of the New York squad permanently perma- perma engaged in watching Just such otters tells m me the story of this pleasantry and here it is One morning a couple of years years ago Pohlman ohlman dropped into Gallants Gallant's emporium emporium empo- empo um of loans as usual a and d began a a co conversation with the lender Gallant GallantI doesn't remember I r Just how It h happened hap hap- p- p ened but before long their talk had hatt sunk lunk Into inta a whisper r. r Pohlman was making m king an Important disclosure disclosure re Ho Ho He told me says Gallant that he had lad a rich fri friend d in Nev New York who who was vas as well acquainted with the head de dealer lealer ler at Ca Canfield's fields field's gambling place This his dealer was sore on his employers employers and looking for a chance to trim them Isis His idea was to get some friends of his into a game with high stakes and then throw it to ta them by mea means B of prearranged signals lo To Meet Millionaires Also Also Make Hake a Killing What tiance it was Vas to make a killing killing kiil- kiil kill kill- ing at the the expense expense of at men who wha got their money in la much the same way wayt Pohlman the Pohlman-the the Indictment t nent indicates indicates- talked well and played on the c cupidity cupidity cupid cupid- pid- pid ity of Gallant and got him interested interested And then he went his way It was not long after this little whis wh whispered s. s pored conference that there arrived in St St. Louis a gentleman of th the most distinguished din dis equipment ent He went to the famous old Planters' Planters Hotel and m made made de i his his home there And there one afternoon afternoon afternoon after after- noon Gallant was presented to him by Pohlman and tb the pu purposed posed raid on Canfield's till was dis discussed Ills His name was Cherry Oh yes Canfield's was a mos mo t exclusive exclusive exclusive ex ex- club frequented only by the the of whom were we're Cherrys Cherry's intimates Gallant did not know Canfield's had been closed U these es many years years- he e did no not even think about out it He did not doubt Oher- Oher rya rys intimacy with th the captains of industry In Industry in- in and the heads of American so so- Why should he Mr C Cherry erry talking l languidly vr pro produced i his spectacle case He dropped it by accident and d the polite and deferential deferential defer defer- defer defer- G Gallant llant picked it up It was something to arrest the eye more es especially especially es es- the exp expert rt eye of a pawn pawn- b broker ker Gallant l looked aked at it with fascination fas fas- saw that It was of heavy gold gald crusted with diamonds and started to hand it back But Dut Cherry had noticed his admiration Like that he drawled Im fond fondo o of it myse myself f. f Look Loa it over over Gallant did On the in inside ide was deeply deep deep- ly engraved ved From John Jacob Astor r to his friend d William I. I Cherry Presently it seemed time for fer a smoke Cherry reached into the pocket of his excellently taIlored tailored coat and produced a cigarette case He opened it it and passed it Then he laid it carelessly on the table Mr Gallants Gallant's discriminating eyes fairly bulged Compared with it the eyeglass receptacle was a tawdry thing This case blazed laZed with diamonds and emeralds It was a gift from John W W. Gates Th The inscription said so Cherry Could Arrange It Jt All Mr Cherry explained that bat these men and others ethers of their set were fond o of off f him He saw them often at this most mast exclusive gambling club pl played In their games was often able to tip them to something g good and thus stood well with one and all True frue he het was not a rich man himself An extra forty or fifty thousand always looked good to him And he had the tha s scheme beme at this moment to ta get justa Just a lJ lJJ J Q I IA A w 1 r rt r t tS t'S tes S es rZ 4 i ti tJ t tP 4 P r rP P r 3 V y L D t 1 V a k I AL A I IT T r r iP v v irr a aJ ai J i 1 r r r y ar- ar arr r day d rr r rs W s JI i s L They rhe stumbled out of 01 Youre Youfe lost your money l' l he railed at t Gallant and youre you're lost mine and Weiss's too toon I Rogues' Rogues Gallery Portraits of the Con Con Men Who Posed as New York MultiMillionaires Multi Million aires and Got From Henry Gallant a Wealthy St. St Louis Pawnbroker J 1 r i J 1 b c t tar I oili ar t v Q 5 n no r o I if Q d r e T I lri t ti i iS j p a I S I 1 J Left ft to right right right-au Au early Pittsburgh i w fir police poUce portrait of 1 Frank rank T. T Thompson Thomp C. C Hockwell Rock Hock son sou Cherry George t well frell a alias Eaton who posed as I 11 Jr Macy facy Dig Big Sam Sain Giroux Vander- Vander 1 wh played eloped Cornelius E Wit jilt a R later picture of Thomp Thomp- Thompson st son sun posing as as a 11 millionaire leader o of f the sw sw Hers that Why it was a cinch He and Gallant could pick pick- pickup up in this fi fixed ed faro fare game just as easily as s charging 50 cents interest on a pawned overcoat Gallant was to furnish the stake Cherry would do de all the rest end and nd they would split the winnings How How much stake w was s needed Well it would have to be large because it I would would look to enter a abig abig abig big game in a rich arich mans man's club with only only a f few w thousand dOll dollars rs It mus mustn't Dt be done that raw Fifteen or twenty thousand would be about as little as was safe Surely that wasn't much u h to risk when the spoils ought to be something like ike six times as much Gallant himself agreed It would be no ne trouble to get that much on en short notice Cherry Cherry was to te go back to New York and lay all the plans P Pohlman and and Gallant would would come on bringing the I stake money as soon as things were ready Goodby now old man Heres Here's to the big luck And William I. I Cherry was gone with gone with his jewelled cases and his f fondness for millionaires A And d h here re is the marvel maITel of it all Gallant confesses that he waited anxiously anxiously and eagerly This astute greedy money lender this lender this man loan who had risen to wealth from poverty and Russian Jewish was impressed im im- impressed press pressed d thrilled thrilled overawed When they made him provide himself with i uncomfortable uncomfortable and unaccustomed evening evening evening eve eve- I ning clothes he be thought it only nat natu natu- natu ral rat He Ho was playing the game He felt himself a conspirator he entered into it all and hungry for Cor gain gain gain-a. a wolf walf leaping at the bait and heedless of the yawning pit At the New York End In New York things were happening One morning a gray sanctimonious man of sixty-five sixty or or past presented present present- ed himself at an address In West Sev Sev- fourth enty-fourth Street where there was a aground aground aground ground floor door for tor rent To Ta the superIntendent superintendent superintendent super super- of the place he said he wished to conduct there a school where the sons of we wealthy foreigners would be taught English and the intimate intimate intimate inti inti- mate social ocial customs of their new country He paid the rent on the spot and took over aver the place He Jle was Col Eads he told the renting firm f A few days later his things began to arrive and there was some activity in the place though evidently the Colonels Colonel's pupils were were slow in corn com Ing ting No one had noticed them blocking blocking block block- ing the hallway Well Wen he had paid his rent Tent in advance so that was all right It was his funeral Just one day later Mr r. r Henry Gallant Gallant Gallant Gal Gal- lant waiting In St. St Louis for the spring received the expected telegram tele tele- gram He got in touch with Pohlman Pohlman Pohlman Pohl Pohl- man he says and made rea really ready Y his 15 JOO in cash Before he left St. St Louis he be showed it to his confrere re Then they started for New York Arriving Arriving Arriving Ar Ar- riving they went immediately to th the Hotel Breslin and registered In a fow low hours came William I I. I Cherry beaming confident full of his great I idea The very next evening would be the right time lime In the mean moon time they would practice their signals I It was just ten minutes of 8 the next evening when Pohlman n and Gallant walked into the Hotel Majestic Central Central Cen Can Park West and were met by Cherry Every Everyone one was in evening clothes Gallant could not keep from Inspecting his or from being just a little nervouS nervous about his b behavior in inthis inthis inthis this lair of millionaires b ut the details details de de- Cherry taake merrily about t tails US meanwhile sharply watching th the thet time t me At just four minutes of 8 he be l led d the way to te the door Where t Chips J Lusted Lasted sied Two ro Hours ur At precisely two minutes s of of 8 Col Jin Sev Sev- Eads stepped out of his place fourth enty-fourth Street and hung a sign from two invisible pegs It was an elaborate elaborate and expensive brass affair and on It was engraved GRAND NATIONAL CJ CLUB A minute l later ter the doorbell rang Col Eads suave immaculately dressed answered and admitted the three visitors He was I effusive In his greeting of Cherry who I immediately introduced Gallant and Pohlman In a moment they had passed into inta a large front room roam where a fine table had been rigged for faro and many expensive looking club chairs stood about Eight or ten men stood abo about i the table table all distinguished looking fellows of ripe years and opulent opulent opu opu- lent dress and manner Mr G Gallant llant said Cherry at once once nce I 1 want you to meet Mr Frank Gould I And Gallant somewhat reached his hand to one of the younger men who came forward Mr Cornelius Vanderbilt said the friend of rich men A bulky man took Gallant by the hand and greeted him with the utmost affability John W. W Gates and James Butler were next introduced And at the end of the string were Andrew Carnegie and R R. R H. H Macy I They sat They bought chips Gallant Gallant Gallant Gal Gal- GalI I lant passed pas over his and received re received received re- re an imposing stack of expensive looking markers markets Cherry bought spar spar- Louis Weiss an intimate friend of Cherrys Cherry's whom Gallant ant had met the night before also bought and played The game lasted two two ho hours rs So did Gallants Gallant's Chi chips g i Well Wn It Back Rack Again Gall Gallant nt and Ind hd his friends stumbled fro from the I place lace What What had happened 7 What did it mean nean On the walk Cherry Cherry Cher Cher- ry lifted up up his h hands hand's and raved I cher-I and cursed i I Great heavens man maI he railed he-railed Tailed railed a at Gallant Cant dant you even remember your signals Youve You've lost Jost your your money money I and youve you've lost mine and Weiss's too toe Gallant was properly penitent H He offered restitution or of the sums sums dropped I by his friends He was was sorry he had been such an amateurs amateur Incidentally I he could pot not lot help sighing after the j I lost I Well theres there's no u use e crying about it said Cl Cherry erry decisively All we can can do is to get it back 1 Gallant was was invited down t to Cherrys Cherry's home heme in Atlantic lantic City There There Thereat at No Ventnor r Avenue with Mrs Cherry Cher Cher- ry in the background Gallant was was drilled for a so solid id week on his sig sig- nals Then he started back to StLouis St St. Louis for more mare more money money H He returned ed edin in a few weeks with The same sanie club the same distinguished distinguished distinguished distin distin- gentlemen the same sam result I Something got twisted again and the big stake vanished in halt half an e evening This time Cherry cried and cursed al dl alternately l- l H Ho blamed Gallant he ac ac- accused the dealer he chided himself And still the disappointed Gallant Gallant- had bad the utmost faith in all this No doubt assailed him no suspicion brooded He was merely a little shaky I about his own playing and about the I good faith of the dealer But Cherry reassured reassured him with sufficient tact and andI I skill to ta bring him back again In a month with It Was as Clean Up Night On this occasion Cherry Weiss and Gallant all plunged It was to be bele clean up le up n-up night and so it proved By Dy Bythe the time closing hour heur came around gallant Gallant was ahead of the game Cherry and Weiss also h had d won won considerable con con- con considerable an- an amounts In all there was Th This was stuffed into a valise valls and handed to ta Weiss The conspirators tors left hastily and went directly to the Hotel Hotel l Majestic All the way Cherry Cherry Cherry Cher Cher- ry looked furtively behind him In the hot hotel l he explained Weve got gat to scatter or they'll watch us and get on to te us Weiss you jump into a taxi and go straight to te the Breslin with the mon money y Ill I'll go another way Mr Gallant and Mr Pohlman will meet us in an hour at atthe atthe the Breslin Bres Weiss d disappeared s at the command Cherry turned back to his friends better hang right around here for an hour and then drive down downto to the Breslin With that he was gone gene himself When the jubilant Gallant with 20 20 of his lost money recovered and his confidence in the scheme restored walked into the Breslin at the |
