TRICKS OF ATLANTIC CROOKS

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume I, Issue 93, 1 April 1911, Page 4 (Supplement)

TRICKS OF ATLANTIC CROOKS

SWINDLERS "WHO FLEECE THE ARISTOCRACY.

There is a certain type of "crook” who will be much in evidence amongst the thousands of the well-to-do who will cross the Atlantic this year tor the Coronation of King George. This is the highwayman of the sea—the man who spends his time travelling backwards and forwards on the big liners, and who is usually to be found in the card-room or smoking-room. There is nothing to distinguish him from the average wealthy traveller between England and America. He appears to be an aristocrat to the finger-tips. He is well-dressed, well-read, well-spoken, and appears reserved and exclusive. But it is all merely a mask to conceal a sharper of the cleverest and most dangerous type. It is not so long ago that the well-known American millionaires, Messrr. W. K. Vanderbilt?, O. H. I*. Belmont, and Robert Goelet, were, while crossinc: to New York on a German liner, induced to enter into a game of poker with a couple of men of good address, who proved very agreeable smoking-room acquaintances. As a matter of fact, they were a couple of crooks, and, unfortunately for their success, one of the smoking-room stewards recognised them as card-sharpers. Re. informed the captain of his suspicions, with the result that he appeared on the scene, stopped the game and ordered the gamblers from the cabin This was not, however, until the sharpers had won a considerable Mm from tho millionaires. ARTFUL DODGES. Another equally daring swindle was carried out on one of '.he most famous liners some time age, when a wellkiiowii diplomat was fleeced of a couple of thousand pounds by three crooks who posed as the sons of well-known American citizens. With characteristic astuteness, crooks feigned reluctance when a quiet game of cards was suggested by the diplomat himself. Ultimately a game was arranged, and they quickly relieved him of the sum mentioned. The diplomat would probably have never discovered the true character of the men, had he not been informed by a detectice that he was in the. company of three of the cleverest , of international crooks. That is the aift-fulness of these cardzharpers on ocean liners They never suggest cards, and when they are induced to play they handle the cards so awkwardly as to lull any suspicion of manipulation. And their victims are usually wealthy people who prefer to grin and bear their losses rather than advertise how they have been fleeced. CHECKMATING THE SHARPERS. One of the many dodges of this class of erook is to buy as maity packs of cards as possible from tlie steward when they go on board, and mark jbeni with their own private marks. Sealing up the packs again, they return them to the steward, saying that tl-ev find they will nd? require so manv packs, ami compensate liim for hw trouble, with a generous tip. And when tho swindlers find a victim, thev put him off his guard by saying that it would be more satisfactory to all parties if he got the cards himself of the stewards, as they are strangersifo him. Of course the cards which come, to the table are those previously marked by a member of the gang. H is not easy »to checkmate these swindlers, even when they are well known to the captains of ‘the vessels end the detectives who watch everyone who goes on board. is scarcely possible to prevent them from obtaining tickets, although on more than one occasion sharpers well known to the steamship companies have been refused admittance on board and had their money returned.

The captain of a liner, however, recently adopted a novel method for protecting his passengers against two men whom the American police declared to be professional gamblers. Making sure of his men. he pointed them out to a steward who has .a reputation for cleverness with his pencil, and told him to sketch the men ami post the likeboss whore ell the passengers could see .them. Then he issued warnings by means of the ship’s officers, “Beware ci th .- Crooks.”