"SLIPPING THE CUT."

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 107, 11 June 1914, Page 31

"SLIPPING THE CUT."

CARDSHARPERS AT SEA. HOWv "CROOKS" WORK. ' Affability, conversational powers above the ordinary, and something of a Beau Brummel appearance go towards the" make-up of the successful cardsharper who carries on his illicit profession among the travelling public. The fourth essential is deceptive deftness of the and that is acquired only after many patient hours of practice. Three men, all fully qualified, and one whose incomplete schooling compelled him to rely upon clever marking of a pack, emptied the pockets and saddened the'heart's of passengers aboard the steamer Kanowna on her last trip to Melbourne, as briefly reported by telegraph at the time (says the Svdney "Sun"). " •■■ The quartet travelled first class, and the leader, a handsome ■ man of fine picked the gang's "marks" as the vessel j proceeded down the harbour. The strangers soon made friends. Politics were discussed, and once outside the Heads a "game" was suggested. Somebody, wanted solo, and one of the gang was in favour of bridge. Nap was turned down, and finally, drawpoker was agreed upon. A squatter had the cards to his liking for a while. He bet heavily and won—but not for long. The cut was "slipped," and four aces certainly. beat four kings. -The squatter lost. Somebody else was anxious for a hand, aud three other tables were worked, the sharpers being represented at each. A commercial traveller —who should have known better —fell into the snare. Four queens led him on, and' he .'.'rose" v whenever, the ' ; call'' came to ■him..-'; ".;., ... v "•-. . .1 '*' Twenty pounds,'' cried hia opponent. •■•: .••;;,.-,. ; ■• . "Right. I'll see you/' came the retort;- ■ • | "Two pairs," said the sharper, as his cards rattled face downwards ou the table. "Beat you!" answered the,jubilant traveller, as he raked in the money. "I've'got four queens." ' | Then it was the sharper's turn. I "Wait. I've only got two pairs, but jthey are of kings." His opponent flung the cards away in disgust and strode off. And so the game proceeded, with losing. The squatter lost £25, the traveller £3O, another business man £2O, and the total losses reached well - over £IOO. j On deck the following morning the f affable sharper-leader talked interestingly to his .overnight victims, while his companions wormed their way into the pockets of the second-class passengers, among whom was a player who knew every trick of poker. He lost, but waited. A deal from the bottom of the pack did not escape his attention, and almost simultaneously his quick eye detected unusual skilful markings on the cards. He exposed the profitable business, and there was quite a sensation aboard. The news went round like wild-fire, and people wanted to see the cards; but by that time the gang had thrown the pack through a port-hole. CALLING THE POLICE. Wireless messages were flashed to Williamstown, and police officers boarded the Kanowna there from a launch. The man who was responsible for the exposure had had his money returned, and did not want to court publicity. Two of the gang were questioned, but the squatter had no wish for his name, to appear in the papers, and the commercial traveller had no desire to let

the world in general and his fellow club members know he was a mug. While all this was going on the leader sauntered down" the gangway smoking a cigar and chuckling to himself. A prosecutor could not be found, and the law was powerless. - The Btrippers had a profitable trip, but were lucky to get away as they did.

It is .the same old scheme"'worked in the same old way, but the scene of operations has changed from the country and inter-State trains to the coastal steamers,

* The .clever sharper never marks his cards. He has np need to, his looseness of fingers enabling him to "slip the cut," deal from "down south," or "second" the cards. "Slipping the cut" is an old art, and generally worked with lightning skill. Dealing from south"—taking the bottom card instead of the top legitimate one—requires even more cleverness, and slightly less "seconding"—dealing out the second card in of the first on the pack. The sharper does not necessarily need his own deck of cards. He" can, generally manipulate a strange pack, no matter how new, or how much it is worn. Many a victim has been found aboard a train, and a "rattler worker'! usually lives comfortably. Some sharpers who have evaded the law have retired on formidable fortunes. One case in point is the subject of a story often told at the Sydney detective office. A well-known train player, whom the New South Wales police hounded out of the country, worked his way to America, and was soon on his way to a big banking account. The .Atlantic liners brought him so much money that lie paid his outstanding Australian, debts, which were consider' able, and sent out passage money for his wife and children. He is now living ou the fat "of the' land somewhere in England, mingling with society and posing as a wealthy Australian squatter. DETECTIVE'S KNOWLEDGE. - A prominent Sydney detective, who has seen sharpers at work on American boats, and has come contact with them in this city in his criminal trackings, throws some interestingv.sidelights on the crooks' business.

"I have seen a Jot of them work," he said, "and am convinced that the Australian . sharper is far cleverer and more plausible than the American or Englishman. When our magsmeu start on the business, they work it for ail it is worth, and seldom fail. We have managed practically to exterminate the train worker, but he n.'t.st live, and has shifted his profession to the coastal and interstate boats. A sharper knows his marks, and has the working of them down to a fine art. The man who has money, and who only thinks he is shrewd With it, is the inevitable victim. A game of euchre is suggested, but the sharper sees to- it that his opponent is dealt successive rich poker hands, which never fail to bring from the holder, l I wish it was poker,'. At last the" <ir'ook agrees to play poker, and that is when his man begins to pay out. 'Commercial travellers as a rule fight shy of strangers when cards are suggested, but one was caught on the Kauowa for a goodly sum.

"The able sharper generally makes' money. There are times, though, when he is on his beam-ends. But he usually has friends, who are willing to lend him money, simply because he never fails to re-pay. The card crook is invariably pleasant company, usually being such a jovial, irresponsible, happy-go-lucky fellow. At business he is just the same, and who is the 'mug' who will even dream that this fine chap has his cards cleverly marked, or is using underhand deftness to take his hard-earned moneyf But it still goes on in the same old way, and 'mugs' won't be told, and men won't be taught to steer clear of being made mugs.'' It is not long since that Nemesis overtook one sharper, who made himself popular with a team of footballers on their way to a country centre. He told some good stories ou the old Redfern Railway Staiion, while the train was waiting to move, and casually mentioned that he, too, was travelling to where the team was going. He slipped away to purchase a ticket, and on his return was asked to join the party. He suggested cards, and .five others played drdw-poker with him. An hour's travelling '' skinned'' two of the players, and then suddenly a third leapt from his seat and landed a smashing blow on the guest's jaw, sending him into oblivion. The mau was a yhaper, and had been caught dealing from the bottom of the pack. An examination of the pack revealed clever wholesale markings. Things went hard for the j crook, who was ejected at the next sta- j tion, and allowed to remain iheTe vioci j barely hi 3 train fare back to Sydney. ]