Rensselaer Republican, Volume 17, Number 24, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 February 1885 — Parisian Confidence Game. [ARTICLE]

Parisian Confidence Game.

The,“vGl a FAmericaine” is what we Americans term “the confidence game.” Why the French have honored us as a nation by conferring our name upon this system of cheating, 1 know not. The “vol a I’Americaine” is played in many ways, but a quite common method is as fellows: In coming out of a railway station on the arrival of a train from the country, a good-natured, unsuspicious man is met by a gentleman bearing a bulky sack. The latter is, so he informs the first, a stranger come to Paris to amuse himself and see the great city. He does not know tjie capital, as it is his first visit, se he says. He offers a handsome present to the innocent Parisian to show him “the sights. ” The other accepts. They enter a case and take a drink. The stranger suddenly manifests anxiety in regard to his sack, telling the ether that it contains more than 25,090 francs; he fears he may be robbed. So they go out to seme vacant lot near the ramparts and bury it. They commence again to drink and amuse themselves. Again the stranger is disturbed by apprehensions as to the safety of his sack and contents. He begs his newly made friend to go and dig it up, while the owner will await him at the case. The innocent consents, and as he himself might go away with the sack, the owner makes him leave his vatch, jewels, and money as security for his speedy return. He goes and unburies the sack, which contains nothing whatever save pebbles! As to the stranger, he has long since disappeared with the securities, and the unsuspicious* innocent never sees him again. Thia “dodge” is a stupid one, well known to every Parisian, recounted in the daily papers at least a dozen times each year—and yet it always succeeds, and always will succeed in certain cases.— J. J. Boss, in Weekly Magazine.