Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 36, Number 60, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 March 1904 — TRICKSOF 'CHAMPION FAINTER’ [ARTICLE]

TRICKSOF 'CHAMPION FAINTER’

Pne of His Most Successful Wnsto Knint in Presence of iVctßHfls Party. A fraud on a lady has just come to light cn the details of which much time and care must haveTteen expended, and yet the profits amounted only to 3 shillings. A man, who described himself as a ship's mechanic, called on the lady at her residence at f*utney. He displayed a most intimate knowledge of the family, and stated that two letters had keen found in a berth on a German liner addressed to her two brothers, who were in Australia. lie said that he had been to tlie London office of these gentlemen, the addresses of whom he mentioned, and'added that he had been told to call on her, as a telegram had come asking for the letters to he forwarded nt once. He said that the third mate of the liner had the letters, and gave the lady an address in Hamburg to write to. lie added that his expenses had been 3 shillings, which the lady gave him, promising to communicate with him latbr. Inquiries afterward proved that there was no such tnird mate and no such liner;

It is perhaps duo to universal edu"cation that frauds of this nature are increasing, as opposed to crimes of violence. There is’one man, for example, known ns the “champion fainter." He never asks for money; he merely faints on your doorstep. He is almost invariably taken in and given a good meal, and in many cases money is pressed upon him. One of his feats was to faint outside a house in which a wedding party was assembled. He was tenderly looked after, was given champagne, and xvished the newly married pair good luck In a neat speech. A man who lived on his wits noticed that lamps were being used In a house, while all the others in the row were burning gas. He deduced That something had gone wrong with the meter, and called early next morning “from the company.” Under his directions the family distributed themselves in the various rooms, ready to apply matches to the burners at a signal, while he stood at the meter. Experiment after experiment ended in failure, and the family were moved from room to room, while the “gas man” made the most of his opportunities. He eventually left with a good haul, and instructions to wait until he sent the workmen. —Loudon Mail.