The Darndest Kind o' Defraudign.

Cromwell Argus, Volume V, Issue 229, 31 March 1874, Page 8

The Darndest Kind o' Defraudign.

In the good old time in Kentucky, when "substantial justice" was a log cabin, after a very free arid easy maimer, a suit was brought to recover certain money jof which it was alleged plaintiff had been doifrauded by the ingenious operation known as |" thlmble'-rigging." \Jj KV ;'/;.' ! In- thai' course of the, ti"ial,„. plaintiffs counsel, happening to be an " expert," undertook to enlighten the court as to the modus operandi of the performance. Putting himself into position, he produced the three cups and the "little jocker," and proceeded/suiting the action to the word :

"Then, may it please the court, the defendant placing the cups on his knee thus began shifting them so, offering to ; bet thafrmy client could not tell under which cup was 'little jocker'—meaning thereby, may it please the court, this ball—with the intention of defrauding my client of the sum thus wagered. For instance, when I raise the cup so, your honor supposes that you see the ball."

" Suppose I see !" interrupted the judge, who had closely watched the performance, and was sure that he had detected thd balhas one of the cups was accidentally raised, " why any fool can see where it is, and bet on it and sure to win. There ain't no defrauding/thar." / ;■ " Perhaps your honour would like to go a V on it ?" insinuated the counsel.

"Go aV? Yes, and double it too ; and here's the rhino. It's under the middle cup." "I'll go a Von that," said the foreman of the jury. "Andl, and I,"joined in the jurors one after the other, until each one had invested his. pile. '"Up" L said his honour. j.j , t "Up" it was, but the "little jocker" had 'mysteriously disappeared. '•'••"' ■" ■' •• i Judge and jury were enlightened,, and found no difficulty in bringing in a verdict in favour of the ■plaintiif on the ground that it was the " darndest kind o'defraudin'."