THE ADVENTURES OF AN AMERICAN 'PECIAL.’

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2656, 11 October 1882, Page 4

THE ADVENTURES OF AN AMERICAN 'PECIAL.’

Bt One of Them,

We all knew Boggs. Ho was captain of a Target Excursion and C:am Chowder Association, composed of the greatest blackguards of the Sixth Ward, known by many to be one of the worst districts of New York His nod oonld influence five or six hundred votes, and oauce the ballot-box to be stuffed with as maty more. It will therefore hardly be a matter of surprise if, under the circumstances, Boggs set all justice at defiance, anil cherished within hla bosom such a free scorn of law and order as could only be entertained by a New York ruffian under the golden rule of the Tammany Bing, of which our acquaintance was a staunch supporter. Boggs was * capper’ for a dishonest gam bilug saloon in Ann street, and prob-.bly part proprietor. He did a fioriahing business In several mock auction shops known to the police as Peter Punk Bens. His advertisements, headed by a flaming woodcut rep: e seating bags of gold pouring forth untold xlohes, might be found in most of the 1 respectable’ weeklies ; and in short, though ha bad as many changes as Proteus, we knew of a surety that no matter what new swindle might be started, from a Wall street gudgeon broker to a 3 bird Avenue lottery shop, it was simply a change rung upon the genius of Boggs. He was a stout, good humored looking man of forty, with coal black eyes set close together, close cropped moustache, and a rather sallow compkxion. A gorgeous watch chain reposed on his white vest; and above it flashed a cluster of diamond:: iu the centre of a snowy white shirt front, which many a humble thief in bin own fierce watd longed to clutch. But that cluster was sa secure as if In the Bank ; for at the back of Begg’a ‘ spring bottom lavender pants’ there reposed a colt’s four-shooter, with its owner was apt to produce on short notice and use freely. Boggs was a good humored, freehanded rasaal, full of quaint stories and short cynical sentences; but If he conceived him self offended, fearfnl was the language he used, and most woful his vengeance. Having thus endeavored to give a description of Boggs, we will take onr leave of him for the present, promising that we shall encounter him again. doing to the assignment hook of the journal on which the writer was engaged in the summer of ’75, he found the following : ‘ Mr Blank will work up gang of counterfalters ; particulars in his desk,’ The 1 particulars’ consisted of a letter from one of the Chicago reader* of fcho journal, stating that he had received the fo lowing circular from New York:— * Private and confidential. —Dear Sir, —Wo have made extensive inquiries about you ia your city, and find that you are a good busi peas man, and one to be trusted thoroughly to do a great trade with. Wo havo on hand a number of fao-simile United S'etcs’ nolae ranging from five to one hundred dollars, of which enclosed is a specimen. Wo will tend them to you, cash on delivery, at the following rates :—Good 25 dollare=loo dollars queer; 60 dollar£=2so dollar* queer; 75

dollars—sso dollar# queer; 100 dollar*—looo dollars queer.—Hoping to bo favoured with a largo order, foe it is a #ure fortune, ve remain your obedient servants, Paul A»d Paul —P.S. —If you eend us a b'g order, m will deal with no one else in your town.’ Our correspondent informed u* that he hud passed the five dollar specimen wilh ease, cl e teller of the first National Bunk having assured him that it was a good oue. Tl° circular bore ho address, so thai it was evident some one in the post office had been • squared’—a not uncommon occurrence. Obviously, the first thing to be done was to puichase some of the ‘queer’ Messrs Paul and Paul, not only for the pnrpoic of proving the uttering, bat also to estabhsh a confidence which might enable one to got at them directly, ihe writer wired to hid correspondent, telling him to to Messrs Paul and Paul, inclosing them tviensy-five dollara, and Coaling tuat ho would arrive in town on a certain date to make further largo purchases if he found thimgov.elt. l ea while. Captain Allair, of the seeped preolnot, was interviewed, and preparations made to eff ct a captuie In less than a week a letter arrived, por Adams’ express’, from Chicago, Inclosing a tin case filled with fac-similee of United States’ notes to tho amount of one hundred doliara, The writer had, of course, long before this, come to the conclusion that Boggs, and no other, was the party at the bottom of tho swindle. And a most Ingenious one it was; for tho party so swindle! could gat no redress except by aoknowledging himself a knave. Paul and Paul knew very well th*t their victim would taken right good caie to keep his own council.

{To he continued .)