A PRINCE OF "BLUFFERS."

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9039, 4 March 1908, Page 3

A PRINCE OF "BLUFFERS."

The Bloemfontein correspondent of the "Cape Times," writing under date January 22nd, says:—A man, who calls himself the "great American salesman"—the title is not unknown in South Africa—has engaged the Town Hall for several nights. Last night there was an audience of about a thousand, and it was estimated that the salesman must have taken at least £3OO. His methods are fairly well known. He offers a cheap line at is, then at £l. He returns to Is, and once he has 'captured the audience, he asks pounds for nothing. Last night sovereigns rolled in in shoals, as did halfsovereigns and five shillings. The giver got back a watch valued at about 3s to ss. Three persons bought a tickey cigar for £5 each. The humourous and almost inconceivable part of the proceedings is that, so worked up were the givers of the sovereigns that the salesman was able to get them to say that they had given their sovereigns for nothing and were astisfied. , In course of a report of the sale [ which is to-day the talk of the town, the "Friend'says: "There is still a wide scope for the study of the 'psychology of the mob.' " The psychology of the average crowd was evidenced by last night's show. Between 8 and 8.30 p.m. it seemed patent to any ordinary observer that the Town Hall crowd were on the whole a sceptical lot. They gave one the impression that they were simply biding their time to have a good laugh at the few fools who might be . done down. Nobody would have imagined that hundreds of them would have within a few minutes have fallen under the spell of the salesman, and doled out their hard-earned-sovereigns and half-sove-reigns for nothing. Nay, that after giving their money, they would state that they were satisfied. The "Great American Salesman," whoever he is, is perhaps the smartest and 'cutest bluffer that has ever taken money out of Blomfontein. His clever elusion of the law also shows that he possesses extraordinary slimuess. To what heights might he not have risen had his most indefinable but undoubted gifts been applied in some • honourable sphere, and is it not an ironical side-light on the alleged shrewdess of the average town audience that they can be so easily and openly bluffed? A questionable comfort may be derived from a reflection of last night's proceedings by a knowledge of the fact that Blomfon- . tein is not the only town where the "Great American Salesman's" spell has been effectively cast. Cape Town, Kimberley, Krugersdorp, and many other auiiences similarly succumbed to it. The salesman says he - intends going to Johannesburg. A • large number of detectives and policemen were in the hall last night."