The Sedro Man Who Outsmarted Seattle’s Lottery Sharks

The gang of bunco men who have been "working suckers" in room 17 of the Washington Territory Investment Company's building did not make their appearance at that place yesterday. The door of the room remains locked, and they have not surrendered the key, but the flaming lottery posters still adorn the walls. The gang has probably sought new quarters since its doings were exposed by the POST-INTELLIGENCER.

The men whom they tried to victimize did not all bite by any means. The capper, hearing a man speak of coming from Sedro, promptly sought his acquaintance and engaged him in conversation. After talking of general topics, the capper remarked casually:

"I've got a lottery ticket here. I think I'll go upstairs and see whether I've won anything. Will you come along?"

The Sedro man saw no harm in accompanying him, and together they repaired to room 17. The capper threw down his ticket, and was told by his confederate that he had won $100, one twentieth part of a $2,000 prize. Then the capper proposed a game, and the pair of swindlers played some mysterious game with a pack of cards, dark blue on both sides, with almost imperceptible gilt stars on them. The Sedro man was only an on-looker at this game, but the capper soon proposed that they try the lottery together. He consented, and paid $1 for a chance for the two of them. They won, and the supposed greenhorn wanted to draw his $250 and go. The others, however, produced a book of rules and showed him that it would not be ruleable to draw out when he was in partnership with another man.

The capper then proposed that they take a chance at the $10,000 prize together at a cost of $20, the Sedro man to put up the $20. He now became convinced that the pair were sharpers, declined the offer and left. Large rolls of bills had been freely displayed, both genuine and otherwise—mostly otherwise—but they did not tempt him.

Another stranger was lured into the room the same way, but he, also, was too wary.