PAGE I
THE NEW CANADIAN
fohr It
Tarn
ByROKU SIGAHARA
one born every minute
I read with a lot of interest the Pacific Coast escapades of a couple of stick-operating, fast-talking Nisei who bilked thousand? of dollars from unsuspecting victims. To me, it's old hat and a wonder how and why people still fall for those age-old tactics.
I guess human nature never changes. They are always out for the fast buck, the rapid turn-over, and the quick easy deal. They always get slung in the final analysis.
This brings to '�mind the modus operandi of other!VlickMers,' from California to Manhattan.
The small-time smoothie usual-Is has a solo setup. He approaches you on the street.o'r in an office, and tries to peddle off a "bargain." It can be a "genuine" I'a'n.a'pia hat, a ."blue-white" diamond, or an "18-kanit" gold ingot. He will I ell you that he either stole it, smuggled it in, or is trying to "fence" the item, lie is always a very convincing- talker and tells you that it i* worth five or ten times the price he is ask-i"g.
It's such a bargain that you invariably fall for the latest pitch.
Or bringing . �ontoM cmt7 ... " W� �' represent all line* including AtnoriocSB President. Canadian . 'Pacilio. Pan American, and Notthwest Airlines .
Write or caU lor full iniormation bir rate*.
pl. 6481
�eei sml wmn
j It is cheaper than who legale and you figure you can't go far wrong even if you get stuck.
The hat turns out to be a paper replica that can't be shaped or pressed; the diamond is usual1\ a zircon or maybe plain glass; snd the gold brick turns out to be a brass with a thin coat of gold paint.
The operator depends upon speech for the success of his act. He must be very convincing and must be able to size up quickly your probable bankroll.
It is usually a $5 or $10 deal, sometimes going as high as $25, hut never more. He is on the run and invariably looks like the type running from the police. That impart of the act. .
� * * * .
Li'l tokyo favorite
When I was treading the streets in Li'l Tokyo about a decade ago, the top sucker come-on was the rigged poker game. Scoufs'"woul<rrtramp up and down Kast First street, usually dressed like farmers or fishermen, and try to convince a prospect where a hot poker game would be going. The scout would flash a big bankroll at the sucker and reveal that he had a secret method for beating the "house."
This pseudo-tramp was going to learn up with the victim. They would work out a series of signs, signals and gestures to get a drop oh the other poker players. They would get into a high-stake game and win a few hands. Th�i victim would gain more confidence and start betting . more", sometimes even going to the bank for reinforcement of his chips.
Then the big "kill" would be vet up. The tramp and the victim would both get into a high-betting round and both lose. Usually the tramp would put on a good act and say he "was robbed," but would go out of the gambling emporium .bemoaning his bad hick to the. sucker.
After the sucker was out of sight, the scout .would ramble back-to the gaming rooms rind get his "cut" on the ilea! which ran about 2f> per cent for>icoring a^ �pother "prospect" or pigeon into the. operating room.
Most lssei are men with an itch to try their luck and it doesn't 1 take much persuasion to get I hem to take the fling.
the hotel fix
A more elaborate ami perhaps more legitimate interpretation of the above plan is the "rigged" hotel.
A wily operator says he has a money-making hotel lease for sale. It's a real "gold-mine" and the present operator is retiring due to ill health/The "prospect" is taken to his hotel, inspects all the rooms, checks over the books, and is soon convinced that the hotel is a going business. He finds that every room is occupied and the rentals received are high. He sees lots of linens and supplies in the ciosets and fine furnishings in the rooms.
The deal goes through and th�-prospect buys the lease. Usually it is for �2500 or so. When he goes to operate his hotel business he finds that actually there are about only 20 per cent, occupied rooms; that the linens and furnishings have been removed; and the hotel rates are 25 cents a night instead of the �1.00 a night he saw on the books. The cagey "hotel" man, by this time, has departed from the city, changed, his name, and is -ready to start another "business" to sell to another. customer. The same, setup is worked on a cafe or beer parlor transaction.
JULT
12�-Chatham, Kent JCCA, Beach
Party, at Erieau, Ont 7 p.m. 19�Winnipeg. Manitoba JCCA
Annual Picnic, at Weat Kil-
donan Park, 1 p.m. 20�Toronto. Kika Nisei Club
Picnic, Jackson's Point, Lake
Sixncoe.
AUGUST
* -
the sales promoter
""Selling worthless oil stock and gold mine shares has been tried on the West Coast with varying degrees of success. Usually the salesman gets about 50 per cent commission, delivers impressive looking stock certificates, and is armed with an elaborate brochure of pictures and impressive statistics. Most of these mines never exist, except, on paper, as the victims wait for the well to flow or the mine to produce.
In recent years, the commodity has changed to borax and urani urn. but the basic elements of th*
3�Toronto. U. of Toronto Nisei Students Club picnic, at Al-cona Beach, Lake Simcoe.
d�Toronto. � Metropolitan YP Splash-Party Wei ner-Roast outing.
� � �-�i�. ��� �����.
non-existent mine game are the same. The sucker puts down his money and gets only fancy-looking paper for his. cash.
The salesman usually tells you that he has sunk every cent of his personal fortune in the deal to sound convincing. When there is no payoff he merely tells you he lost many times your investment.
These people live by their wits, invariably operate in gangs. One person makes the pitch,- the second pretends to be an interested buyer, and the third may act the part of an "expert" on the subject. ��.�'�
This is the strategy used on the sealed box game. When the salesman is talking to the, victim, his confederate poses as an interested buyer who confirms the value inside the box. The third man may pretend he is the "disinterested", party who will act as a trustee on the deal and hold the money. When the victim is fleeced clean, the trio get together, split the take, and then are off to another community/,
I must give them this much credit. They are all great actors.
Whenever you get a chance to �make' some '"easy" money, just watch out and steer awav. It's usually a phoney (from "Nisei in Manhattan" in Pacific Citizen).
CLASSIFIED SECTION
FOR RENT
MID-SUMMER SALE
at
ALBERT'S SHOE STORE
� � *
V L\: -.a \!cre S::es From 4.Up.
Qt'EEN -ST. W. � ME. 1931 � TORONTO
CHEEKS- ?::.;?r*L-p CO AST-TO-COAST C. O. D
. ONE NEWLY decorated room, furnished, for refined girl or lady, west end on Carlton car-line, reasonable rent Call: KK: 1516, Toronto.
ONK ROOM, furnished, for single girl or man. Phone EM. 1M271, Toronto.
TWO . ROOMS, unfurnished. Mamiing-Harbord. MF. 6778, Toronto.
FEMALE HELP WANTED
EXPERIENCED sewing machine operator, preferably lining M:�ker wanted; Phone EM. 6-Mo:?. Toronto.
THE NEW CANADIAN
An ln&tf*Kdm: f^p-xese-Ertftisb Orgs*.
PuHUhed on ^'cxincstiiv *rwa Saturday ot each week a* a naeduitn oi cxp�**wo -md ne** carter rnotig tfx*< of J-ipancsc onpn �n Guuub 47* Q*ffi Si. W. � EMpire *-5�#5 � Toronto. Ont.
EXPERIENCED ope rat or. wanted for medium.priced house-r-nts. bhn;?e* and pyjamas, steady work. Annly Rov�rn'2fl3. Ft eurv St.. Montreal. P. Q. or .nhone RE S7*C.
OPERATOR or. sp^rr* wear. Ar.p:y i4 i^si^iiTor. Ave*. Tor-;.r.to.*
OPERATOR, f - ^ ar.d.h�ys -p-rts wear, r^p^no******!<�Hr ap ?y. W>*t P STv^rsw-p.ir. ?:
COUNTER-GIRL, f*r rfrv-,-Vanir.g >: >re. good h.>ur< and wages-. Call OL. 2652, Toronto.
HELP WANTED
PRESSER on pants, for dry-cleaning store, steady job. Call LO. 6141. Toronto. �
BOOKKEEPER, typing essem tial, state experience and references. Write. Box": 15; The New Canadian.
DOMESTIC HELP WANTED
MAN for cook-housekeeper for two bachelors, live in, no laundry/no children, must speak reasonable English. Call W. Wilbur, OX^_l002, J between 0 to_ 5 p.m.)
YOUNG GIRL to assist" in nice home with three young children in Vancouver.' Fare can be advanced, if necessarv. Write Box' 12, The New Canadian.
310 BUM* ST. WEST TORONTO, ONT.
OPTOMETRIST PHONE RA. 8137
>l�.i TOMl iTlltT, TOtOWTO OHT,
Luden C. Kurcrta
Aarristc* sad Mletter
1 Ad*krid* St. E.. Toronto
lit and 2nd Mortgage Loans
oii<HU9*d
Offic� EM-4 5259 Rea. LY.3427
X-RAY DIAGNOSIS
FOR BETTER HEALTH CONSULT . .
* DOCTOR OP CHIROPRACTIC
999 YONCE st. Office'RA. 9s49 (yonas at Ilock) Res. Ml 9394 Toronto
of ail DESCRIPTIONS
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nm s. konoo
627 bay street. TORONTO , � wa. �76B RtS: 20iu beverley .street'* em 3-5031
MOVING TO B. C ?
Contact JIM KAKUTANI H. A. ROBERTS LTD., 933 West Pender St.>
Vancouver, B. C. Established 32 Years Members of Vancouver Real Estate Board Phone MArine 6421 Day or Night
TORIC OPTICAL
optometrists
Complete Cqre . For Your Eyes
w * * % �
118 W. HASTINGS ST.
VANCOUYER, a (.
WELCOME NISEI & ISSEl!
� For WedcSsg Receptiona
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THtpiwm, EM. 4*3*.
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