Not The Same Old Story: 1895 swindle by Soapy Smith gangster John "Rev." Bowers gone wrong.

Not The Same Old Story
Unknown newspaper
"Around December 19, 1895"

(Click image to enlarge)

 

 

 

 

e is a bunco steerer that I've just been having fun with."

 

 

 

"You can fool some of the people all the time, and all the people some of the time, but you can't fool all of the people all of the time."

~Denis Diderot, 1684.

This is the story of a swindle by Soapy Smith and "Reverend" John L. Bowers that didn't pan out, thus the articles title, "Not The Same Old Story." It is dated "around December 19, 1895." I do not know the exact date, nor the newspaper it was published in. It was sent to me long ago by a friend who didn't re-call the details. I searched on the numerous newspaper archives and could not find it. Below is the transcribed article.

NOT THE SAME OLD STORY
—
George W. Alden Gives the Denver Deceivers the Laugh.

     The following article appeared in yesterday morning's Denver Republican. To the many people who were acquainted with George W. Alden during residence in Pueblo the story is a particularly good one:
     “G. W. Alden, a Buena Vista mining man, encountered ‘Rev.’ Joseph [John] Bowers on Seventeenth street yesterday and the bunco man was worsted at his own game. The ‘parson’ introduced himself to Mr. Alden as ‘Mr. Williams of Cripple Creek and claimed to be an old acquaintance. Alden saw through the confidence man readily and decided to humor him. He walked up Seventeenth street with Bowers, showing him a circular describing the Buena Vista mineral springs by way of a topic for conversation, and Bowers at once saw in the circular a chance to ‘skin’ his prospective victim.
     “He knew a lady and gentleman, he said, who were afflicted with the rheumatism and meant to make a trip to Hot Springs, but might be induced to visit the Buena Vista springs, on the recommendation of Mr. Alden. Would Mr. Alden go a short distance up street and be introduced to the gentleman who was suffering from rheumatism. Mr. Alden was willing to meet the ‘parson’s’ rheumatic friend, so they traveled along until they met ‘Colonel’ Smith leaning against a telephone pole.
     “ ‘This is my friend who has rheumatism,.’ said ‘Rev.’ Bowers, introducing the Buena Vista man and winking vigorously at ‘Soapy.’ The latter immediately assumed a limp and winced perceptibly as Alden shook his hand. At this stage of the game along came Policeman Van Vleet and asked Alden if he knew who ‘Rev.’ Bowers was.
     " ‘Of course I do; he is a bunco steerer that I've just been having fun with,’ he answered. Bowers was arrested on a charge of vagrancy, but discharged when taken before Judge Frost.

—

"Anyone who gambles today, not only bucks the laws of chance but is likely as well to meet the chicanery of science-using crooks."

—Thomas M. Johnson, 1933