In.I 1. A confidence man who impersonates a clergyman in order to swindle the devout. 2. A confidence game employing the impersonation of a clergyman.
Ec[000000]f[16]LBabbey, on the
BWorking the abbey confidence game.
Ec[000000]f[16]LBabraham cove
BA healthy confidence man who dresses in the guise of a decrepit beggar to elicit sympathy and money.
Ec[000000]f[16]LBabraham suit, on the
BA confidence game designed to gain sucker sympathy.
Ec[000000]f[16]LBabram cove
B
A healthy confidence man who dresses in the guise of a decrepit beggar to elicit sympathy and money.
Ec[000000]f[16]LBad man; ad-man
BA confidence man who sells worthless or non-existent advertising space.
Ec[000000]f[16]LBadvantage goods
B
The instruments that cardsharps and con artists use to cheat and steal.
Ec[000000]f[16]LBAlderman Lushington
BThe victim of a con artist.
Ec[000000]f[16]LBangelB
In.I 1. One who is an easy target for criminals. 2. An easy target for investments in theatrical enterprise swindles.
Ec[000000]f[16]LB"angle"
BIn.I The approach that a con artist employs in his swindle.
Ec[000000]f[16]LBappleB
In.I The victim of a con artist; a sucker; a dupe.
Ec[000000]f[16]LB"artist"B
In.I A clever criminal, con artist or gambler, usu. one commanding respect.
Ec[000000]f[16]LBautem goggler
BA con artist who uses a spiritual or religious angle to lure his victims.
Ec[000000]f[16]LBautographB
In.I A swindle where the victim's signature is obtained to use later in the forging of checks.
Ec[000000]f[16]LBbackingB
In.I A confidence game where the victim finds himself implicated in criminal activity and liable for punishment should he report the swindle.
Ec[000000]f[16]LBbacking and filling
BIn.I To fill a confidence game victim with hope.
Ec[000000]f[16]LB"backs"
BIn.I Counterfeit money, usu. crude, often only printed on one side, used as bait in a confidence game.
Ec[000000]f[16]LBbackup man
BThe accomplice of a confidence man, usu. the one who lures the victim.
Ec[000000]f[16]LBbag, hold the
BIv.I To be fooled or duped, left holding an empty bag instead of one full of money.
Ec[000000]f[16]LBballyhooB
In.I The patter that lures the victim into a confidence game.
Ec[000000]f[16]LBbanco
BIn.I A confidence game employing either dice or cards, banco first appeared in the western U.S. in 1855. The game entailed stringing along a victim by allowing him to win a contest until he was fooled into playing for a rather large amount of money. In cards, the victim would be dealt Ec[000000]f[16]LFa high card from a marked prearranged deck duping him into betting an amount equal to what he has already won. With the stakes now doubled, the next card would naturally turn up in favor of the dealer. Due to the suspicions aroused by always losing the big bet, accomplices in the game were employed to win and lose in the same manner. Upon losing, they Ec[000000]f[16]LFwould start a fight with the operator and hence beat the real victim to the opportunity and distract him from protesting. Banco was a short-lived game, as it was easily detected. Among those who employed the game were Charles P. Miller, known as the "King of the Banco Men," and "Hungry Joe" Lewis who used banco in the 1860s in New York City.
Ec[000000]f[16]LB"banker"
BIn.I Anyone who financially backs a robbery, confidence game, or gambling operation.
Ec[000000]f[16]LBbankrollB
In.I Newspaper cut to the size of currency and covered with a few legitimate bills, usu. used to lure the victim into a confidence game.
Ec[000000]f[16]LBbarnard's law; Barnard' s Law
B1. The various tricks of swindling and their use. 2. The profession of a confidence man.
Ec[000000]f[16]LBbarneying
BIn.I A swindle or robbery.
Ec[000000]f[16]LB"bat"B
In.I A confidence game where the victim is persuaded to purchase an ordinary brick believing that it is made of gold.
Ec[000000]f[16]LBbatesB
In.I A victim of a confidence game.
Ec[000000]f[16]LBbaulker
BIn.I An accomplice in "a game of bowls" confidence game.
Ec[000000]f[16]LBbean trap
BIn.I A well-dressed confidence man.
Ec[000000]f[16]LB"beat"
BIn.I A confidence game or swindle.
Ec[000000]f[16]LB"beating"B
In.I A swindle.
Ec[000000]f[16]LBbeat the bush
BTo lure a victim to a swindle.
Ec[000000]f[16]LBbeef murder
BTo complain loudly and repeatedly, usu. after being duped in a confidence game.
Ec[000000]f[16]LBbeen had
BTo be taken advantage of, swindled, cheated, deceived, victimized.
Ec[000000]f[16]LB"best"B
Iv.I To get the better of someone; to dupe or defraud him.
Ec[000000]f[16]LBbestingB
Iv.I Cheating or swindling.
Ec[000000]f[16]LBbig con
BA confidence game where the victim is allowed to go home or to his bank to get more money, as opposed to the big short game where the take is limited to whatever the victim is carrying.
Ec[000000]f[16]LBbig mitt
BA confidence game involving slight-of-hand in a card game.
Ec[000000]f[16]LBbig store
BIn.I A bogus business or gambling establishment created to give a confidence game victim the impression of a legitimate operation.
Ec[000000]f[16]LBbilkB
Iv.I To deceive or defraud.
Ec[000000]f[16]LBbilker
BIn.I A confidence man or other cheat.
Ec[000000]f[16]LBbill-wrapperB
A confidence man who wrapped currency inside certain packages of his products and then held a lottery selling his product to victims who hoped to receive one of the packages with money inside, unfortunately these were usu. reserved for the confidence man's accomplice.
Ec[000000]f[16]LBblack-leg
BA gambler or confidence man, usu. one who works the racetrack, e.g. a tout.
Ec[000000]f[16]LBbleatersB
In.I Those who have been cheated in a confidence game.
Ec[000000]f[16]LBbliksem
B(for.) In.I A criminal, usu. a confidence man.
Ec[000000]f[16]LB"blind"
BIn.I The pretext used by a confidence man.
Ec[000000]f[16]LBBlind Harpers
BBeggars who fake blindness to gather sympathy and greater contributions.
Ec[000000]f[16]LBblue river land
BThe confidence man's most feared territory; an area where the residents are not easily duped.
Ec[000000]f[16]LBblue sky racket
BThe promotion and sale of worthless stocks and bonds.
Ec[000000]f[16]LBbluffer
BIn.I A confidence man.
Ec[000000]f[16]LBbonnet
BIn.I The accomplice of a confidence man, esp. one who works the thimble-rig, an early version of the shell game.
Ec[000000]f[16]LBboomerB
In.I A crook or confidence man who works briefly in one locale, then moves on to more lucrative areas.
Ec[000000]f[16]LB"bounce"B
In.I A flashy confidence man.
Ec[000000]f[16]LBbreak-downB
A fabricated telegram which prepares a confidence game's victim to part with his money.
Ec[000000]f[16]LB"broad"B
In.I The game of three-card monte where the con artist shuffles three cards and asks the player to choose which one of the three cards is the card he had previously been shown.
Ec[000000]f[16]LBbroad, at the
BWorking the three-card monte game, or some other crooked card game.
Ec[000000]f[16]LBbroadman; broadsman
BIn.I A dishonest card player, esp. one who works the three-card monte confidence game.
Ec[000000]f[16]LBbroad-pitcher
BThe dealer of a three-card monte game or any three-card gambling trick.
Ec[000000]f[16]LBbroad spieler
BA three-card monte dealer.
Ec[000000]f[16]LBbroad work
BA game of three-card monte.
Ec[000000]f[16]LBbroady-worker
BA confidence man who sells inferior merchandise at inflated prices by pawning them off as quality goods that have been stolen.
