Inhoudsopgave:
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True stories of nineteenth-century crooks, con artists, and quacksâincluding the man who âsoldâ the Brooklyn Bridge. Gunslingers and outlaws werenât the only ones who made the West wild. The nineteenth century was the golden era of riverboat gamblers, crooked railroad contractors, and filthy-rich medical quacks. These crooks made a living deceiving people who took a stranger at face value and left their doors unlocked. Throw in some get-rich-quick schemes and a generous mixture of whiskey and there was never a shortage of suckers. Conman George Parker was able to stay in business for forty years by âsellingâ public structures such as Madison Square Garden and the Statue of Liberty. He even âsoldâ the Brooklyn Bridge as often as twice a week. For most, the Salted Gold Mine or the Magic Wallet cons were enough to satisfy their greed. However, the more ambitious grifters tried the Big Store, an illegal underground betting parlor like the one seen in the movie The Sting. With an honest-looking face and a lack of morals, these scammers played a big role in giving the frontier its lawless reputationâand this book tells their stories. |
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