504 HORSE-DEALIKG. 



admirably drawn up advertisements in the most 

 respectable of the London papers. The chief in- 

 ducement to become the dupe of these advertising 

 scoundrels, is the apparently candid offer of "aweek'^s 

 trial ;" and thus has the business been conducted : 

 — The unfortunate victim, lured by the specious 

 wording of the advertisement, in addition to the 

 week's trial — it being very often stated that price 

 was not so much an object, as getting the horse or 

 horses (sometimes the property of the widow of a 

 deceased clergyman) into good hands — asks for 

 John the ostler, or William the groom, according to 

 directions given him, when one of them makes his 

 appearance. The master also is always at hand, and 

 after a careful survey of his customer, will make his 

 appearance in the stable, to confirm what might have 

 been stated by his confederates. And now comes 

 the finish : — on the gentleman expressing a wish 

 for " the week's trial,'"" John or William is ordered 

 to take the horse immediately to the gentleman's 

 stables, putting the card of the said gentleman 

 into his hand. But when on the point of quitting 

 the yard, the following question is invariably put 

 to the unsuspecting dupe — " I suppose, sir, you 

 will not object to leaving a cheque for half the 

 amount asked for the horse, as you are a stranger 

 to me." The cheque is no sooner given, than it 

 finds its way to the bankers ; but when the horse 

 finds its way back, after having been proved totally 

 worthless, neither John the ostler, William the 

 groom, much less the master, is to be found. One 

 individual, formerly a country horse-dealer and of 



