Chapter 6
A Matter of Trust
On July 8, 1849, the New York Herald reported that one William Thompson, “a man of genteel appearance,” had developed a reputation for casually approaching strangers on the streets of New York and striking up a conversation. After winning them over with banter, he would very literally put their faith to a test, asking, “Have you confidence in me to trust me with your watch until to-morrow[?]” Those who replied in the affirmative would hand over their watches, and Thompson would walk away laughing. So would the victims, who presupposed that a man so friendly, and with such a brazen proposition, would surely have been worthy of their trust. Of course, none of them saw Thompson—or their watches—again, until a Thomas McDonald, ...
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