Bunco Artists in Richmond, 1870-1920

A kind of sub-society existed in Richmond, as in other urban areas, of tricksters, swindlers, confidence men and certain thieves. By looking at the lower sort of deception and crime, one can gauge a fringe society. The indefatigable crime reporters of Richmond's newspapers, always with a bit of humour or pathos, give glimpses of a wide variety of misbehavior.