1/8/2010:
A North Dakota man fell pray to a Minneapolis con man on this date in 1910. The man, Paul Lidden of Belfield, North Dakota, had just arrived on his first visit to the cities when the incident occurred.
Lidden traveled by train to Minneapolis to visit the metropolis and sightsee. He was hoping for a pleasant vacation as he hopped off the train in the Union Depot Station, but was unsure which attraction he would first like to see. While taking in the bustle of the station and trying to decide where he should go, a gruff man approached with an air of authority.
"Has your money been inspected?" asked the man.
"Why, no...is that necessary in Minneapolis? It was not done in Belfield," replied Lidden.
"Well, this isn't Belfield. I'm a government inspector...let me look at your money. I've a hunch that you're trying to bring some bogus coin into town. Produce your coin," the man demanded, flashing a large, official-looking badge.
Lidden, not wanting to break any laws, quickly handed the man fifty dollars.
"This stuff doesn't look very good to me...and I think [it will be] about ten years in Stillwater [prison] for you," snapped the inspector.
Lidden quickly retorted, "I got it all in North Dakota and it must be good."
The "inspector" informed the unsuspecting Lidden that it was procedure for him to take the money back to his headquarters and test it for authenticity. He ordered Lidden to remain in the station until he returned, telling him, "If this money is phony, it won't do you any good to try to get away, because we'll follow you and get you."
Lidden, slightly shook up by the whole business, began to wait for the man's return. After two hours, one of the station detectives noticed the man pacing back and forth across the platform. The detective, Thomas Russell, thought something must be wrong and asked Lidden what business he had in the station. After Lidden related the story to the detective, all that Russell could do was take the poor tourist down to headquarters to fill out a report, and urge caution towards strangers for his remaining time in the city.
Dakota Datebook written by Jayme L. Job