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by Corry Shores
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Character Directory for
Herman Melville
The Confidence-Man: His Masquerade
Contents
Crippled, Freed African Slave Beggar
In order of Appearance
Ch.1: He counteracts the wanted sign for a mysterious impostor by making his own signs advocating charity and trust. He is dressed in cream colors and is deaf and mute. He seems to be just making a short trip. After receiving an injury, he falls asleep on the deck. Ch.2: A crowd criticizes him while he slept. Then it is “not unlikely” that he soon disembarks. Ch.4: The Man with a Weed knows the the Country Merchant’s name, even though the merchant does not recognize him, raising the suspicion that he is really the beggar.
Crippled, Freed African Slave Beggar
Ch.3: He is a freed African slave with a deformity in his legs that cuts down his stature to the size of a large dog. But he stays in cheery spirits as he begs in an entertaining but supplicating way. He says that others call him “Der Black Guinea” and that lives in the streets of St. Louis. He is called out by the wooden legged skeptic as being a healthy white person in black make-up. He lists character witnesses that will need to be found on the ship. When the Country Merchant says he has confidence in the beggar and gives him a half dollar, he accidentally drops his business card, which the beggar secretly retrieves. Ch.4: The Man with a Weed knows the the Country Merchant’s name, even though the merchant does not recognize him, raising the suspicion that he is really the beggar.
Ch.3: He calls out the crippled freed slave beggar for being a healthy white person in black make-up who is conning people out of their money.
Ch.3: He is young, short, manly, innocent and tender. He asks the Crippled Black Beggar if he has any character witnesses.
Ch.3: Mentioned among the character references of the Crippled Black Beggar. Ch.4: He is greets the Country Merchant by name: Henry Roberts. He is in mourning, clean and respectable. The merchant does not recognize him, raising the suspicion that he is really the Crippled, Freed African Slave Beggar without blackface on. He indicates that he knows the beggar and says he assured the other passengers of his character. He says his name is John Ringman. He tries to convince the merchant that they met once before, but on account of a brain injury, the merchant cannot remember it. He claims to be a free-mason. He tells a sad story to the merchant, and the merchant gives him money. The man with a weed also informs him about a business opportunity: a president of a coal company is looking to sell company stocks at much below their value, which could make the merchant a lot of money quickly, supposing that the stocks are legitimate.
Ch.3: He is middle-aged and carries an umbrella. He wonders how they will find the Crippled Black Beggar’s character references. When giving the Beggar some money, he unknowingly drops his business card, which the Beggar secretly obtains. Ch.4: He is greeted by the Man with a Weed by name, Henry Roberts. The man with a weed tries to convince them they met before, despite the merchant having no recollection of it, going as far as to insist that the merchant must have had a brain injury that prevented the recording of the memory. He is a free-mason. The man with a weed tells him a sad story, and the merchant gives him money. The man with a weed also informs him about a business opportunity: a president of a coal company is looking to sell company stocks at much below their value, which could make the merchant a lot of money quickly, supposing that the stocks are legitimate.
Ch.4: The Man with a Weed tells the Country Merchant that the Coal Company President is looking to sell company stocks at much below their value, which could make the merchant a lot of money quickly, supposing that the stocks are legitimate. (This raises suspicion that he is really the Man with a Weed or perhaps in collusion with him, and thus by extension is the Crippled, Freed African Slave Beggar, or in collusion with him.)
Melville, Herman. 1857. The Confidence-Man: His Masquerade. New York: Dix, Edwards.
PDF at:
https://archive.org/details/confidencemanhis00melvrich
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