Defendants tricked Richardson into believing that one of them was in possession of $1700 dollars. Claiming to be from Mississippi, the defendant struck up a conversation with Richardson, and professed disbelief that his money would be accepted at a white bank. He asked Richardson to demonstrate by depositing the money in his own account - requesting that he give him his own account balance of $149 "in good faith". Upon entering the bank, Richardson realised that the money the defendant had given him, wrapped in a handkerchief, was in fact just paper.