How we cite our quotes: All quotations are from The Sting.
Quote #4
SNYDER: I'm lookin' for a guy on the lam from a counterfeiting rap. Thought he mighta come in here.
Snyder knows the kinds of places where Hooker and his criminal buddies like to hang out, which is why he checks on all the burlesque houses and brothels all over town. The funny thing is that Snyder only knows this because he's a criminal too…and he wants to shake down other criminals for money.
Quote #5
NILES: The porters say he runs a braced card game in one of the cars. $100 minimum, straight poker. Last time he pulled in here ten grand heavier than he left New York.
When the grifters are researching Doyle Lonnegan, one of the first things they do is research all the ways that Lonnegan is a criminal. Once they know this info, they can use it to box Lonnegan into some difficult situations, as we find out in the final scene of the movie.
Quote #6
JOHNNY HOOKER: It's foolproof. We got a partner downtown runs the central office of the Western Union. Race results from all over the country come in there and go right across his desk on their way to the bookies. All he does in hold them up a couple minutes until he can call us and get a bet down on the winner.
One of the best ways to run a con is to let the target know up front that you're a criminal. However, the trick is to convince him that you're a different kind of criminal than you actually are. That's exactly what Hooker does when he passes himself off as a cheating gambler to Doyle Lonnegan.