riffle, n. — Green’s Dictionary of Slang

riffle n.

[SE riffle the notes]

(US Und.) a large amount of money acquired by deceit or trickery.

1891

A. Day Mysterious Beggar 216: She kin swing ’round a nour or so, an’ cum in with a big riffle. When she’s home though, she works th’ growler heavy; an’ ’er clinkers don’ last ’er long. [Ibid.] 266: Holy smoke! That was a riffle! You worked the gospel strong on him?

In phrases

make the riffle (v.)

(US tramp) to acquire money; in general, to succeed.

1859		Calif. Police Gazette 17 Apr. 1/4: All we’ve got to do now is keep shady, and if we stick to each other like men we’ll find a show some day to make the riffle.
1868		‘I Want to Make the Riffle’ in Lingenfelter et al. Songs of the Amer. West (1968) 138: I look a rough old specimen, and I’ve had a rough career / Trying to make the riffle for more than twenty year.
1875		in Atlantic Monthly May 557: If I can’t make the riffle, I want to git to Washington Territory yet.
1887		M. Roberts Western Avernus (1924) 157: We ran on, fighting the stream at intervals, but ‘making the riffle’, or crossing the rapid. [Ibid.] 217: I had ‘made that riffle’ at any rate, and was not compelled to risk [...] stowing away.
1908		‘O. Henry’ ‘The Man Higher Up’ in Gentle Grafter (1915) 142: It’s part of my business [...] to play up to the ruffles when I want to make a riffle as Raffles.
1911		Day Book (Chicago) 19 Dec. 2/2: By efficient management yu can make the riffle with one of those safety razors.
1929		V.W. Saul ‘Vocab. of Bums’ in AS IV:5 342: Make the riffle—To succeed in an undertaking.
1930		‘Dean Stiff’ Milk and Honey Route 209: Making a riffle— [...] To get the money.
1949		Monteleone Criminal Sl. (rev. edn) 151: make a riffle To beg on the street.
1964		(con. 1920s–40s) in J.L. Kornbluh Rebel Voices 407: Make a riffle – acquire the price of a meal or a night’s lodging by begging.