The Sun.
London, England, 1866-09-20 00:00:00

Auction " Knock-Outs."

A writer in a contemporary says:—Hundreds of suf-
ferers from the iniquitous system of "knock-outs" at public
auctions will thank you if you will use your powerful aid
to suppress this vicious practice that is now become such
a pest to London and its suburbs.
I am assured by a firm of auctioneers that hundreds of
pounds are sacrificed every week by this pernicious custom.
It appears that when there is a sale of furniture the har-
pies who style themselves commission agents flock together
and agree to a "knock-out ;" which not only means that no
one of the shabby oleaginous fraternity shall outbid another,
but that they shall use their united efforts to annoy and
molest any honest bidder who may attend the sale. To
such a pass has their audacity carried them that they have
absolutely become the terror of the auctioneers. I write
feelingly on the subject.
My mother-in-law, a widow lady residing in the neigh-
bourhood of Westbourne-terrace, was, a few weeks ago,
obliged, by a sudden and unexpected failure of a source of
her income, to give up her house anti sell her furniture.
Acting on her behalf, I got the furniture valued at ,Zl5O,
being assured that that sum was the least we had to expect.
In my opinion it was worth £BOO. The sale was duly ad-
vsrtisod in the daily journals, and the day of anxiety came
at last-- for it was a day of anxiety—the trying to snatch
from the fire all that was left of a tolerable fortune for a
widow now too stricken in years to rough it in the world.
With the sale came the "knock-out" gentry—a dirty,
miserable, hand-to-mouth looking crew, who by their bois-
terous conduct drove every respectable person away from
the drawing-room where the sale was held, even before the
auctioneer had mounted the rostrum.

Not knowing that I had anything to do with the sale,
three of these harpies assailed me for a commission. One
assured me that the things would be given away, as it was
quite a "trade sale," and that ho could get the things for a
mere trifle. "Besides," he said, "if you bid yourself, they
will all set upon you, and make the room too hot to hold
you." At this moment a largo party of respectable people
entered the room and the fraternity commenced their tactics.
A lady was admiring the piano (one that had cost 130
guineas at Broadwood's, and never been outside the house
from the time it came from the manufactory). "Bill," says
one of the unwashed, running his dirty fingers rudely along
the keys, "Vy, bless mo if there ain't that old rattle-trap ye
saw sold at Ealing last week. I Liver seed sich a take-in

in all my life. Look at that sideboard—that's been put up
seven times to my certain knowledge ; it's a good sham
though, isn't it ?" "Yes," replies Bill, " I've been to a good
many sales in my time, but I niver see Bich a take-in as
this surely."
And so they went on telling the most outrageous lies about
everything, and regularly frightening the people away.
Having succeeded in getting the place pretty clear of all
respectable people, they prepared themselves for the plunder
Things were absolutely given away. Every bidder that
came into the room was sot upon in a moment, and obliged
either to allow the harpies to bid for him or leave the place
in disgust.

A friend of mine, a wino-merchant in the city, came de-
termined to make many purchases. I told him the system
that was being carried on, and he very boldly began bid-
ding on his own account. In a moment the scoundrels
were upon him ; they badgered, bullied, and worried him
to that intense degree that he was absolutely obliged to
give it up as hopeless and retire in vexation.
What was the regult ? The proceeds of the sale were
£207 12s. 6d., which, with all deductions of auctioneer's
fees, expenses,,and advertisements, left a margin of £156 6s.
And the minimum valuation was £450. It was tho hand-
some furniture of a large mansion, and it had beenremoved
from Weymouth about two years ago at a cost of £6O.
Now, sir, there was lost to this widow lady £3OO in ono
day by this crying abuse ; will you not try to stop the evil
for others ? I write simply for the benefit of the public,
for before I, or any ono for whom I stood guardian, would
submit again to the annoyance, worry, and grievous dis-
appointment of a sale of furniture in London by public
auction, I would keep the things till the sth of November,
and make friends with all the little urchins of my parish
to burn them and do away with them for nothing.
And how is this evil to be abated ? Let all would-be
purchasers determine to employ no " commission agent"
under any circumstances whatever. Let every respect-
able auctioneer place a placard in front of Lis desk, warning
the public from having any communication with the vaga-
bonds, and they will soon learn to keep civil tongues in
their heads, and behave in a proper, tradesmanlike manner.
It is a matter of the deepest consequence, and I do not
doubt but that when once it is publicly noticed, some abler
pen than mine will lay the system before you in all its hide-
ous rascality.

[ADVERTISEMENT.]—That the fearful annual mortality of
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In tins, 11b, 2s 9d; 21b, 4s 61 ; bib, lls ; 121 b, 22s ; 241 b,
10s.—Barry Du Barry and Co., No. 77, Regent-street, London;
also Phillips, tea dealers, 8, King William-street ; likewise
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John's-wood, London; and all respectable grocers and ohs•
mists.—Beware of spurious imitations.