Tama County Republican. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1867-1872, 1868-12-17
S + l. &c T MIS- CELL AN
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GIFT ENTERPRISES.

Il Look Inside--7he Logic Of Pfter Funk
The Rationale Of The 7zing-Kou
They Fsx Their Tictims-TAe Police
Po,oerless, $c.
A pleasant writer in Hours at Home,
for October, thus describes the interi-
or rationale and workings of one of
these national banks OF deposit in New
York:
First calling upon police magis-
trate with whom l am acquainted and
obtaining his signature across the back
Of one OF my cards, proceeded forth
with to the Office Of Bark, Bite & Co
| found it, as designated in their ad-
vertisements and circulars, located in
the lower part Of Broadway, surround
ed by the Offices of bankers, brokers,
insurance companies, etc. Their rooms
were handsomely fitted up, in man
ncr usual to brokers and bankers. An
iron railing, behind which were sever
al desks, separated the manipulators OF
the "Garrotcrs and Robbers Grand
Presentation Enterprise from the or
dlnary mortafs having business with
them. At each Of the six or seven
desks sat sickly looking clerk, engag-
cd i'll entering names in ledgers, ad-
dressing circulars to contiding victims,
or preparing fresh announcements to
catch new ones.
A NON EST FAMILY.
A brisk young Englishman, who
spike with a truly British disregard
for his his" and who pronounced "g''
like *" hustled up to the counter and
said.
"Can hi do anythink for you, sir?"
is Mr.. Bark in | asked.
NO, SIR was the reply, ices gone
to Washington"
"Is Mr.. Bite in -
" o;::No,.sir--,'ees gone to Boston. and
Can't attend TO you, sir =. Bfekswea
the young gentleman.
us Mr.. Go. in" continued l.
MIR. 90, SIR"
mir. 20. the other partner, or any
other partner or agent, or .pa"-oN' l
wish to see some Responsible person.
"Oh, no, SIR said the clerk, there's
non. of -she partners seldom ere, You
know-thc business ere is hall done
by a manager, but 'ees hout at present.
AN OPEN SESAME.
l gave the young man my card and
said l should he happy to see the man
ager at nv Office at his earliest eonven-
ience. The clerk looked at my name
and then at the signature of the police
with which he seemed par
impressed. His manner chang
cd instantly, and dropping his haii-im-
pudent, self.important chatting tone,
lie said respectfully, that the manager
would be sure to call on me at once.
S. THE PRINCIPALS.
l may here remark that l have since
called at the office several times, and
have never been able as yet to see any
one OF the gentlemen who are announc-
ell as Directors OF the SC heme. The
business is always transacted through
the medium >,ot cheap and impndent
clerks, nxho unemployed principally
on account gfNhe readiness with which
they caa, badger, blackguard, and lu!ly
persons who, like myself, call to ''ob-
tain satAtaction" In nine cases out Of
ten thcyfwillSso abuse the seeker for
lntormatiWn that he would rather aban-
don hiSblainh than again run that CANT
let of profanity and obsceni,y. Bark,
Bite & Co. may possibly exist bodily
in the flesh, but If so, they keep them
selves socompletely in the background
that one is led to believe ''there amt
no such. persons"
iNoy3EuR THE MANAGER.
In accordance with the promise made
TO me-, a person styling himself the
New York manager for the Garroters'
and Rohbcrs's Enterprise called to see
me. Tfc was sharp, shrewd, business
like, lolnacious young man, and we
soon got into general conversation
the gift enterprise business,
during which he gave me some intor-
mationrcgard,ng that particular branch
OF swindling whi,h | deem it worth
while to repeat.
10 The name OF my friend, the magis-
trate, was undoubtedly the key which
MIR. Managers tongue.
.r.,aErTING THE LAW on EN-.
These gift enterprise swindlers con
duet .theif business so as to be within
the law, and although the attempt to
punish them has frequently been made,
it never has succeeded. They have
been arre sted by the police authorities,
their places OF business entered, their.
mails, consisting OF hundreds OF money
letters, have been seized. yet in every
instance the rascals have escaped pun
ishmcnt, and in the end succeeded i'll