Des Arc weekly citizen., 1868-10-20
GIFT ENTERPRusEs.
A Look Inslde-The Logic Of Peter Funk-The Rationale Of the Thfng-HOw they Fix their vlctlms-The Police POyyerless.

| "A Pltdouut WlitCi III IlOuIb ut llOiuc for October thus describes the interior rationale and workings of one of these National Banks of Deposit:
 First calling upon police magistrate with whom I am acquainted, and ob- taining his signature across the back of one of my cards, proceeded forthwith to the office of Bark, Bite < Co. l found it, as designated in their adver- tisements and circulars, located in the lower part of Broadway, surrounded by the offices of bankers, brokers, insu- rance companies, etc. Their rooms were handsomely fitted up, in the man. ner usual to brokers and bankers. An iron railing, behind which were several desks, seperated the manipulaters of the 'Garroters and Robbers Grant Presentation Enterprise" from the ordinary mortals having business with them. At each of the six or seven desks sat sickly looking clerk, engag- ed in entering names in ledgcrs, ad- dressing circulars to confiding victims, or preparing fresh announcements to catch new ones.
 NON EST FAMILY.
 A brisk young Englishman, who spoke with truly British disregard for his "h's," and who pronounced "g' Hike 'sk," bustled' up to the ccanter, and said:
 "Can hi do anything for you, sir P
 "Is Mir. Bark in ?" I asked.
 "No, sir" was the reply, ''ees gone to Washington,
 'Is Mir Bite in?
 "No, sir, Ices gone to Boston, and won't be back till Chewsday week. Can't attend to you?" pressed the young gentleman.
 'Is Mir. Go. in ?" continued I.
 ''Mr. 'oo sir"
 ''Mr. Co.,, the other partner, or any other partner or agent, or manager. wish to see some responsible person.
 "Oh, no, sir" said the clerk, "there's none of the partners seldom ere you know-the business ere hall done by manager, but 'ecs bout at present.
 AN OPEN SESAME.
 gave the young man my card and said should be happy to see the mana ger at my office at his earliest convcn- fence. The clerk looked at my name and then at the signature of the police magistrate, with which he seemed particularly impressed. His manner changed instantly, and dropping his half impudent, self-important "chafti- ing tone, he said respectfully, that the manager would be sure to call on me at once.
 THE PRINCIPALS.
 may here remark that I have since called at the office several times. and have never been able as yet to see any one of the gentlemen who are announ- ced as the directors of the scheme. The business is always transacted through the medium of cheap and im- pudent clerks, who are employed prin- cipally on account of the readiness with which they can badger, blackguard, and bully persons who, like myself, call to ''obtain satisfaction" In nine cases out off ten they will so abuse the seeker for information that he would rather abandon his claim than again run that gauntlet of profanity and obsceni- ty. Bark, Bite X Co.,, may possibly ex- ist bodily in the flesh, but if so, they keep themselves so completely in the background that one is led to believe that 'there ain't no such person.
 MONSIEUR THE MANAGER.
 In accordance with promise made to me, person styling himself "the New York manager for the Garroters and Robbers Enterprise" called to see me. He was sharp, shrewd, business like, loquaeious young man, and we soon got into general conversation regarding the gift enterprise business, during which he gave me some infor- nation regarding that particular branch of swindling which l deem it worth while to repeat.
 The name of my friend, the magis- trate, was undoubtedly the key which unlocked Mir Managers tongue.
 GETTING THE LAW ON 'EM'
 These gift enterprise swindlers con duet their 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 arrested by the police authorities. their places of business entered, their mails, consisting of hundreds ofmoney- letters. have been sized. yet in every in- stance the rascals have escaped punish ment, and in the end succeeded in com- polling the authorities to restore all the property seized. The reason is this every ticket which they sell claims to be ticket of admission to a sgrand concert" and this is held to be valua- ble consi iteration for the money paid, and hence perfectly legitimate tram saction--a simple case of buying and selling goods.
 THE swINDLEn's RATIONALE.
 "You pay your money for that" said the New York manager to me. "Ii promises nothing, and you get what il promises. You may be notified that you have drawn aprize, valued at S200 and you send us the five per cent. asked for--we send you watch valued al $500 but worth S20-what are you going to do about it2 What does youI