The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-11-29
THE FOOL FISHERY.
The OrOide WatcI, Trade-EXtent of tho Bnsi-
ness and How IL IL COnductCd-A ChaDTer
Tor the Benefit Of Rural Eehtlemen.


Tor the benefit Of Rural gentlemen.
From tie y. Y. Sun Of Noe. %.
just as tares and wheat grow together in a field
so fools and knaves thrive side by side in large city
like New York. Noman can he safe from the snares
OF the latter for the more extensive any Legitimate
business is the greater nducement it offers to knaves
and swudlers to counterfeit it. In nothing is this
truth so apparent as the watch trade.
THE NUMBER OF BOGUS DEALERS.
ters and wholesale traders, besides large army of
retail dealers and others, who are every year beaten
in their business 10y the bogus watch importer,
backed by about fifty dealers III the goods Not less
than 100000 OF these bogus and orode watches were
sold in this country last year, and the demand is
continually increasing, the number disposed OF this
current year probablyeXcced this Their shops are
usually slowed away in little Railways i'll dark base
ments, or up two three flights OF stairs in some
deal of traNc on other accounts The eyteSt 0f
their profits is almost fabulous for, being in an ille-
gitimate business, conceived and carried on in de
ception and fraud, these dealers have no scruples
about the means OF dlsposing OF their wares
TRADE TRICKS OF THE BOGUS.
Besides Keeping their little shops as make-b
or legitimate business, theyusuay have spoilers out
the street corners to inyeigle unwary strangers
into their dens. And when once within the charmed
circle, the fate OF the countryman is as certain as
that of the fly in the fable, who walked
1guratively. Another means of disposing of the
counterfeit goods is TO place spoilers at the various
railroad and steamboat depos and landings, where,
by trick and device, they seduCe the ignorant and
unwary into purchasing their worthless stock; or
and ingratiate themselves into the good esteem of
some young blood who is possessed of more money
than brains become hard up, pledge watch or two
with him or them for double or treble the value, ana
OF course never seek to redeem the goods.
IMMENSE INCOMES OF THE BOGUS.
Indeed 30 extensive is the business transacted by
OF the bogus watch dealers that of them on
Broadway boldly proclaims the character Of his
trade, and yet, we understand sells from $4,000 to
duped ana swinded, and, like gambling or drinking
or any other passion, when this desire to gain mil
lion by investing a thousand in lottery, or
which is the same thing differently applied, the pas
sion to get $3.50 gold watch for 81 in paper, grows
upon man. ho actually places himself in positions
able man, who viii not take thing without render
ing, fun equivalent, can never be deceived by
such himsy shows. And yet some We-meanlng men
are very often deceived by these sharp ana shrewd
ones.
HOw 1T is DONE.
Every matchmaker understands full well that to
insure servceable article every plate, pin cog and
wheel III those ttmeReepers must be made and
finished with the utmost mathematical accuracy. A
failure or flaw in any particular is fatal to the whole
| And every man who has carried IA watch for any
length OF time is also aware Of the trouble and
! tion which loose screw or tightened spring may
! give him lie may not know the cause bat he is
! familiar with the fact.
In Switzerland the several pieces that go to make
the complete watch are made at separate factories
| remote from each other and the matchmaker is the
! party who puts the different pieces together The
Matchmaker purchases his stock by the thousand or
ten thousand pieces from the different factories AS
| a consequence OF such want of system in making
the different pieces, there are always large quanti-
ties improperly finished and imperfect. These inn
perfect pieces again slightly altered and put to-
! gether and constitute the movement for the orode
| watch. These movements are placed in brass
| cases, manufactured for this very purpose, cost
| ing about seventy-flYe cents each, and eX-
| ported TO England and America, where it has
been dnitely Settled the greatest number OF fools
| exist. The French Government will not admit
them unless they truly and correctly described,
| and the English Government places them under the
ban in so far as TO prohibit the use OF genuine names
or trade marks; but like our own Government, it
reaps profit from their importation and sale,
| These are the famous oroide watches They are
worth, according to some OF the largest genuine
practical dealers and watchmakers in this city, from
81 so to "a each. The very best quality cost but s55
dozen. They sell in the bogus stores for from 81 TO
| s25 each, and, as our City Marshal TooKer's COM
| these sums.
| ADOPTING GENUINE TRADEMARKS.
To make the fraud more complete and the better
to deceive the too gullibe public, the orOde dealers
adopt the trademarks OF respectable manufacturers,
ana advertise in the same style and far possible
I in the same papers throughout the country the
legitimate manufacturers and dealers. For Instance,
! these dealers know that the watches made at Wal
/ than are known by their different trademarks and
numbered in proper order, and that the gold cases
everywhere stamped, indicating whether 1t is ID,
1G, is carat fine; and that the silver cases are all
marked coin silver, and american Watch Co y
stamped on the case. Thus the American Watch
Company makes watch bearing the well-known
trademark OF r. S. Bartlett, Watham, Mass. on
/ the imitation watch, Bartlett is marked "Bartley,
Waldham indicating clearly purpose TO deceive,
and is sold by the bogus dealers, with the private
marks, numbers, and everything except that ''Wal-
than" is spelled "Waldham." The uninitiated
would hardly detect the substitution of the letter
"d' for st" in this fraud, and yet there Ia no such
! city or town in Massachusetts, as Waldham, and OF
course the rogues know IT, but their dupes do not
GUARANTEEING THE ORoIDEs
We examined the store OF Q. r. Collins Co.
wishing 10 see The styles OF watches they so iree:y