The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1870-05-25
The Ways Of the Wicked.

A New York correspondent, who
was himself for thirty years engaged
in mercantile operations in that city,
writes
The business men of New York are
very dishonest. This know from
olose experience. they have certain
"tricks Of trade," as they are called,
which are nothing lers than absolute
stealing. Boxes Of Caetile soap and
similar goods are sold to country Gus.
toners, who little think that they pay
for boz and all at full price. The
cheating on tnrc is outrageous. Tea
in chests is estimated ut twenty
pounds tare, which is always allowed
by the importer, but country dealer
seldom gets ntoro tlian oigbtscn
pounds. On half chests, twelve pounds
Is allowed, while at the same time the
dcalor marks the chests up pound or
two. This marking up of weight Ger"
responds TO the marking down Of tarcs.
Casks Of sugar, which few country
merchants can weigh, are often mark
ed up twenty pounds, and sometimes
fifty pounds. They tell good story
of old H H--<-,a we'll known
grocer on the north side, who was
notorious for his boldncss in this line.
The old man became at one time some
what ptous, and whom In such franc
was asked by clerk who had sold a
cask of sugar if he "should 60 it twcn-
ty pounds "No, Johnny" was the
reply, "don't 60 over 10, for Tm under
concern of mind" Molasses, spirits,
turpcntiue and other liquids are gaug
ed up, which is very easily done. An
original gauge mark of say 81 gullous
can be easily altered into 81, by us.
ing gauger's "scube" in q neat man
ner. If that is not enough, turn of
the scube can change the 81 iuto 35.
AS q general rule, with many dealers.
from one to three gallons are made 10
each cask. Provision dealers steal in
different manner. Barrels of mack
erel arc opened in the bottom head,
and from twenty to thirty pounds are
removed, and the space filled up with
salt. When the retailer opens the
barrel he always takes tho top head,
aud here all looks right, but when he
gets to the bottom he finds half
bnshel more of salt than he expected
Pork and beef are also thus stolen,
and hence our govurnm ont supp]ies
arc often short, and men suffer severe
ly in consequence.
have referred to but few of the
different branches Of robbery perpe-
trated among what are called honnra-
Bile men, for complete statement
would fill volume. Ono further in
stance hay be Cited, and this is the
fraud in essential oils. 1t is next to
impossible for any country druggist
to buy u pure article of oil lemon, oil
bergamot, oil organum. or any similar
oils The reason of this is that spirits
Of turpontine mixes so naturally with
these articles that detection is almost
impossible. In these oils our whole
sale druggists make enormous profits.
Carrying out this idea, bold drug
g'st contrived not only to cheat coun-
try customers, but also to fleece the
trade at large. TO do this he ern ploy-
cd machiuist to initiate the metallic
seals which tho manufacturers put
upon the cans. These cans he would
unsolder, and then steal about one
tenth of the oil: and 6ll it up with
spirits of turpentine, and then apply
tho counterfeit seals. These cans
would then 60 into the hands of
drug broker, and would be sold to
tho trade as pure from distiller's
hands. This operator know we'll.
He is nothing but thief, and yet in
society he is a ssgentlemen." He has
fine house md lives in style, but
ietribution may yet reach him, and
though slow, It may be sure.