The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1870-04-13
Tricks Of Trade.
HOW NEW YORK MERCHANTS sWINDLE
THEIR COUNTRY CUSTOMERS.

"Macaulay," the New York cores
pondent of the Rochester Democrat,
makes very serious charges against
some of the New York merchants.
"Macaulay" for thirty years and more
was engaged in the mercantile BUSH
ness in that city:
THIEvING AMONG sIERCIIANTs.
The business men of New York are
very dishonest. This know from close
experience. They have certain tricks
of trade,n as they are called, which are
nothing less than absolute stealing.
Boxes of CASTLE soap and similar goods
are sold to country customers, who lit
tie think that they pay for box and all
ut full price. The cheating ON tare is
outrageous. Tea in chests is estima-
ted ut twenty pounds tare, which is al
ways allowed by the importer, but a
country dealer seldom gets more than
eighteen pounds. On half chests II
pounds is allowed, while at the same
time the dealer marks the chests up IL
pound or two. This marking up of
weight corresponds to the marking
down OF tares. Casks, of sugar, which
few country merchants can weigh, are
often marked up twenty pounds, and
sometimes fifty pounds. They tell a
good story of old II. H., well known
grocer on the north side, who was no
tofious for his holiness in this line.
The old man became at one time some
what pious, and when in such frame
was asked by clerk who had sold a
casll of sugar n he "should go it 20
ponnds.n "No, johnny was the re-
| ply, "don't 90 over 10, for Pm under
concern of mind.n Molasses, SPIRITS,
tnrpentine and other liquids are gang
ed up, which is very easily done. An
original gauge mark Of say 81 gallons
can be easily altered into "a, by using
gaugers's 'scuhc" in a neat manner
II that is not enough, IA turn of the
scube can change the 81 into 35. As 4
general rule with many dealers, from
one TO three gallons are made in eacl
cask. Provision dealers steal in {
different manner Barrels Of mackere
are opened in the bottom head, arc
from twenty to thirty pounds are re-
moved, and the space filed up will
salt. When the retailer opens the bar
rel he always takes the top head, ant
here AL looks right, but when he get
to the bottom he finds half bushe
more of salt than ne expected. Porl
and beef are also thus stolen, and hence
our government supplies are Otter
!, short. and men suffer severely in con
sequence.
have referred to but a few of tn
different branches of robbery perpe
trated among what are called honora
I BILE men for complete statemen
would fill volume. One further in
i, stance may be cited, and this is tn
fraud in essential oils. 1t is next t
impossible for any country druggist t
buy pure article of oil lemon, oil ber
eamnt, oil organum, or any similar oils
: The reason of this is that spirits of tui
: pentinc mixes so naturally with thes
articles that detection is almost impos
= Sible. In these oils Your wholesal
druggists makeenormous profits. Car
rying ont this idea. Il bold druggi:
!, contrived not only to cheat countr
= customers, but also to fleece the trad
e at large. To do this he employed
;, machlnist to initiate the metallic sea
, when TIE mdnutactufef put upon u
cans. These cans lie would unsolde
and then steal about one tenth of Il
oil, and ill itup with sp liis of tn
= pentine. and then apply the counte
- felt seal These cans would then !
= into the hands OF a drug broker, al
:. would he sold to the trade as pu
~ from the distiller's hand. This oper
tor Il know WE'LL He is nothing but
=, thief, and yet in society he is i; "ge
y tleman." He has. fine house and liv
:" in style, but retribution may y
:, reach him, and though slow it may
:" Slire