Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-02-01
THE wAGONBOG sxsrEsr.
Smooth Way for the Collection of
Small Debts-A New Reign of Terror
Innuxurated.


A new way of collecting old debts has
been introduced in some Of the large cities
East, and the system is moving this way,
having arrived at Cincinnati on its way
South. Dead beats in this community would
therefore do well to prepare for the s'wagon-
ing" system, which is said to work like a
charm.
As to the modus operandi of this new
commercial enterprise, the Cincinnati Coms
mercidI tells the story in full. A neatly
dressed, fair-faced youth called up on
the editors of that paper a few
days ago, and stated that the presence of a
reporter was desired as quickly as conve-
nient, at the Office of the "Retail Trade
Protection Agency" No. 152 West Fourth
street, second floor. One of the reporters
accompanied the gentle youth, and was
presently ushered into apartments in the
rear part of the second floor aforementioned.
The first room had all the appearance of an
Office in which business might be transact
ed in the course of time. Back of the rail-
ing were several desks, around which
lounged two or three men, who appeared to
be waiting for an event. On the north side
of the room a partition, with a glazed glass
door, cut off the managers Office
private"
The reporter was shown to a seat at a
desk by a swarthy young gentleman, who
introduced himself as Mr.. Laurie j. Blake
", ''attoruey for Cincinnati" of the afore-
said institution. Mr.. Blakely asked if he
could procure the publication Of an item in
his journal, which was agreed to, the item
being as follows:
esquire Mclean today had before him
a ease which attracted considerable atten-
ton, on account Of its peculiar nature and
the parties concerned. Mr.. w. G. Bassen-
horst, merchant tailor doing business on
Vine street, this city, placed an account
against Eugene Kothe, a music teacher,
in the hands of the Retail Trade Protection
Agency for collection. The Agency, re-
Gently. established in this place for the pro-
lection of the retail trade, proceeded to
collect the claim by sending Mr.. Kothe a
notice informing him that it had been
placed i'll their hands, and requesting him
to call and settle. Mr.. Kothe, it seems,
preferred his own mode of settlement,
which he proceeded to execute by writing
Mr.. Bassenhorst letter threatening him
with divers and sundry things, among
which was threat to prosecute Mr.. Bas-
senhorst for Eigning receipt in 1860 with
| out having affixed a revenue stamp,
should he proceed to collect the claim.
Mr.. Bassenhorst, however, not soaring to
any alarming amount, instructed the agency
| to proceed, and meanwhile swore out a
warrant against Kothe, charging him with
having written threatening letter, with in
tent to intimidate and extort valuables from
him. On the hearing, considerable testi-
mony was adduced, pro and con-, and the
argument of defendants counsel contained
! much good advice to the manager of the
agency, Mr.. Waite, as to the trouble he
might encounter in his collecting enter
priseS, claiming also that his client was
making no unlawful nor malicious threats
in promising Mr.. Bassenhorst a prosecu-
ton. Squire Mel can, hsweVer, held that
it never was intended, in affixing penalties
for violating revenue or other laws, that
| they should be made the means of intimi-
dating parties from attempting the collec-
ton of their Just debts. He therefore held
the defendant for his appearance at court.
Mr.. Blakely for the State; Mr.. Peck for the
defense"
The matter of the publication of Mr..
Blakely's item having been settled, third
party ushered himself into the private room,
! introduced by Mr.. Blakely as Mr.. Albert
George Waite-no less a parsonage than
the manager of the Retail Trade Protec-
ton Agency"
Mr.. Waite appeared to the reporter very
formidable person-the reporter having only
Mr.. Waite's statements and his personnel
to judge from, however. Mr.. Waite imme-
diately entered into an enthusiastic descrip-
ton of the workings of the Retail Trade
Protection Agency, for the benefit of the
privileges reporter, relieving Mr.. Blakely of
that job very gracefully. He spoke some
what as follows:
'.I'm from Baltimore, Mr.. -, where l
have established an agency of this kind,
which is now in successful operation
there, countenanced by some of the best
retail houses of that city. l beg to refer
you (handing over a printed circular) to
this list of the names Of prominent business
men there as references. l have sold out
my interest there, taking the company's
notes, and have located here. That is to
say, reside in Covington, where have al
ready quite number of subscribers. By
the way, have you seen our wagon ?"
HOW HE "wAGoNs" A MAN.
The reporter was forced to admit that he
hadn't seen sour wagon" having been
housed few days past.
Mr.. Waite-I didn't know but you'd seen
it. The wagon plays an important part
sometimes in our business system, We
only use it on a man as a last resort, how
ever-when we become satisfied that he's
"dead beat" as they say.
hlr. Blakely-Yes, the last thing we do is
to "wagon man."
Reporter-Oh, you call it "wagoning a
man." do you?
Blakely-Yes; ha! ha!
Waite-That's it; he! he!
RepSrter-I see; ha! ha! Decidedly
funny.
Waite-Yes; but only as a last resort,
you know. We don't want to ''wagon" a
man unless we are sure he's dead beat.
Reporter-How's it managed?
Waite-Well, our wagon is gaily painted
affair-sure to attract general attention. On
it is painted "Protection Agency" and "Bad
Debts Collected" We have two collectors
in this wagon-one to drive and the other
to present the bill. This wagon never
stops before door unless there's bad case
inside of that door. Of course if it stops
everybody sees what it means. The col
lectOr goes inside and presents the bill to
the dead beat. If the fellow happens to be
employed at that place, his employer isn't
going to stand that very long. As matter
Of course we are
PREPARED TO TAKE CARE OF OURSELVES.
l send out only stout, able bodied men,
who can fight if necessary; and then we
carry weapons, in which the authorities will
sustain US. And | am not man to send |
a collector where will not 60 myself But |
these are unpleasant portions Of the bust
ness.
Mr.. Waite here sounded bell. The lad |
made his appearance from the other room,
received an order, and speedily reappeared, |
staggering under the load of an enormous
mass of paper and binding, done up into
bigger book than our reporter ever expects |
to see again short of the recording angels !
big ledger.
Mr.. Waite went on to explain, here, how
systematic the business of the agency was
to be conducted, by means of entries in this /
book and others, which were always to be
accessible to subscribers. Here, under re-
gular headings, all the necessary notes were
to be made. Subscribers would be known
only by nHmbers on these books, and
would be safe in telling anything they
might know about anybody. The
entries as TO character were not to be made !