The Jasper weekly courier., 1874-10-09

money, compliance with their demands.
Now, AZ Is very evident that the officers ofa
bank wouldnot allow subordinate or SUI
bordinates TO rob patron Of the instltu-
hon In so peremptory and bars-faced 4
manner. and permit him 10 pocket the
procecls. There Is, unquestionably, dis
Vision OF the spoils, and tho lawyer, very
probably, surrendered two-thirds or per-
haps throe-fnurths the money thus plum
dered. This would give him handsome
sum. and a. the savings banks are con-
stantly lending money. the position woSki
be worth good $1,000 year 10 him. An
other way Is foe the bank % throw all
loans into the hands of broker. who al
vertises loans on real estate. IL you ap-
ply for accommodation TO the bank You
are informed that they have no money 10
lend, but YOU are casually informed that
the broker in question adyertlses 10 loan
on real estate. You seek him, but are
told that in addition 10 the enormous ex-
pense OF conyeyancing already alluded To,
YOU will have to paya rate Of one per cent.
as brokerage. y big slice of this emolu-
ment und0uotatliv finds It's way into the
hands of The bank btiicerS, in addition TO
that already received through their law
yer. From these facts. which are incon-
Iestable, IL Will be seen that, borrowing
money on nal estate mortgage in New
York City Is rather expensive business.
The same mode of operation obtains
among the less reputable and shaky in
surance companies, although the better
class recognize the system as swindling,
pure and simple.
THE THREE GOLDEN BALLS.
Lower in the Grade OF money lenders
come the pawnbfokers. and the metropo-
lis fairly swarms with them. Some of
them are backed by a considerable amount
of capital. and DO business up town among
the filshionables. They display no s,gn,
that the handsome brown stone man sion
where so many people are constantly CALI
ing between four In the afternoon and
midnight. was nothing more than pawn
shop. There is more borrowing done by
so-csilled fashionable people upon pledges
in New York than the world w0ts of. and
the loans made are OF the most extortion-
ate and grinding character. This fact has
brought into existence a class Of brokers
who, instead of compelling the attendance
of patrons az their offices. call where their
assistance is needed. LII fashionable wo-
man finds herself in want of money and
cannot obtain il of her husband. or does
not ask him. the money lcnder is her next
resort. He calls while the husband is
away at his business, takes in the situation.
and advances the money required, taking
therefor mortgage upon the carpets. pier
glass, plano, statuary. and everything else
in the room. enough TO coter the amount
of the loan fifty or hundred times. The
rate of interest is often hundred per
cent. although the law allows but two per
cent. month. But the willy broker knows
n k... oh
out danger % himself. and he knows, too.
that it will be paid. The borrower could
not afford exposure. and fears of that in
sure prompt payment of the interest. The
advertisements of these financiers will be
found i'm mot OF the New York papers.
Even this city boasts two or three Offices
where business OF this kind is carried on.
and whose proprietors are reported 10 do
very extensive business. These are the
gentry who advertise TO loan money on
carpets, pianos and furniture. without re-
moyal." and whose regular rate OF inter-
est is tive per cent. a month.
In all great cities there are instances OF
sudden and appalling poverty. Ruinous
speculation. intrigue and intemperance are
constantly reducing the rich 10 want and
the vices and wants of tine laboring classes
are constantly plunging them in extreme
misery. When family begins to 60 down
hill, and neither can nor will work or beg.
the pawnbroker Is resorted 10. and their
" neirlooms " rapidly 20 10 pledge. The
broker. from long practice. can tell the
value Of everything that il presented. He
can tell AT aglanee just how muchit would
bring at auction. and makes ii rule never
10 loan more than a quarter part Of that
sum upon IL. IL his offer il accepted, the
money is advanced. the entry made. the
ticket given, and the article Numbered and
shelved. The broker never talks more
than Is absolutely necessary: he makes no
acquainfances. and no trace is left of the
transaction save the ticket which entities
the holder to his property on payment Of
principal and interest before the end of the
year. IL Is curious that this business is al
most wholly nnonopolized by people Of
Jewish origin. and more curious still. that
II i often hereditary. One of the profess
sion in the Bowery is the fourth in lineal
descent who has kept up the business. IL
IL evident that the trs'e must be repul-
siye one To most people. since II feeds upon
the miseries and necessities OF the poor.
Those who follow il, however, claim that
they are justified, as they DO not create the
misfortunes which drive people to them.
and cannot be responsible for the results.
Their patrons inclnde all classes in society;
for misfortune is common 10 al. and mis-
cry makes strange bedfellows. Struggling
professional men are often compelled 20
seek temporary assistance from the pawn
broker. and the secret recesses Of the shop
often contain other things than watches
and i.welry. Cases Of medical inStru-
ments, medical and law books. micro
scopes and chemical apparatus. find place
by the side of carpcnter's tools. musical in
struments and actors costumes. The law
allows twelve months as an opportunity
of redeeming pledges,yet this chance is 20
seldom Improved that when an article Is
once placed In pawn IL Is gone forever.
The force of habit which brings a man TO
the pawnbrokcr's shop will keep him from
recovering his pledge nine times out of