St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1879-04-18
Our New York Letter.

Our New York Letter.
THE THREE BALLS IN MoURNING-DEATH
OF NEW YoRK's "UNCLE"-THE STORY
OF A PAwNBROKER-CURIO OF
HIS sHoP-THE DOG SHOW AT GIL
NOTES.-THE OTHER SHOW IN BROOK
LYN-REvEREND wRANGLERs.
New YORK, April IL, 1879.
To the Editor of the Caledonian
The death on Tuesday last of old
William Simpson, calls the mOmentary
attention of all New York to the i'm
mense pawnbroking business which is
carried on within her boundaries, and
of which the dead man was the most
venerable and hOnored representative.
Mr.. Simpson was an Englishman, but
came here when quite young, and at
once entered the employ of Walter
Stevenson, his uncle, who was the
founder of this peculiar business in
America. On the death of the latter,
young Simpson inherited the business,
which grew rapidly and steadily with
the growth of the city, until at last the
name of Simpson became thoroughly
Identified with the three golden balls,
and he himself was "my uncle" to the
whole metropolis. Several of his rela-
tives and descendants have at varions
times entered the family business, so
that the association of the name remains
to-day stronger than ever.
Mr.. Simpson, beside being dignified
and broad minded business man, quite
fa9hgs 9et tRt eRRasP khsaFt Of IF na 5%H
and extending not only sympathy, but
more substantial aid to many of his
customers whom he found deserving.
Notwithstanding such exhibitions of a
sentiment which is usually thought en-
tirely incompatible with his occupation,
he amassed n large fortune, leaving
great deal of real estate and one of the
handsOmest and best appointed subur-
ban residences in the state. The firm
from which he retired few years ago
receive something over hundred thou
sand pledges year, and loan about
81, 100000.
Mr.. Simpson was genial man and
full of anecdOte, and frequently related
with great zest some of the queer stories
that had come to his notice under the
three golden balls. And odd enough
some of them were, too; for man who
lends twenty-five cents to a tramp one
minute, and S50,000 to merchant the
next, necessarily leads curious and
an eventful life.
Everybody has heard or read more
or less about the quaint medley that
forms the contents of a large paYnshop !;
but no one can imagine it who has not
seen the sight for himself. In no other
place in the world is there such a
strange combination of merchandise.
Here he will find precious gems of the
finest lustre and cast-off clothing, fit
perhaps only for the rag-bag; oil paint
ings in gilt frames and musty smelling
bedding tied up in greasy quilts; must
cal instruments of every description,
and miscellaneous collection of boots
and shoes; statues and bronzes and
06Jets dart, and instruments of all kinds,
both for professional and mechanical
use; books in all languages, bibles and
albums, crockery, china, and glass
ware; silver plate and cutlery, opera
glasses and umbrellas, velvets and laces,
blankets and sheets. These miscellane-
GUS articles, and many others, are all
arranged, every pledge
oelng labeled by itself and assigned TO
It's place according to the nature of the
article, the date of it's entry, and other
considerations. Were it not fer The
system it would be impossible to find
the articles when they are needed for
redemption. As it is, the position of
every pledge is so well known that II
is found without difficulty.
L don't know as l ought to LET this
opportunity pass without giving vour
readers the benefit of little moralizino
on the subject of the pawnshon-its
mysteries and all that sort of tbing
1t strikes me, however, that have road
something of that sort before. and that
in all probability your readers have foo
90 1 tnlnk L will restrain myself. Be-
sue nave much more to say on the
subject somebody may begin to draw
uhWarrantable conclusions regarding
my own ultimate relations with ~mT
uncle" Let me hasten then to assure
you that all visits to the institution in
question have been made strictly in the
interest of news-loving public.
0limore's Garden, the arches of which
rung with the six days cheering of the
late International walking match. and
sui more recently with the fainter bnb-
bnb which attended an equally pro-
a but very tame contest among
dozen women, has this week been vocal
with the multitudinOus howlipo of q
Thousand or so aristocratic dogs. whose
presence there was due to the amb;tion
OF thelr fond owners to capture a prize
at the Third Annual Bench Show Of
the Westminster Kennel Club. The
two previous exhibitions of like natnre
were highly successful, and the one inst
closed has been still more so. The at.
tendance has been enormous in no;nt
OF numbers, and of such character as
70 leave no doubt of the interest which
the best society, as well as the lowest