Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-03-31
TIE SIMPSON FAMILY.
BaId.Headed Men In the Three
Bali business. 4

N. l. Tribune March2S.l -ief /
There is wrath in the hearts Of the
children Of the tribe of Ben Simpson
aud CONSERVATION among those who
do business under the sign of the
three balls. This is all on account of
Assemblyman Began, Of this city, who
has introduced in the Legislature a
bill providing that pawnbrokers doing
business with a capital ct $4,000 shall
pay 500 for their license, and an
additional $25 for every $1,000 capital
above that sum. 1t also provides that
they shall give surety in the sum OF
$1,000 for the observance Of the ordi /
nances regulating their business, keep
a record Of everything pawned in their
shops and make daily report to the
Captain of the police precinct in which
they do business. The bill allows no
greater interest than II per cent, and
afixes penalty of 500 for the viola
ton of any of its provisions. No loan,
under this bill, can be made to a
person under eighteen years of age,
and pawnbrokers are required to send
written notices to the owners of un
claimed goods ten days before their
annual sales. 5000
A Tribune reporter started
out on tour of inspection Of the
pawnbrobers' shops in the Bow
cry and It's tributaries the other day,
and he found that the major part
Of the men engaged in the business
we're named Simpson. or at least they
were doing business under that name
There we're Irish Simpsons, Yankee
Simpsons and Simpsons that we're
Hebrews, and the whole tribe we're
indignant at the action of Mr.. Began.
The first shop visited by the reporter
was presided over by business.like
man with bald head, which shone in
the light of a chance sunbeam. A
woman was trying to negotiate loan,
offering a calico dress as collateral Sc
curity. When the dress had been
carefully examined and the loan re-
fused, the man said: Il have nothing
to say, and he proceeded to say it to
the following affect: II am ready to
close up this store tomorrow, and
will, il that bill passes. Why, no
pawnbroker that dose q square bust
ness could stand it. 1t would simply
crowd out respectable men and have
'snides' in their places, that's what it
will do!'
At another shop swartby son Of
Israel exclaimed: "Oh, de bill de
bill If de bill is passed we vas all
ruined. We vas poor peoples, We
pounbrokers. Our money list all bor-
rowed. We never make livin' nit dat
bill" And he trotted off to attend to
a customer.
1t was nearing 6 o'clock when the
reporter entered a place in Pearl
street. 1t was a large store Of its
kind, and all around, on shelves, we're
goods Of every conceivable character,
clothing, bed clothes, jewelry, hats,
musical instruments--in fact, every
thing that man buys in prosperity aid
parts with only in the deepest adver-
sity. The place was crowded with
men and women bearing in baskets,
or concealed under their shawls or
coats, articles on which they hoped to
realize a sufficient sum TO satisfy their
necessities or crafty their vices
Some were, apparently, respectable
people in hard luck" who offered
their articles hesitatingly, as If
ashamed of the poverty they could not
hide. Others were the very wrecks
Of humanity, stranded on the rocks of
circumstance and beaten upon by the
storms of adversely, and they came up
to the counter with hang dog, D
Jail bird" air, which was as good as a
Judges Certificate that the articles
they offered had been stolen. The
proprietor Of the shop was very be
nevolent looking man, and, as he
gazed at the reporter over his gold
trimmed spectscles, said it would be
very hard on the poor if Mr.. Bogan's
bill was passed, for it would certainly
close all the regular pawnshops. This
was the opinion everywhere, the
pawnbrokers threatening to put up
their shutters and take down their
signs if the bill passed.