Omaha daily bee., 1883-01-30
PEOPLE WHO DON'T PAY.
How TailOrS, jewelers. and Other
TradeSmGn Lose by Bad
Debts.
Numbers of Citizens Who Man
age to Live Elegantly and
in Great Comfort by
Cheating Trades
men.
oax.1 nHathlAa nf TnIlanttnn Rad
Some Methods of Collecting Bad
Debts

impossible TO run a frat class store on
q strictly cash basis, but after all the
bad debts don't amount to anything
like a much as you would think"
A we'll known halter was talking to
q Press reporter, who was truitlessly
trying to ind a silk hat that would ut
a Uranium on which the organ of in
qu~isitiveness was abnormally devel.
oped.
soar bad debts for the past year"
he continued, Twill not exceed
$1,000. Now you may call that one.
half of l per cen on our gross tax
ings, q fair estimate, l think. So
there is not very much to quarrel
about"
81 suppose some bills you do event.
uslly collec. caused you a great deal
of trouble before you got the money!
"You suppose rightly, only instead
of a great deal you should say infinite,
and in place of trouble substitute
time, labor, loss of temper and exer-
else CT ingenuity"
"Are there any classes of customers
that are notably long-winded in pay.
Ing up2"
''Bloods, fashionable young men,
darlings of society, want more running
after than all the rest of our custom
ers. Many of them appear to think
than an equivalent for the cash value
of the goods supplied. DO I eve in
tend to pay you, my good fellow said
one of these bright ornaments of socie.
ty the other day, when 1 called on him
for the fifteenth time, requesting psy'
ment of along overdue account. Why,
of course l do; but if I had supposed
you would have dunned me ia this
deucedly unpleasant manner, why,
hang me if I wouldn't have bought my
hats of - Idevoutly wished he
had, but as he il we'll connected it
didn't do to say 80. 1t seems some
times as though these bad payers and
non-payers HAD a regularly arranged
formula which they g. Through reiig-
iously before settling a bill, or use III
fencing off the creditors until the day
arrives when they find 1t convenient
to depart for unknown regions.
"After sending In three duplicate
accounts, you call and politely request
Immediate payment. why, really,
you know, you seem to be in a great
harry for your money. 1 will call in
q day or two and pay the account.
Good morning!" This, with a digni-
fed, injured air. Two weeks elapse
and you call again, "Hsllo, Mr.. Blank,
how. dye.do! Called about that little
account? Sorry I can't do anything
for you to-day. I'm In q deuce of q
hurry, just going to lunch with my
uncle; mustn't keep the old boy wait.
Ing or he'll strike me out of his will.
Ia, ia. Look in again in a week or
So This style may be termed the
familiar which usually leads up TO The
confidential at the next visit. Before
you have time to speak when you call
again the society debtor has you fixed
In a loungtng chair with an open
cigar casa under your nose. Needn't
be afraid to smoke one, my dear FOL.
low, thoy cost nue. $3.50 a thousand.
Now look here aboutthat little account.
You really must not bother me for a
few weeks. Fact is, I'm doucedly
hard up just at present, got badly
dipped In oil last week and must set.
tie up. Matter Of honor and all that
sort Of thing, you know Well, with
variations this sort Of thing goes or
for six months or 80 and then n day
with ire III your heart and anger in
your eye you meot ycur nan on the
.1-.aS orl ALL l1,. oAn,tall., thot xn,
do not intend to be fooled any longer.
You are additionally mad because you
observe that no carries a new um
brella with an ox'eye let ihto the top
Of the hammered silver handle and q
brand new stovepipe hat, tilted half a
point to starbosd neither of which
necessary adjuncts to the correct get
up of a society man were purchased
In your store. This time he is
g~rievsd he had not expected such
treatment from you. Hesitate now
and you are lost. Persist in your
anger and talk boldly of suing aud
that without delay, and If your man
is worth powder and shot you will
probably get your money in a day oil
two and like enough he will buy a LOT
of goods for cash. If OF this stage Of
the dunning he don't pay waste nc
more tins, rufle your temper NJ
longer, sue or write the debt off II
your black book.
RIs" IF TIE CREDIT SYSTEM.
A nionable tailor said that hC
mao very few bad debts. "We arr
very careful AZ to whom we Civ,
credit" he said. "Hardly a weel
passes but a set ia made at III b.
eome enterprising rogue, but in open
ing an account We iAsi5t upon unde
niable references here in the city
When we do lose money 1t Is geuer
ally through young men Of good fam
HES and connect 'ons, VINO come L
grief through extravaganza. Som,
fine day we fad out to our cost tina
their friends have given them up a
hopeless aud declined to keep them II
idleness any longer, or at least to foo
their bills. The average America
father ia so long.sufferlng in thes
matters that II Is impossible TO kno1
how far q young man about town ma.
be trusted"
500 you resort to professional DEB
co~llectUrs'to recover ovedue accQunts2
"Rarely and only in cases when tn
chances OF ultimate payment appes
extremely slim. If those gentleme
were as successful as they are persist
emit they could collect al account of
corpse after the Jefferson college pei
pie had no farther use for it, Som
of these fellows will await at the doc
Of a mans house until he starts out
morning, follow him down to b
Office, drop in and worry him when b
Is at lunch, sit next him at church an
breach the subject If that little bi