Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1886-02-17
IMPOSTORS.
The matchmaking Schemes from Which
New Eorkers Suffer.

rFroro the New York Commercial Advertiser
No city of any considerable size is
without it's individual plunderers of
the public, either In the form of beg
CARS, politicians or astute swindlers.
In the very quiet town of Princeton,
n. j.. there existed for years trio of
odd characters who lived on the stu
dents by curious system of imposi-
tion, one of them demanding a quar-
ter of dollar, which was rarely re-
fused, whenever he met certain stu
dents to "drink their health WITH"
another, who was in thehabit of quot
ing the constitution oratOrlcally Tor
the same amount, while a third made
imaginary speeches at all hours OF the
day for thep price of a drink.
These are inoffensive instances COM
pared with those which exist in large
cities where blackmail is made pro-
fession. Newspapers have been
started in this city and have reaped
fair measure of success which had no
other objects in view except to black
mail certain classes ofpeople. Trades
of various kinds are subjects OF an
noyances of this kind. The editors OF
these sheets are generally unscrupu-
lous men with enough knowledge OF
the law to keep on the safe side of 1T.
The insurance and banking businesses
are especially open to them. The
course generally pursued is to solicit
an advertisement II this, or else q
subscription, is refused, that person,
especially if he is an influential man, will
soon learn that some very odious per-
scnality has appeared in the paper
about him. By innuendo or by asking
questions designed to throw dlscred1t
upon him, or by statements, Oftener
than not actually hbelous, suspicion
is thrown upon his business. His
cheapest recourse is to subscribe at
once, which he usually does.
Rich men are peculiarly liable to an
other form of imposture from destitute
people who come to them for assist
ance. If the person applied to once
gives money at his door he is again
called upon with piteous tale of woe
and suffering. Impostures OF every
kind are practiced on him, and possibly
in the end he finds himself the victim
of a. threatened suit if he withholds his
charity. The Charity Organization
Society has done much to break up
this sort of systematic blackmai, but
though more difficult to practice now,
it still exists. A very noted swindler
OF this kind came from Boston several
wears ago with the names of many
noted men appended to subscription
for a. statue of Goethe. He made a
generous haul in New York and is re-
ported to have got away unmoIested.
Applications at the door by women.
with children, who recite tales OF de-
sertion by their husbands, stories of
unpaid rent and relentless landlords,
of misfortunes of the most horrible
kind often told with tear-filled eyes,
used to be very common things and
are still not unknown, but nowadays
new devices have to be resorted to.
More recently the bunco man has
arisen in all his glory, and his depreda
tions have extended from New York
to almost all the large cities of the
country. His games are, however, so
well known nowadays that some new
device must soon be invented to take
their place.
A very common form of imposition
is that practiced by some Of the city
employees of New York. Formerly the
post-office carriers we're in the habit Of
asking openly for a New Years gift,
and sent printed poems and calendars
to all people they served, for the pur-
pose OF extorting it. Tt deny them a
gratuity would have been to invite de-
laws in the delivery of letters, which a
householder would not like to risk.
The policeman works his little game
by charging anyone whom be has
served for expenses In arresting a pris-
oner and conveying him to the lock-
up. The Custom House officer is al
so not without modest ways of gain
ing little fee. Incoming passengers
who have to pay duties do not alto
gether escape him. If the duties to be
paid are not paid at once the passen-
ger is In quandary. The authorities
will not accept his check; they must
have money; furthermore, they can
not wait until he goes to his Office, for
by the time of his return they would
be on duty at some other dock. In
the travellers trouble the officer who
has inspected his baggage offers per-
haps to lend him the money on his
note, which gives the worthy officer a
chance to call that night at his house
TO Collect Un0 Sdu1O. Juliet M0U1OOS
for taking money directly for cover
looking" passengers goods are too no.
torious to need mention.
People. too, are subject to countless
swindfes by city officers through a
neglect of their proper duties. That
there exist companies who do thrlv-
ing busint IS in removing ashes and
garbage, for which citizens are heavily
taxed, companies who make a lucra-
tive trade watering the streets, and
private watchmen who collect a month
" fee of 81 from countless numbers OF
people as a special patrol, but whose
only service rendered is to pass once
through the streets and close the area
gates where their customers reside, Is
sufficient evidence of the system of
public blackmail under which we live.
The impositions are carried even
further than this. Scarcely has a clti-
zen any relation to the municipal gov
eminent in which he is not subject to
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