Savannah morning news., 1886-06-22
THE PIANO GYPs.
A SwindIe That is Practiced 10 Phii-
adelphia on a Largc scale.

from he P1aadelDhta Times.
The horse gyps are not the only gyps in
Philadelphia The piano gyps are just as
great swindlers. The methods they en-
pIov to sell pianos are similar TO those OF
the horse gyps.
The following advertisement OF piano
Ryp has appeared in a amorning paper sew
eral times recently:
LADY viii sell at sacrifice, having no
n further use. magnificent Uprigh- Cabinet
Grand Piano. Cover ana stool, cost FoVy q
short time ago; also handsome Farlor eult,
consisting OF pieces, upholstered 10 llch OilNe
and garnet Brocade Plush; also very nne
OIL Paintings in massive Gllt fraines' " ga ac-
ceDt for the entire lot S225. the lowest. Inc
above are equal to neW. being only 10 use q
short tine. Csu al private residence, lo4z
North Sixth street.
II compared with horse gyp sdyer-
tisement il will be seen that THIS card Is
constructed in similar language. Inc
s'lady' will sell this magnificent upright
grand piano at a sacrhce.' The piano
alone cost 500, but the lady" will throw
ina handsome pariOr suit OF seven pieces,
upholstered IN rich olive and garnet bro
caded plush, and two very nne oil paint
iRgs in massive gilt frames. This lady"
will accept S22j for the entire lot. Every
thing advertised is equal to new, having
been in use only short time, This IS
great opportunity to furnish p2rlor
luxuriously tor about One-quarter what
it would cost to 90 to manufacturers.
rHE OCCUPANTS OF 1912 NORTH SIXTH
STREET.
The house at 1912 North Sixth might be
occupied by a bank cashier or a bank
president from the exterior or interior
appearance Of the premises, but II is oc-
cupied BY a gentleman with the high
sounding name Of Paul c. DAutrechy, a
furniture and piano gyp, who mas carried
on this business in this city, with the as
sistance OF his wife, for some time. MIR.
IaHl c. D'Autrechy, when pushed 10 the
wall some months ago, admitted that
he made a business OF buying
and selling pianos and furni-
ture. Ee has advertised a great many
times in the Ledger, and bis advertise
ments always read that "a lady will sell
at a sacrihce." Mrs. DAutFechy is the
''lady." She is very pathetic at times,
and little tears trickle down her cheeks.
Sometimes, when sns is parting at a
sacrifice with a piano that mas been the
pride OF her life, she weeps cOpiously. Ii
the customer buys without much persua-
.siou her eyes only get blOodshot, or she
only chokes down a few sObs or sighs
Not long ago, when she sold suite OF
'pa-lOr furniture, she told the purchasers
as they left the house:
"I'd cut my right arm of before l
j wasn't obliged to-"
The D'Autrechys have made a good
deal Of money in the piano and furniture
gyp business.
MOVEMENTS OF THE D'AUTRECHYs.
Last winter Mr.. Paul &. D'Autrechy and
his wife leased house at the corner Of
Seventh and Thompson streets for one
year. They moved into the house imme-
.diately and great many loads of furni-
fors, lav
Rfterward UAutrechy began advertising
IN the Ledger, instructing the resdeF TO
call at the private residence at Seventh
and Thompson streets. The landldfd who
had leased the house TO D'Autreehy
through an agent saw the
advertisement. He saw good
many more advertisements ana
finally went 10 the house in the disguise
Z. OF a customer D'Autrechy didn't know
his landlord. The landlord was convinced
of the swindie. He was astonished when
Mrs. D'Autrecby said she was going to
break up housekeeping and that the land
lord wanted the house. 1t was the first
the landlord had heard OF it. He went to
work that day to get rid of his tenants.
He had a hard job. He gave the job to
the Sheriff. The DAutrechys had TO 90,
but they lett the four months gas bill un.
paid. 'Fne landlord said Yesterday:
Il found out they were swindiers. IL
was expensive work getting rid of them.
They used 10 eell three or four pianos
every week, and furniture wagons were
coming and going all the time. The ad-
Vertisemsnts were calculated 20 hurt my
properly, so put the Sheriff TO work"
The next-dOOr neighbOr said yesterday:
sMrs. D'Autrecby did the selling. She
would sell = -fit OF furniture in the morn
ing and br apiher suit down stairs In
the afternf '-- take rhe place Of the suit
fnQf had "a lfH fTaAh q fell
pie that hei Z ,oand had gone into hank
Tuptcy."
Mr.. Paul C. D'Autrechy used to be an
auetioneer at 253 North Ninth street and
several other places about town, where
he seld bankrupt stocks OF jewelry stores.
SOMETHING ABOUT PIANO GYPs.
Tue piano gyp doesn't DO business In
stable, ike the horse gyp. There is more
tone 70 the piano gyp's business than
there Is TO the horse gyp's. The horse
Ryp is going TO Europe, generally, or IS
compelled 10 give up driving, but the piano
Eyp goes into bankruptcy. de has lost
$4,000 or $4,000 on Third street in six
months time, or the iates have been
against him In some other way. The piano
gyp rents nice looking houses In good
BeighbOrhOods. He pays all the way from
$3.50 TO $1,000 year rent. His profits are
much larger as a rule than the horse
gyps. His business Is good nearly all the
year, while the horse gyp has 10 do most
OF his business in the spring and early
summer, when gentlemen go TO Europe.
The piano gyp knows just little about
piano and about music, and he is found
at home lounging in a smoking jacket OF
= dressing gown and pair OF Shippers.
LOTS OF PIANO GYPs.
Mr.. Schumacher, OF the Schumacher
PianOfoTie Manufacturing Company, said
yesterday afternoon AS he leaned against
a grand square in his wsreroOms, at ], ,109
Chestnut street:
"l@s. there are lots Of piano gyps in this
city. People who are not in the legiti-
mate piano business haven't the remOtest
idea or the immense amount OF swindling
that is done daily by these gyps, who ad.
vertise first-class pianos for sale at a
sacrifice. Every intelligent person ought
70 know that tirst-ciass pianos don't have
90 be sold as sacrifice any more than a
hrst-class house or frst-class horse or a
frst-water diamond. OF course people
swindled by piano Ryps think they are
getting great bargains. They hnd Out
when IL Is too late that they Oidn't get a
bargain. but they keep 1t quiet, OF course
What else can they dOV
CANNiB AIS ON THE CONGO.