The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1886-01-15

hAAUE EOh FRlNCE ALEX n o d o q Y TO pass
AMBER. along the street
without getting them into the store. The
sidewalk is narrow, and all but about four
feet is blocked with a mass of hanging over
coats and full suits OF clothing mounted on
dummies. The 'puller-in" is thus able to
block the sidewalk and turn the stream of
pedestrians into the store. It is the ambi-
ton of every puller-in " to let nobody pass
him. Ii the man has escaped from the store
above special effort is made to grab him.
At first the enterprising agents politely ask
their victims to look at their stock, but if
an attempt is made to get by force is used.
The 'pullers-in are big, muscular men,
and it is seldom that any one escapes them.
No matter how much resistance is made,
the man is landed in the store and held
there until the salesman gets his hands on
him. This sort of persuasion has recently
made trouble for the ''pullers-in' -, and sew
sral of them have been brought before the
courts.
They are no respecters of persons, and
now and then seize upon a man who COM
plains of them. A short time ago Justice
Duffy was Fastening along Baxter street
when he was captured. He was hustled in
to store and shown several suits of
clothes which he was forced to examine.
He escaped by buying some suspenders and
collar-buttons. The next day a man named
Charles Harris complained to the Justice
OF having been knocked about on Baxter
street and asked for a warrant for his as
sailant's arrest. When the man was
brought before him Justice Duffy recog-
nized him as Abraham Friedman of No. 3
Baxter street, who had pulled him into his
store only the day before.
The persistent clOthiers on Baxter street
L
tice Duffy, and a buFly ''puller-in' patrolled
the curb in front of every store yesterday.
They pulled and hauled as usual and land
ed the passers-by inside their respective es-
Establishments. During the afternoon Ed
ward Mullen of No. 81 MunrOe street
strayed off from the BOwery and soon
found himself among the ''pullers-in". He
told the men that he not in need of
clothing, but agreed to go inside and look
at the stock. After he had gone through
the performance three or four times he had
enough But the ''pullers-in stillinsisted on
his taking look at the goods. Mullen got
angry and tried to pass, but manin front
of No. AZ grabbed him by his arms and
pushed him into the store. Then he shut
the door and put his back against it until
the clerk appeared. Mullen was led to the
rear of the store. His overcOat was taken
off and half dozen coats were put on one
after another. He was buttOned up, aud
the wrinkles paUted down, ana q glass
thrust before him. Mullen did not need an
overcoat, so the persistent clerk compelled
him to try on several suits of clothing.
The same thing repeated at a num-
Der of stores. A man named Lawrence
seized him and pulled him into No. ga Bax-
ter street. This was boot and shoe store.
The proprietor told him to sit down, took
off his old shoes and fitted him with we'll
polished secondhand pair. The shoes did
not suit a new pair was produced. Null
len thought that he had been bothered
enough and made up his mind to have his
turn on the 'tpuller-in". With a Jump he
snatched the new shoes and started out of
the store to test the ones on his feet. He
ran down the street with Lawrence after
him, and was caught by friendly 'puller-
in, who held him for a policeman. Mullen
was marched off to the statiOn-hOuse and
locked up on a charge of larceny.
As the reporter left the crowd in front of
the shoe store he was seized by ''puller-
i'm for a hat store. The man took him by
his arms and pushed him into the store. A
clerk closed the door, and, standing be-
tween it and the reporter, politely took off
the latters hat and said Burke, as he
looked at the name inside.
"What kind of a hat do you want?" the
man asked still holding the hat.
Il don't want anything to-day"
''You don't mean that"
81 tell YOU / don't want anything here"
Don't you want a ten dollar gold
piece?" inquired the clerk, as he took down
half a dozen hats from Ii shelf.
'That's q different thing"
''Well, you'd take that, wouldn't you?
Then how do know but you want hat?
You don't know what you want"