The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1886-10-20
CITY DEAD BEATS.
How They Manage to Live Elegantly ON
Nothing Year.

CITY DEAD BEATS.
How They Manage to Live Elegantly ON
Nothing Year.
s'Are you aware that many men in
Brooklyn live wholly by their wits?"
asked an uptown, grocer OF reporter.
..No? 1could name dozen heads OF
families who for years have not had
dollar which they could call their own,
but yet they live in brown stone houses
and on the best the land affords. When
say that the class of men ! mention
live by their wits, don't mean that
they are gamblers or sharpers, as the
term implies. They are men who, hav-
ing seen better days and becoming re-
duced, think that the world owes them
living, and mean to get it. l have
reference to that class who move year.
", if not oftener, and strike all trades
men in their neighborhood for amounts
ranging from twenty-five to three hum
dred dollars. Would you believe that
man could support family OF five for
six years wholly on credit? know
such case and have reason to regret
my acquaintance with the individual to
the tune of two hundred dollars. About
year ago there entered my store q gen.
tleman, we'll dressed and seemingly re-
spectacle lie bought small bill Of
goods, paying cash, and continued to
purchase daily for week. Finally,
one day he said it was bore to pay
each time, and would I allow him to
run weekly bill? readily
consented to this arrangement, and,
strange to say, at the end Of the first
week every thing was settled promptly.
am now coming to the interesting
part of nv story. On sending in bill
| for the groceries furnished during the
second week / was asked if | could not
let the account run by the month.
Again consented, to oblige my GUS
toner. leave my business at certain
periods of the month entirly in the
hands Of my clerk, and as he knew
had consented to run a monthly account
with my respectable customer he
thought nothing of the fact that that in.
diyidual had in three weeks ordered
three barrels of flour and other gro
oeries in proportion. At the end Of the
month l presented my bill of two hun.
dred dollars, but was put off from time
] to time, and, becoming tired, entered
suit to recover the amount. +" s.
"You received a verdict, OF coursep,
Eyes; but the execution was returned
unsatistied. My customer owneo
nothing. Every stick of furniture IN
his elegantly appointed house was N
the name of his wife. Two weeks age
j had the pleasure Of seeing two barrels
of my best flour, three or four barrels
of potatoes and many other articles
which originally belonged to me loaded
, on a truck in front Of my late custom
er's~ house. He had neglected to pa.
the landlord four months rent. and wa
J required to get out On inquiry
learned that the SAME aged and respect
,, able gentleman hadSheeced other trades
men in the vicinity for amounts some
!, what smaller than. mine. On pursuing
, the investigation further | learned tina
NV late customer had moved five time
!. in three years and had left large bills u
) each neighborhood in which ne ha
, lived. / have only mentioned the cas-
I to illustrate how Systematically the dea
!, beat works. =
h sis there no way in which tradesme
9 can avoid being beatenp" was asked:
|. Eyes; but one-the cash system. b
. still it is impossible to make every on
pay cash. Many of my old customer
. would be highly indignantif their honest
!. was questioned and I would lose tt
3 larger part Of my business: Oh, n
9 the cash system is impracticable. t
:, many reasons. There are black list
). but when dead beats change their nam'
q what is man to do? l contend that
!; a man is thoroughly dishonest he wi
). have ample opportunity to practice b
: wjles. = !.
q care not many honest customers wi
v pay obliged to suffer for the shortcor
4 ings of dead beats?"
+. ..In q measure, yes. II everybot
y, = paid / have no doubt but that groceri
!. would be cheaper Grocers must maj
'e ND their bad debts in some way, and q
q honest customer in the end is obliged
K suffer. - Rrookty,s EdQle.