The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-09-22
pRoFrss1oNAI npEADBEATs.' .
An example That illustrates How syltep
atiealIy They Work.

PROFESSIONAL y ptfA'hA-4eA7''
An Example THAT Illustrates How syltsm'
atieaily They Work.
brooklyn Eagle
"Are you awsre that many men I'M
Brooklyn live wholly by their Wits%
asked an uptown grocer Of reporter,
"No2 could name dozen heads OF
families who for years have not had a dol
lar which they could call their own, but
VET they live in bTown.Htone 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, having eeen hetLeF
DAYS and become reduced, think that the
world owes them a living and mean to get
| II. 1 have reference to that class who
move yearly, II not oiteneT, and strike oil
tyaiesinen In their ntighbOrhOod Tor
smounts ranging from s26 to $500. Would
Won believe that a man could support
fsmily ci ave for six years wholly on
credit? | know ouch case, and have
reason 10 regret my acquaintance with the
individual 10 the tune OF $500. About
wear ago there entered
nv store q gentleman, we'll
dressed and seemingly Teapeota'
bie' He bought a small billoi goods pay
inc cagb. and continued 10 purchase daily
ioT a week, Finally, one day he said u
was bore to pay each time, aud would ]
allow him 10 run weekly bill2 Iresdily
consented to this arrangement, and, strange
to say, at the end Of the hst week every
thing was settled promptly, ! am now
coming to the interesting part Of my sto1ry'
On sending in bill for the groceries iur'
nished during the second week l was ask
ed II / could not let the account run by
the month, Again / consented, to oollge
nv customer. leave my business at GER
tain periods OF the month entirely IN the
hands Of my clerk, and as he knew had
consented 10 run q monthly account with
NV respectable customer he thought moth
ing of tbe fact that that individual had In
thnee weeks ordered three barrels OF flour,
and other groceries in proportion. Atthe
4 and Of the month ] presented my bill Of
5000 but was put OF from time TO time
= and, becoming tired entered suit to re-
u cover the amount" n,
Q "You received a verdict Of course"
, UYeH. hut the execution was returned
" uDsatished. My customer owned nothing
u Every stick Of furniture in his elegantly
" anpointed house was in tho name OF hiE
u vile. Two weeks ago had the pleasure
~ Of seeing two barrels OF my best Hour
three or four barrels Of potatoes aud many
e other articles which originally belonged
y IN me loaded on truck in front Of my
"a late customers house. He had neglected
!. 10 pay the landlord four months rent and
was required TO get out. On inquiry
learned that the same sgad and respect
o able gentleman had heeCed other trades
o men in the vicinity for amounts some-
- what smaller than mine. On pursuing
the investigation further learned that
& INV late customer had moved hYe times
]. inthree years, and had left large hills In
]. each neighbour in which lie had lived
y l hayo only mentioned the onso to Illus
: trata how systematically the deadbssi
works"
Y can avoid being beRtOn9 WIS asked.
4 ayes; but one-the cash system. But
, still 1t Is impossible TO make everyone pay
cash, Many Of my old customers would
0 be highly indignant II their honesty was
J. questioned, and would loss THO larger
part OF my business, ono; tho cash sys'
TEN is impraCticable, for many reasons
: There are black lists, but when deRdbeats
Q change their names WHAT'S man 10 do?
/. / contend that II q man Is thoroughly dis
: honest he will have ample opportunity to
practice his wileB."
: "Ara not many honest customers who
D pay obliged to suffer for the shortcomings
| | Of dsadbeats?"
ain measure, yes Itevsrybody paid
, have no doubt but that groceries would
be cheaper. Grocers must make up their
. bad debts in some way, and the honest
customeri in the end Is obliged to suffer.