Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-03-08
A LAWYERS START.
How Pittsburgh Attorney Brought a Flo.
male Deadheat to Time.

How Pittsburgh Attorney Brought Fo-
male Deadbeat to Time.
Not more than two years ago there lived
at one Of the principal hotels in this city,
says the Pittsburgh Dispoteh, lady Of
means. It is said that in round numbers
she was worth more than 100000. She
dressed very handsomely, kept a carriage
and pair and moved in what Thackeray's
Jeems would call 50 the uppah suckles" of So
ciety. There is no need to identify her more
closely.
Her striking peculiarity-the only one she
had-was deep-rooted aversion to paying
bills. She always settled promptly her
hotel bill, and the other bills which the
maintenance of her establishment pro-
duced-the livery-stable's bill, for example
were punctually paid. But all others she
incurred she never paid if she could by any
means avoid doing So
am told that she used to drive up to a
frst-class store, order sealshin dolman, a
few silk dresses, diamonds or what not, to
be sent to her hotel, saying that she would
call around IN few days and pay for them.
The goods were always sent and that was
the end of it. Bills were rendered and bills
were sent again, but my lady ignored them
altogether She had obtained the goods in
the first place because she was known to be
wealthy woman and of good standing in
society. For the same reason she was not
sued when she refused to pay Her many
wealthy and honest friends might be Of
Tended If she were sued, the storekeepers
reasoned and they bore the loss as well as
they could.
She would never have paid cent on any
of say dozen large bills if smart collec-
ton agent had not applied a novel screw to
her pocket book
The collection agent in question heard of
this fashionable deadbeat's performances,
and as he was drumming his heels in an
SXl2 Office on Grant street in an Improbable
idleness at the time ne thought he could af-
ford TO risk his tine-he had nothing else
to risk-in experimenting upon her.
Accordingly he called upon one Of her
creditors to whom she owed bill of S400
He asked the merchant to allow him to try
to collect the money. The merchant warned
hun that it would be labor lost, but the col
lector was willing to make the attempt He
got promise of 30 per cent. Of the entire
bill if he could collect it.
Then he set to work. BE wrote the lady
a polite note asking her to call at his Office.
1t was not answered. He wrote a little
uOlS. NO answer came. linen ne
stated his claim IN very plain letters and
figures on postal card The lady herself
came in great agitation to answer the card
She protested against the use Of postal
cards, which the hotel clerks, the bell-boys
and every body could read.
PAY the bill, madam said the collector,
"and I'll wait upon you myself with the re-
ceipt."
He got two hundred dollars on account at
that session. The balance came the next day.
The merchant was delighted, and paid the
fifty per cent. commission gladly. Then the
co lector went to every store of any prouli-
nence IN the city, and wherever ne found
bib against this lady he bought it as cheap
as he could. Most of them Re bought for
mere song.
He had some little difficulty in turning all
of these bad debts into cash. but he always
fell back on the postal-card squcezer, and it
always did its work quickly and efectualiy.
In all, an told that his profit on these
transactions amounted to more than s., 900.
I know it started him in business and though
this all occurred since January 1886 when he
was penniless, to-day he has profitable
collection agency and two brick houses of
his own