Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-02-13
THE PAWNBROKERS' BILL.
A Senate Subcommittee Gives a Hearing
to Citizens Interested in it.

Senators Chace and Daniel, as a subcommit.
tee Of the Senate District committee, gave q
hearing this morning to number Of interested
parties on the tly-introduced pawnbrok-
ers' bill, slengthy synopsis of which was printed
in The STAR q few days ago.
Il. ]. Schulteis and Mrs. Charlotte Smith APP
peared in favor of the proposed measure, while
the opposition consisted Of Attorneys Simon
Wolf, James D. Mcbride, John Amber Smith
and several Of their clients. Officer Block was
an interested spectator.
MIR. Schulteis made a vigorous argument in
favor of reduction of the present rates of in
terest to the figures prescribed in the new bill
he stated that the measure was unanimously
endorsed by the workingmen of the District
and it had received the official sanction of the
Federation Of Labor, District Assembly No. 66
Of the Knights Of Labor, and the Working
Women's League. It was in
THE INTEREST OF THE POOR PEOPLE.
In concluding his statement Mr.. Schultei's
related a case which he had investigated last
night. A poor lady, whose name he gave and
who is well known in this city, had had taken
to pawnbroker's Q load Of furniture, oil
paintings and china, and all she could secure
on 1t was $40. The interest on that loan was
8 per cent a month and an extra charge of 81
per month was made for storage.
Mr.. Grafton Wiley, the pawnbroker in ques-
ton, arose and stated to the committee that it
was poor loan at best; the goods were not
Mr.. John Amber Smith produced several
letters from mayors of various cities-Savan-
nah, Ga. Salem, Mass; Alexandria, Va; Balti-
more, Md; Providence, r. l., and others-in
which it was stated that there were no regula-
tons in any of those places governing the
charges and interest levied by pawnbrokers. A
| more stringent law here would he thought,
drive every honest pawnbroker out Of the bust
ness.
Mr.. Simon Wolf argued as to the ineouities
OF the present system 80 far as the pawn
brokers were concerned.
AN AMENDMENT WANTED.
Mr.. Mcbride said his clients did not desire to
delay the proposed legislation; they simply
wanted it amended. He submitted brief of
the laws in the country on pawnbroking, and
in it he quoted Scripture-the Mosaic law-to
strengthen bis argument
Mrs. Charlotte Smith was then called upon
to speak, and she did not confine herself to ar
| gument on the bill. She referred feelingly to
the case which Mr.. Schulteis had quoted from
and said it was shame that Christian men and
women should allow poor lady to suffer as
| that lady had. A millionaire Senator had been
appealed to do something, but he had refused,
mites and for the time, had lifted their sister q
burden Mrs. Smith said there were worse
people in Washington than the pawnbrokers,
although some of them were bad enough.
Prominent furniture Dealers said Mrs. Smith,
are daily loaning money on furniture and stor-
| ing the furniture away at such rates that the
storage bills amount to more than the furniture
| IL worth.
PAwNBRoKERs' PROFITS
p. Wallach. pawnbroker, then informed the
committee that there was no enormous profit
| in his business in this city. He had been here
for twenty years and had not yet m ade
fortune. II the bill under considerati on
became a law it would drive every honest
pawnbroker out Of the city. Two per cent a
| month was not sufficient interest," and only
| those men who acted as '.fences" and re-
ceived stolen goods would remain in the
business. The secondhand dealers would reap
rich harvest from the new law. They would
J buy articles outright for 1.-THE of their value
and the sufferers would have no legal re-
| course.
Mr.. Schulteis closed the hearing with an ap-
peal for speedy action on the bill, and claimed
that the pawnbrokers were doing their utmost
to delay II until the session closed.
NO CONCLUSION REACHED TO-DAY.
The committee came to no conclusion AZ u
what they would report, but they will probably
have the matter in such condition that il can
| be given over to the full committee ON Friday
| Two DIVORCE CAsEs FuRD-To-day Mr.. A
B. Williams fled two divorce cases, the frs,
that Of Adele Kesn against W. h. Kean. They
| were married September Is, 1854, and shs
charged bad treatment till October, 1883, when
defendant left her, and she states went e
Syracuse, N. Y. Samuel n. Mason brings suit
against Rebeccs Mason. They were married
October 81, 1871, and he charges thgt she acted
strangely immediately afterward, and has beer
an inmate Of the insane asylum since 1877.
/ DR. I O. Dalton nrasidanf AZ TIA Ma Yora