The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-09-15
FREE RENTERS.
People Who Find it Cheaper to
Move Than to Pay Rent.
Novel Methods Used to Obtain Possession Of
Houses = How Sympathy Is Aroused
for the Uudeserving.

"Its cheaper to move than pay rent" is
by no means an unfamiliar expression, but
the fact that there are many even in our
young city who swear allegiance to it as their
motto may be surprise to the majority, and'
too often, sad experiences to the landlord
who can only woefully murmur "Its fun for
the boy. but its death to the frog"
Now and then most pathetic story finds
its way into some newspaper. A sick wife,
SO it runs, is thrown out of her home be-
cause her husband cannot pay the rent; a
dying child expires on account of being
elected by heartless HORSEPOWER.
isn't that perfectly awful" is the decision
and verdict expressed by the public at large,
who do not know the schemes OF the pro-
fessional house-beaters.
Having heard of the many devices by
which owners of real estate have been duped,
CALL reporter started out to get an
authentic acknowledgment of the facts as
they exist.
Edwin b. Berry, in his opinion, was the
best authority, having acted as Deputy
Sheriff under Sheriff Laumeister and being
specially detailed for eiectng bad tenants.
WELL POSTED.
"Yes. l guess am pretty well posted on
the ejecting of tenants" said Mr.. Berry to
the writer. II have had an average of five
week to attend to for nearly two years, and
my experiences have been numerous.
But 70 start in with, | want TO mention a
case in which think l was grossly miSrep-
resented. If you will remember, not long
ago man named Cervantes was elected
from tenament on Jasper place, and shortly
afterward his child died. The charge made
by the father was that it had died from eX-
pOsure. Now, this man Cervantes is what
may be termed householder. He occupied
lodgings on Union and Dupont streets pre-
viously, and l was called on to eject him.
He caused considerable trouble then, AM
delayed me and two men for over half day.
Next he moved to house in the vicinity
and was elected, and when l attended him
on Jasper place he also caused great delay.
When we moved him out his wife and chill
dren had been gone quite awhile"
" Is it entirely with the poorer classes that
this living rent free is in vogue?" was the
inquiry.
THE WORST OF FRAUDS.
"By no MEANS" answered Mr.. Berry.
MANY landlord has been duped by the
elegant manners and rich CARDS of spurious
tenants. | have had number of cases
where have been compelled to ejpct parties
who could easily compare in refinement with
the best classes of the city. Not long ago |
performed my fourth ejectment of an appar-
emily fashionable and refined family. 1t had
been the custom for the mother and two
daughters, richly dressed, to hire a coupe,
drive 10 furnished houses advertised for
rent pay tie first months rent, put off the
rest as long as possible and stay until the
landlord recovered possession by legal pro-
cess.
Then there are other schemers who do
not go after houses, but instead send friends,
or even agents of a shadowy reputation, who
hire the premises in their own name, show
ing their receipts for rent paid in other doni-
Giles, and afterwards turn over the houses 10
the fakirs.
81 have a family on my list that have
turned out seven times. The particular line
of action of this set is to obtain the keys OF
the house from the landlord toward even
ing, forget to return them, as it were, and
during the night move in. Excuses are le-
gion, Of course. and the payment of the rent
is postponed from day to day. until finally
the owner, realizing that he has dead beats
on his hands, starts in a suit to recover his
premises, which cost about $50, loses his
rent, and we have any amount of trouble in
putting the occupants out"
SYMPATHY WASTED.
but are there not a number Of these
evicted tenants to be pitied?" questioned the
reporter.
'0f course there are few, but nine
tenthS are unworthy OF tender thoughts,
Many OF them are workingmen, who earn o
good livelihood, spend 1t in drink and hare
not so much as a crust in their cupboardS. 4
was very sOft-hearted when | started in this
business, and did all in my power TO alevi-
ate what | considered human suffering
More than once have l made collections
among the BOYS in the Sheriff's office, only
to find the recipients of the bounty beastly
intoxicated from what was meant to help
them along
al have been compelled to enter houses
where there was hardly stick of furniture,
ro haIc IN ia and children half pla in,
rags. There was nothing in the house in
the shape OF food, but there We're well-fled
beer cans and whisky bottles. Some of
these cases have reported to Mr.. Hunter,
the Secretary of the Society for the Proven
ton Of Cruelty to Children
FOUR YEARS RENT FREE.
"Would you believe it? One of the ten
ants was compelled to eject had been living
in house on Harrison avenue for four
years rent free. The owners OF the prop
erty had squabble among themselves, and
finally the Hlbernia Bank foreclosed mort
gage. Every means was resorted to by the
occupants to hold the premises The wife
was in delicate condition, and for six weeks
they held us off. One day | surprised the
alleged invalid, but had my coat torn off my
back, and was almost beaten to death for
my zealousness.
"Often bad tenants have waited for us to
drag their furniture in the street, and then
have jeerng remarked that we have saved
them couple of dollars by bringing the
things out.
but there are some who deserve consid-
Grafton, although majority make rule of
defrauding."
1n connection With one Of the cases re-
ferred to number of sympathetic ladies
living on Mob Hill, having read in the pa
pers the terrible tale of suffering, desti-
tuition and death, raised among themselves
and their friends a sufficient amount of
clothing and the necessaries of life to re-
lieve their Immediate wants, and also re-
ported their case to the Associated Chart
ties, who rendered them some assistance
while investigating their case 1t was re-
ported upon unfavorably. There have been
instances where, in order to get rid OF nom
paying tenants, the landlords or agents have
removed the doors and taken out the win
dows OF some houses. Such instances are.
however, rare.