Wichita eagle., 1890-02-06
AN ARMY OF pEApsEATS.
Quaker City Men Who Fo-get to Pa,
Their Tailors.

Quaker City Men Who Forget to Pay
Their Tailors.
There are between 5000 and 6,oo0 men
in this city who do not pay their tailors'
bills. This statement is made upon the
authority of a member of the new insti-
tuition known as the Merchant Tailors'
Protective Association and Exchange,
which is preparing the list for publica-
tion and circulation among the members
Of the organization. When this black
list is onca made nphic it will ruin the
credit OF the hundreds who have existed
ON the tailors in the past.
The Merchant Tailors' Exchange has
had list of this character for some
years, but the membership of that organi-
zation Is small and limited almost en-
tirely to the tailors having large estab-
lshments in the vicinity of Walnut and
Chestnut streets. The new association,
which was organized on Monday even
ing, will cover much wider field, and
efforts will be made to include every
tailor in the city. Each member will
turn in the names of those from whom
he has been unable to collect his money,
and copies of the complete list will be
furnished every tailor III the city.
The list is to include not only the dead
beats that never pay, but all those who
help to make the life of tailor bur-
den. For example, it is almost impossi-
BILE to make clothing to suit some men
No matter how carefully they are made
~. T.
enough alterations have been made to
eat up all the profit the price must be re-
daced, on the ground that after so many
changes have been made the garment
comes under the head of damaged goods.
Under the new order of things these men
must change their tactics or depend on
the ready made dealers for their cloth
ing.
Hiram DeWalt, who was made tenn
porary chairman of the new organize
ton, says it is surprising to what ex-
tent the business of beating tailors out
of their money has been carried. 1T is
confined to no particular Glass;" he said,
''but Is done by men in all the walks Of
life. Two classes of people stand out
more prominently than the rest, how
ever-those who want TO make greater
display than their circumstances will
warrant, and the sons of rich men who
evidently use their allowances for out
side pleasures and want to get their
clothes at the expense of the tailors.
''In the compilation of the list great
care and caution will be exercised. The
tailors will all be given numbers, and the
names of those reporting delinquents will
not appear on the list: but opposite the
name and address of each Objectionable
customer will be given the name of the
tailor at whose insistance he has been
blacklisted, and the cause for the action.
''It is only after man has shown con-
clusiFely that he does not intend TO paw
that his name will be reported After
dunning man for year without get
ting anything out Of him, it is safe to
suppose that he does not intend to pay,
and down goes his name on the black
list / don't believe, however, that the
losses from this source are so heavy az
are claimed by some. The tailors have
learned wisdom, and during the last few
years have been very careful about trust |
ing people they were not absolutely sure
of. But even with all this care they get |
stuck every now and then, and the gen |
eral black list is intended to remedy |
this"
Robert Stewart, the president of the |
old Merchant Tailors' Exchange, is a 4
firm believer in the efficiency of the /
blacklist. Nothing but the best goods /
in the house will suit those people who /
make habit of not paying" he said.
land whenever we lose by one Of them
it is always pretty fair sum. A man
who appeared TO move in the best circles
came into the store some time ago and
ordered a suit of clothes for s65. After
he had gone | looked over our list and
found bis name there. / Immediately
sent him note stating that we could
not make the clothing without having .
good deposit. He stopped in shortly
and explained that hs er.
pected to receive some money in about a
week or 50, and would pay when the
clothes were made. He never returned,
however, and / have since seen him en-
the street IN q new suit, but they were
ready made.
"A black list Of this character mar
seem rather hard 70 some outaiders. but
i Is the only way hy which tailors can
prevent heavy inroads into their yearly
profits. think $3.50 low estimate Of
he number Of men OF that character Ia
sais city. and for the tailors TO clotne al .
rmy like that free Of charge is consia-