The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-01-12
THINGS SENT ON APPROVAL.
A Vey Interesting Swindle to Which
tore Keepers are Subjected.

"A t6y interesting SWlnule TO w QlCn
tore Keepers are Subjected.
From the Washington Star.
"Tlsre is a certain sort of swindling that
is praticed almost exclusively by the peo-
pie wb would be called genteel," said the
keepeiof big Washington store to a re-
porte1yesterday. 1--WE call it the 'ap-
provo game and it is a very old one in
deed. You know it lie theEbusiness custom
of alImch establishments as this to send
homegoods ON appreciation to purchasers
whose financial responsibility is known
to u.s. The member of the family buying
may bedoubtful as to whether an article
will plese other members of the household,
and for his, or a score of other reasons, re-
quest my be made that the thing be de-
livered tor consideration, to be returned the
following day if found unsatisfactory. Such
an accommodation cannot be decently re-
fused, and .he system works very well, save
in the case Of certain dishonest persons who
abuse it almost criminally."
''For exanple"
"Well, wraps for instance. 1t is a COM
mon thing or women to order handsome
cloaks senthome on approval and return
them to on carriers the next day. Mean
time they lave worn them once free of
charge. Or senior partner was at the
National teater the other night and was
much interested to observe that the lady
who sat Immediately in front of him wore
a superb sellskin dolman which he recog-
nized as on, newly imported for our coat
and fur department. His identification
of the garment was rendered en-
tirely satisfactory by the price tag,
marked $3.50, which, unimagined by
the wearei, stuck out over the collar. The
next afternoon. however, he was surprised
to find the cloak adjoining lay figure in
the shop, and upon inquiry he ascertained
that it had been rtturned in the morning as
mot quite suitable Did he kick? o, no.
What would havebeea the usea 1t would
only have raised q howl, the LAZY would
have made an indignant protest, and her
friends would have transferred their GUS
tom to another store. The helpless shop
keeper is always the victim"
HOW IT Is WORKED.
"What does that sign over there mean by
saying that mo ANS will be exchanged
unless the same day they are bought?"
"SimplY that woman will often buy a
costly fan Just before she is to attend a
party, and then, after having used it for
the occasion, return it and get her money
back. This pratice has grown so common
that we have ben obliged to hang up the
sign. The same hing is practiced to great
extent with necklaces of rhine stones and
beaten silver, Ice goods, hair ornaments,
and all sorts of personal decorations. Our
chief precautions against such imposition
are taken just before events Of special fes-
tlvity, such asNew Year day, a great ball,
or some other Unusual jollification. On the
eve of any big celebration, orders are
quietly circulated to the effect that no goods
are to be sem home without being paid
for, and specific warnings on the subject
are given TO the clerks Of departments
exposed to this kind of cheating.
For it is always a favorite scheme to pro-
cure some snowy and costly article from
the shop, wear it for few hours-of course
there is a Whole days time in the case Of q
holiday-ant return it afterward. | have
known a female person to get in this way
handsome SUITS for all four of her young
boys, rig thechildren up in them for Sun
day, and OF Monday morning send the
clothes bacl as unavailable. The evil /:
most Difficult of correction, for the reason
that the peole who practice it are, as 6
rule, of fashionable position. Washington
Is town Were money is plentiful and the
!ncitementsto display are great. Thus, i
Is not surprising that the annoyance speal
OF should b unusually aggravated here
here sucf dishonest customers have no
The credit b secure the sending of goods OF
approval, hey pay for them, and, bringing
them backIwenty-four hours later, demand
and receivl the money. But l have seer
instances ( cheek in this way to which
that is as pthing.n
Really
THE ACME OF CHEEK.
"GoodItss me. yes. Many time peopl
nave stolh valuable things from the storl
and havebrought them back afterward t.
get the nbney instead. On one occasion
young wtman came in with a valuable lac
fichu and demanded the cash. For som
reason Ilmelt mouse, and, having mad
INQUIRY couldn't discover that any sucl
Ichu hH been sold the day before, wheI
sne clailed it was bought. / asked her Z
point ot the clerk who had sold her TIN
huele, but she replied that her sister. ane