The Opelousas courier., 1890-03-29
A PROFESSIONAL, FlNDE"
STUDY OF A CURIOUS MAN WIFE
AN ODD OCCUPATION.
He Has for Years Lived Comiortaoiy
~, Rewards Earned by FINDING
NTotnoppyiS

IN Rewards Earleu ny
Ioet Articles in the Metropolis.
One Of New York's peculiar men
haunts the cafes and barrooms IN INC
vicinity of Madison Square, but SO oel'ly
conceals his identity that it remains Il
profound secret who he is or whence lo
comes. He is called Domlnlck buraei''
He is tall and slender, with a sailo"
complcxion aud brown hair that borders
closely on the golden hue. lie IS wen
dressed and invariably wears a douDle.
breasted sack coat. Black is the co!orof
every garment, including his ':1our-ln-
hand" scarf. This walking mystery IS
one of the few survivors OF a class OF
men once numerous, but NOW nearly eA-
tinct. who were known to babltues OF
fashionable clubs and resorts, as well as
to the police, as ''Finders"-men VINO
devoted all their time, energy and skin
in seeking treasure trove Tor winch "
liberal reward is offered. One after an
other the group has been declmatea by
death, removal, or a lapse into crime
until the subject Of this sketch STANDS
alole. all his companions scattered or IL
the grave.
When the men about town linger in the
famous barrooms to enjoy a parting
unioht-cap" before retiring the eccentric
| finder is there, seated in a char ana ap-
narentIv wide awake. He sits owen
~ientlv close and listens to the converse
ton from neighboring groups OF people,
but never obtrudes, never speaks. Harm
less and inoffensiye, he is regarded with
a friendly gaze, and the very mystery
that shrouds his movements creates a DC
sire to cultivate him. He does not drink
intoxicating liquors, and when invited to
ioin in the festivities of the hour lnvarl-
ABLY orders a cup of black coffee. Three
cubes of sugar form its s%weetening power,
and quietly and surreptitiously this slngu-
lar man places the remaining cubes IN
l his rockets. This circumstance has
earned for him a sobriquet-''the sugar
fend."
In the street he walks erect, but his
ewes wander from curb to store or house
line, always on the pavement, and never
straight ahead. Early in the morning,
when the streets are quiet, the profess
sional s'hns2sr'' may be seen in Printing
House Square watching for the appear
ance of the first public issue of the news.
papers. He scans the Lost and Found
and "Reward" advertisements, and then
starts on his daily quest If a certain
, route is specified where money or jewels
are lost, the silent man is specify there,
and his years of experience aidhim great
" in seeking out the hidden recesses
where such an object might lie concealed
from the casual gaze Of the average Pc
destrian, and the successful operation OF
a single day realizes enough TO make MS
living secure for a week or more.
On one occasion Burdell was seen II
Trinity Church graveyard at 5 o'clock IN
the morning and his movements attracted
the attention of the policeman on that
lonely post. He concealed himself De
hind a telegraph pole and watched the
mysterious visitor in the abode OF the
dead. He saw him lodging behind
tombstones, turning over the grass and
even removing fallen leaves, In II the
! glare of the electric light there flashed
from the long fingers OF the shadoWeo
man a scintillation which showed that d
glittering diamond was the fruit OF this
search at a gloomy hour of the morning
in such q ghoulish spot. In a few nourS
the lady who lost the ring was IN the
possession of her valuable souvenir and
Nick Burdell, professional FlheAA,
was $50 in pocket and happy IN the re-
Election that he was an honest man.
Daily he promenades Broadway and
Fifth avenue as unconcerned as though
he was a landed proprietor journeying
with the throng of wealthy citizens ell
route to a luxurious home. His eyes are
Cegazing down1Rrd, his step is set to slow
~esurement, nd no surrounding event,
no thrilliM attracts his attention
He is ppponiSS supreme object, tn
discovery Din money or jewelr.
wtath may Be- N.sled in q bidder
mass. or tha>gian 1.-THE vas
pushing and swinging of humanit.!
may carelessly have dropped. For owe
ten years this strange man has led the
life of a recluse. He has never bee
known to withhold a lost article hi
ssssgsS eys hes discovered. The edssc'
Epsak 81 him with the utmost respect
Ae fer ca it is known he is believed to b
perfectly honest. He merely works fc
@ reward.
There are other grades of "Iaders,
but their game is of a very small order
| Before the street-cleaners have swept tn
f refuse of the streets into piles of rubbish
or in the gray of the morning ere tn
chiffoniers have started out with basket
and long hooks, the small-fry finder ma
be seen inspecting the %pre doors 9
securing the cutters j 9seareh. of article
which belated travele ha1 Sropped i
their haste to reach MohsS or in thei
maudlin stages. And yet N Italian fnde
e paws over $500 per week to this city TO
f Iss privileges eff sorting over the stree
sveepings. Their reward is small az
r the mere question of seeking a rights
r owner never enters into the thoughts Z
/ these street wanderers.
: Still another class of this industriou
e class mako the car tracks of the city the
L mines of wealth, but the fruits of the
1 lSbor are very meagre, for the averas
0 GARDINER claims this as his pre-empte
t land, and he rakes over the ground b
9 tween the iron rails so thoroughly tn
" there is little left for any outsider. The
o tres, bathrooms and the "L" road trai
are watched so carefully by employees tn
: the professional stfnder's" occupation
IS gone almost entirely.-NeW Yorb iVor1
IS
10