Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1890-05-03
PROFESSIONAL FINDER.
a Man with sa Odd Occup&tion aud of Pre-
carions Living.

Man with aa Odd Occupation and OF Pro-
carions Living.
One of New York's peculiar men
haunts the cafes and har-rooms In the
vicinity OF Madison square, but so deft-
ly eonceals his identity that II remains
profound secret who he Is or whence
he comes. Tie Is called Dominick Bur
dell. lie Is tall and slender with SAL
low complexion and brown hair that
bor'lers closely on the golden hue. He
Is well-dressed. and invariably wears d
double-breasted sack coat Black Is the
solor Of every garment including his
'four-in-hand" scarf.
This walking mystery IN one OF the
few survivors of class of men once
numerous. but now nearly extinct. who
were known to habitnes OF fashionable
clubs and resorts, rs well as TO the police,
as ''finders"-men who devoted all their
time. energy and skill in seeking treas
ure trove for which q liberal reward is
offered. One after another the group
las been decimated by death, removal
Or lapse into crime. until the subject
II this sketch stands alone, all his COM
panions scattered or in the grave.
In the street he walks erect, but his
eyes wander from curb 10 store or house
line. always on the pavement, and never
straight ahead. Early in the morning
when the streets are quiet this profess
sional finder" may be seen in Printing
House Square. watching for the appear
snce OF the public issue of the newspa-
pers. lie scans the Lost and Found"
and Reward" advertisements, and then
starts on his daily quest II a certain
route Is specified where money or jewels
7 are lost the silent man Is speedily there,
and his years OF experience aid him
greatly In seeking out the hidden re-
sesses where such an object might lie
concealed from the casual gaze of the
average pedestrian. and the successful
operation OF single day realizes enough
10 make his living secure for week or
more.
On one occasion Burdell was seen in
Trinity Church graveyard at five o'clock
IN the morning, and his movements at
iracted the attention OF the policemaR
IN that lonely post lie concealed him
self behind a telegraph and watched
he mysterious visitor in the abode Of
.he dead. He saw him dodging behind
sombstones, turning over the grass and
syen removing fallen leaves until in the
ylare Of the electric light there flashed
from the long fingers OF the shadowed
man a scintillation which showed that
a glittering diamond was the fruit OF
this search at gloomy hour of the
morning In such a ghoulish spot. In .
few hours the lady who lost the ring
was in the possession Of her valuable
souvenir, and Nick Burdell, :. 'rofes-
sional Finder" was $50 In pocket and
happy In the reflection that he was an
honest man.
Daily he promenades broadway and
Fifth avenue as nnconeernedly as
though he was q landed proprietor jour
neying with the throng OF wealthy citi-
Gems en- route to luxurious home His
eyes are gazing downward, his step Is
set 10 slow measurement, and no sur
rounding event, however thrilling, at
tracts his attention. lie is bent upon
one supreme object. the discovery OF
treasure in money or jewelry which may
be concealed in hidden mass. or that
some pedestrian in the vast pushing and
swinging tide of humanity may care
lessly have dropped. For ten years this
strange man has led the life of q re-
sluse He has never been known "a
withhold lost article his trained eye
has discovered. The police speak oi
him with the utmost respect AS far as
II is known he is believed TO be perfect
ly honest. He merely works for a re.
ward
There are other grades OF FINDERS, '
but their game is Of very small order
: Before the street-cleaners have swept
the refuse of the streets into piles oi
rubbish or in the gray of the morning
ere the chifoniers have started out with
baskets and long looks. the small-frJ
finder may be seen inspecting the store
doors or securing the cutters In search
/ of articles which belated travellers have
dropped in their haste 70 reach home ol
In their mandlih stages. And yet al
Italian finder pays over $1,000 per weel
to this city for the privilege al sorting
over the street sweepings. IN. Y.World
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