The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1890-08-02
SHOULD Be REGULATED
Some PaXnshops In Butte That Need
Looking After.
In Many Instances Thieves Use
These Places as Fences to Con-
ceal Their PIunder-How the
Officers are Hampered.
.pecia, Correspoudence Of the standard.

Special Correspondence OF the Standard.
BUTTE, Aug. 1.-The necessity of an or
dinance regulating pawnshops and the
manner in which they shall 10 business
has SO often been referred to by the press
of the city that 1t is becoming an old
story. Recently the city council took
steps to create such an ordinance, but
whether such law has an existence is not
known, for no orders have as yet been
issued for its enforcement n the pawn
brokers continue to do business on the
same old go-as-you-please manner as they
always have.
A case occurred to-day which illustra-
ted the imperative need OF an ordinance
such as exists In every well regulated
city both East and West.A policeman was
detailed to make search of the different
p~awnshops for an article OF stolen jew
elry. The jewelry, a scarf pin. had been
found in the possession OF a man who
claimed to purchased IL from a certain
pa~wnbroker, and the object OF the
officers search was to ascertain whether
the man old the truth and IL so who the
person was that Sold or pawned the pin.
The owner of the joint admitted that he
had disposed of the pin To the man in
whose possession it had been found, but
whom he had obtained it. Being asked
to refer To his books, lac calmly in
formed the officer that he kept
no record whatever of articles
left in pawn. This, of course,
surprised the officer n he asked the
pawnbroker how he managed to do busi-
ness and keep his accounts. To this the
son of Israel said when 4 person visited
his place for the purpose of pawning any
thing the goods SO offered were first OF
all Examined as to their value. III the ex-
animation proved satisfactory the amount
-,l-l ..a ,l,,n .n..tns .ra tha..
given to the person pawning the goods.
b latter were tagged with the number of
the receipt and then put away. III a watch,
ring on other similar article, the pledge
was hung IN a rack kept for that purpose
until night when il was placed in a box
kept until the owner called for
il or until after. the time. for
which il was pawned expired. In the lat
ter event the tag was removed and the
pledge offered for sale. This. said the
p~awnbroker, was a single and convenient
way of doing business and did away with
the necessity of keeping a troublesome
set of books.
The simplicity of the mans method of
doing business nobodycan deny and would
be all right il articles pawned always be-
longed To the persons pawning them, but
SO long as thieves exist and take advan-
tage of pawnshops to dispose of their
obtain by which pawnbrokers would
be compeIIed TO keep a complete
and accurate record OF all business
done by them. The city of Denyer has
an ordinance regulating pawnshops which
is as nearly perfect as il can be made, and
the CITY council of Butte would do well TO
pass "A similar ordinance, taking that of
| Denver for its model. The enyer ordi-
nance makes il a misdemeanor, punisha-
BILE by a heavy fine, for any pawnbroker
to keen his shop open or to receive i'm
pawn any article, no matter what il may
be, before a certain hour in the morning
and after a certain hour at light. In addl-
tior, p~awnbrokers are also required TO
| keen a record of every pledge upon which
money has been advanced, together with
the name and residence of the person by
whom the pledge was given. This record
must be kept open for examination and
inspection by the police at all hours dur
ing which p~awnshops are allowed TO re-
main open.
Speaking of pawnshops the same Off
Ger called the attention of the reporter TO
the manner in which those institutions
have increased ia the city during the last
few months IL is safe to say that fully
twice as many pawnbrokers now do bus.-