Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-03-15

I'm reporter. THAT sort of offense is
committed usually not by those who
rent them but by instalment purchasers ANY
one we do not know may come in here and get
machine by simply paying IS down and con-
tracing to settle for the balance by monthly
payments of IS each. Surprising the customer
is dishonest there is nothing to prevent her
carrying off our property to another city with
out ever giving US anothe, cent in addition to
the original IS. Nor il such a case are We
likely to know whittier she has gone. Or, we
may lose track Of a not over-concientious per-
son through frequent changes of residence in
are constantly reported missing. And yet
you will be surprised to learn that tine actual
and final loss of one is very rare occurrence"
DETECTIVE SYSTEM.
GLOW does that happen?"
'Simply through the operation Of what
might be called very effective police system
among dealers in sewing machines. In the
first place every machine has number of Its
own engraved on little metal plate by which it
may be identified absolutely, no two machines
sent out from the factory having the same
number. When a machine is sold its number
Is registered, together with the name and adj
dress of the purchaser. and from that time this
machine is identified with that purchaser to be
traced through her if she sells it. Let us sup
chine Of US. She pays IS down and signs notes
for monthly payments covering the rest. The
price to her, on this instalment basis, is S55,
although the cash price Is only $40; this leaves
considerable margin to cover loss, you see.
Vi hen she takes the machine we register in our
books Mrs. Shocks of No. 1890 Q street as hav-
ing bought machine No. 10, 276, 433 Now it
happens that Mrs. Snooks is a cheat; she is on
the point OF moving to another town far away,
and it has occurred to her that it would be
To ont frat al
for So. SO she packs it up and takes it with
her 1000 miles in some direction unknown. A
month later our agent calls at No. 1890 Q street
and finds the bird flown with the machine. No
one knows where she has gone, but it is under
stood that she has left the city,.
GONE, BUT NOT FORGOTTEN.
"Then you are left.''
''Not at all. OF course, it is barely possible
that we may never see that machine again, but
the chances are enormously in favor of our
getting it back. To begin with we make
note OF the number of the machine missing and
send that number to the Sewing Machine Jour
nal for advertisement in the regularly pub
llshed list OF missing machines. That is all that
is necessary for us to do. Now, Mrs Snooks has
gone to st. Louis, let US suppose. She glee-
fully works the treadle of her $50 machine Sc
cured for 50, and smiles to think how clever
she is and of the injured feelings of the sewing
machine dealer in Washington. After few
nave eldpSeO some nttlo part OF the
mechanism breaks down and it is necessary to
have it mended. She has from our company
guarantee to keep the machine in repair for
five years, and her first notion is to go to the
shop in St. Louis where the sort of machines
we sell are sale and have the damage fixed.
But she is too clever for that. Better keep
away entirely from the company which owns
that machine. So she goes to another COM
pany's shop and says that she has machine
that needs mending. Will they fix it for her?
machine of our manufacturer No is the re-
ply, my machine is a so-and-so.' In that case,
madam, it will be necessary for you to take
your machine to the agency here of the COM
pany that made it. 1t is the rule invariable in
this business that no sewing machine company
shall repair machine Of another company
NowAy OUT OF IT..
"'But am willing to pay literally for it,
says Mrs. Shocks.
"It is impossible, madam responds the clerk,
his suspicious already aroused The woman is
in luck if he does not find out where she lives
and communicate to the agency for Mrs
Shocks kind of machine his notion that there
Is stolen property OF that company at her ad-
dress.
However, the clerk knows so well the trap
she is in--supposing his suspicion justified
that maybe he doesn't take the trouble to do
this. And Mrs. Shocks. after irving two or
three other agencies, is finally driven to send
her machine to be repaired at the shop repre-
senting the company 1t belongs to- After all,
she thinks, 1t cannot be recognized. How can
they know in st. Louis that the machine she
bought in Washington has not been paid for
But 1t SO happens that, upon receiving the ma
chine, the agent looks at the number, as is his
business habit. and sees at once that the instru-
ment was not bought in ST. Louis. A list of all
the missing machines in the United States,
clipped from the Sewing Machine Journal is
pasted up over his desk He finds in that list
the number 10,276, 43S. The machine is
stolen one. palpably. 1t is a very simple mat
ter-the company has regained its property,
that is all-aad to find out where it was stolen
from is ascertained at once by another refer
ence to the list. Mrs. Shocks is promptly COM
municated with and informed that the machine
being the property Of the company, will be
retained by its agent. The agency in Washing
ton is notified of the copture and all is we'll
unless it is with Mrs. Snooks, who feels not
unnaturally disguised at being cheated out of
her machine"
TRYING ANOTHER DODGE.
"But suppose Mrs. Shocks, instead Of keep
ing the machine, swaps it off for another of a
different sort?"
''She would be very apt to try to conceal the
theft in that way by getting rid of the machine,
which stands ready to accuse her at any
moment. But if she tries such thing she
Will quickly have reason to regret it, for the
suspicious of the agent with whom she tries to
make the deal will be at once aroused He
will wonder why she should wish to dispose of
nearly new machine, not long bought evil
IDENTIFY, for one of another pattern, and his
curiosity will at all events be strong enough
to make him take glance at the number of
tine machine and see if it corresponds with any
one in the missing list. Sure enough he finds
the number TO- 276. 438 in the list as missing and
at once notifies the agency of the company to
which 1t belongs that Mrs. Shocks OF such
and-such an address has q machine for which
that company is looking. The said company
loses no time in demanding it, and Mrs. Shocks,
If she is prudent woman. will promptly give
1t up. 1t she resists-and such things some
times occur-a little process of law accom-
pllshes the result with costs for Mrs. Shocks.
stolen machine can hardly escape. The
very canvassers who go around trying to sell
machines are always on the lookout for them.
Ii woman tells a canvasser that she already
has machine and doesn't want another he
asks permission to see it and takes an Incl
dental squint at the number. Surprising that
the numbered plate were removed from a
machine suspicion would be at once aroused
by the fact. No, believe me, there is no
money In stealing sewing machines"
CHEAP ENOUGH TO BEGIN WITH.
Glow much does it cost to make SIS in
stalment sewing machine?'
''The actual cost to the manufacturer of pro-
ducing such machine is precisely 90. That
would seem to give a pretty good margin for
the retailers profit; but you must consider a
number OF facts modifying such conclusion.