Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1892-10-13
THE BUM-BAILIFF.
The Difficulties He Labors Under
in London.
Desperate Strategy to Collect Debts-Ir
He Gets Into Ones House He stays
Until the Money Is Paid-Trlcks
of the Trade.
IcoPYRInHr 1902 l


lating to distraint for debt, landlord
or, as is usually the case, his agent, in
the shape Of bailif or brokers man, .
may, when access has been once OBJ
tanned to premises, legally break open
any door which debars or impedes fur
Their progress, but under no considera-
ton must the outer door be forced.
Therefore 1t follows that recourse must
necessarily, in some instances at least,
be had 20 strategy.
For the benefit of the uninitiated it
may be mentioned that brokers
man" can only enter into possession be
tween the hours of sunrise and sunset,
so that IL careful watch be main
tanned, the approach of the sheriff's
officer can always be noted before the
customary demand for admission is
made.
In certain localities where the
brokers man" is Of frequent occur
renee, their faces become perfectly well
known to the inhabitants, so it is not
surprising to learn that they find 1t an
extremely difficult task to perform their
mission. On the other hand. when their
visitation is not altogether expected,
their object is often attained without
any difficulty whatever. A couple of
seedy-looking individuals may be OBJ
served hanging about street, and
presently one knocks at door, which
is opened without suspicion. He con-
cocts some plausible excuse to gain adj
mission, and having done 50 gives the
Office" to his coworker, and the thing
is done. No fuss, bother or publicity
about the matter.
The whole business is, in fact, con-
Quoted so quietly that none of the
neighbors probably are aware of the
little drama which has been enacted in
their midst
The case, however, assumes a vastly
different aspect when the inmates of a
house against which operations are to
be directed are alive to what is likely
TO occur.
In this case the customary knock at
the door results, it is true, in its being
opened; only, however, to the extent
of a few inches, the chain being kept up
all the time, and a glance having served
to reveal the nature of the visit, it is
hurriedly closed again, and the bailif
is for the time being baffled, but by no
means defeated.
The subsequent tactics he employs
vary according to the particular parties
he has to deal with If they are, in his
opinion, more or less inexperienced, his
favorite device is to mail a registered
letter-contents of no value-and hav-
ing ascertained beforehand exactly at
what hour the letter will be delivered,
he stations himself as near as possible
to the doorway and awaits events.
Presently the postman comes in sight,
and in due course gives the double
knock, with an extra one to denote that
he has something to deliver personally.
People in difficulties do not, as rule,
receive many registered packages, and
in all probability the person who opens
the door is not provided with pencil
to sign the receipt-a contingency
which the brokers man" has
While gone to remedy the omission,
the entrance is temporarily left I'M
guarded, and the unwelcome visitor OBJ
tains admission before the return.
If the registered letter trick fails, the
reply-paid telegram dodge is often re-
sorted to; and in the majority of in
stances it serves its purpose extremely
we'll being more apt TO disarm sus-
picion. Even in these days of univer-
sal telegraphic communication, the re-
ceipt of a "reply-paid" message in
variably gives rise to a certain amount
of curiosity and excitement, and in the
anxiety to know the contents of the