The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-01-15
A FRAUD ON ITS FACE.
RUSH SALE 0F CLOTHING UNDER
FALSE PRETENSES.
Result of an Investigation Made by "Ths
Business Methods and Home Es-
adjustments Experience of
Actual Purchasers.
From the St. Louis REPUBLIC.

1
been in progress at No 90S Olive ssreet
opposite Pope's theater, for three days
| and If the crowds in and about the place
are any indication Of the business done a
very large amount of money will be taken
out of St. Louis by the persons conducting
he affair. The dodgers" sent out. and
the advertising done by the men who are
managing and presumably Fronting by
the rush, have been of character to at
tract attention, not only of st Louisans,
but OF thousands OF out-of-town people.
This Is evidenced by the fact that the Re-
public has been flooded with letters from
individuals and firms inquiring as to the
reliability of the concern and the truth
fitness OF their advertisements In ac-
cordance with its policy of indorsing only
reputable houses, known to fulfill their
promises, the Republic set on foot an In
vestlgation of The con Germ and its meth
obs, and the result of that investigation is
given in detail further on. These results
warrant the assertion that the men who
are running the so-called bankrupt
sale do not keep their promises.
They do not, Or at least did not
yesterday, sell goods at the prices adver-
tised, nor do they refund money where pur-
chasers are dissatisfied. The investigation
by the Republic was undertaken In the III
terest of honest business concerns OF the
city whose trade is injured by such rush
sales, " and who, as home concerns, ldentl-
fled with the prosperity and progress OF the
city. are entitled to protection from trade
pirates" who rush in, and, by dint of
much noise and great promises, gull the
people and get their money and rush out
of town again, seeking greener pastures
and freSher fields before their dupes have
time to discover that they have been
taken in and done for"
GREAT PROMISES.
The concern is the particular object of
this investigation, in their printed an
nouncements made promises to the peo
pie that were well calculated to attract
attention. One of their announcements
read: mems heavy overcoats at s. rs
each; positively worth s12. so. You may
keep the coat home during the sale,
and if it is not worth $12 SO return
the same, no matter what the cause may
be, and we hereby agree to return the 81. 20.
Mems heavy ulsters IS. 70, positively worth
during this sale. Mems Whitney chin
chilla overcoats S. %, positively worth so,
or your money will be refunded"
Other articles of clothing were adver-
tised at proportionately low figures
Without going into detail it may be said
that there was scarcely any article in the
gentlemen's clothing line that they did
not offer at prices SO low that it was al
most giving them away. They announced
that zone of the largest clothing houses
in New York City had failed for $500, 900.
The entire stock has been brought here by
order of the court, and will be closed out
at retail In ten days by well-known st.
Louis firm. On account of this great fail
ure the immense building at No. 90S Olive
street, between Ninth and Tenth, fifth
door west Of Ninth, opposite Pope's
|. 81
for this great bankrupt as
signee's sale. The stock consists of nearly
$780, coo worth of fine clothing, etc"
They proposed to sell 'Men's heavy
winter overcoats, 81 IS, positively worth
&c. so; you may keep this coat home five
days, and if it is not worth $3.50 return
the same and we hereby agree to return
the S1.9S Mems heavy listers So. IS, posi-
lively worth $15, Or your money refunded.
MEMS Royal standard kerseys. silk
and satin lined, 81 90, positively worth So;
you may keep the same home five days
aud If not worth SIS return the same and
your money will be refunded.
MEMS ribbed diagonal suits, So. a.
worth $15; mems English worsted cutaway
suits. s.. SO, valued at S26. You have the
same privilege on the suits as on the
aforementioned garments"
INVESTIGATION.
To see what all these marvellous prom
ses really meant was the object of the in
7estigation made by the Republic. Two
BONA fide purchasers visited the store at
No. 908 Olive street and made an inspec-
ion OF certain articles of the stock which
lad been advertised at rates so low as
20 make them appear dirt-cheap, if
n any degree near the quality de-
cribed. About the door there was
| crowd of people, and within the |
tore thirty or forty people examin- |
ng goods. 1t was noticed that the front |
windows and the glass in the doors were |
half way mp from the bottom. |
The store-room was very dark, most OF the |
light coming through two begrimed win |
lows in the rear The walls and ceiling |
we're dirty and dingy. There were no |
mirrors and no shelving. The fine cloth |
ng" was heaped up on few rough boards /
Irung along the side wall and run across |
he rear of the building Much of the |
took was piled up pell- NELL in large, well
worm and battered cases, pine boxes which |
eemed to have done much travelling, and |
o have had haId usage. The people buy
ng or inspecting the goods were mostly |
rom the country Among the buyers
we're a dozen women, few OF whom, evil
emily, belonged to the city working
lasses The two purchasers, of whom
he store and walked up to pile of over
oats which were all jumbled together
his experience befeH them.
BUYING AN ovERCoAT.
"What is that overcoat WORTH" was
sked.
1T is worth SIS, but will put lit down
D you at $l2.
Trying II on, a by-stander observed: 1T
; mighty pretty tit, and a very good
Oat for the price" This by-stander was
D assiduous in mis- attentions. that be was
sked If he was concerned in the business.
Not at all, not any more than you, was so
agerly spoken that the good-nstured fell
wv was at once suspected Of being cap
err" THIS suspicion, grew as 1t was seen
nat most every buyer had someone prais-
IL his proposed purchase which the sales
ian was persuading him to make.
You have advertised winter overcoats
a., - worth $3.50, and coats ut s. -
orth SIS, and DOW you offer me SIS
yercoat for SIP; how is thatsh
Il will make It SILL said the clerk
Bat where are your s2.15 and s. -
worth $12 30 aud s15"
ON we have sold them all long ago F"
uickiy answered che salesman, VINO eyi-
emily was superintendent OF the other
len As we'll
We'll, what is the chea pest overcoat ron
lyes"
1--WE can sell you one for S"
None cheaper:"
'No. There a. $12 coat I'll let you I
ave for s.. Finally the cheapest coat in j
le house was reached ''IilI let you have .
lat coat worth 81 for s., said the sales
an. The coat was put on, examined il
he dim light aud
Il viii ct ron have It for 81 y" eiacu-
ted the salesman, as a c!incheT.
The purchase was made and the over
'at was wrapped up. The bundle being
ought back with the change, the safes
an was asked: IF the coat doesn't suit j