The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-03-26
MODERN SHYLOCKS AT WORK
Many Victims in This City of Compound
Eytortion on Chattel Mortgages.
Women and the Helpless Their Chief Game
Row They Caught Young Lawyer-Spe-
cifc Instances Of RObbery-Gray Case.

In the Merchant of Venice" Shakespeare
he's succeeded admirably in depicting the
grasping villainy of q usurer. Shylock
artfully conoeals from Bassanio his real In.
tent in exactng the bond for the loan of
the money. but having the man once in his
power he applies the screw. and is only
prevented from succeeding in his dastardly
plot by very strict construction Of the
bond upon which he depends for the accom-
plishment of his revenge.
The pen of a Shakespeare would be needed
to picture the more acute villainy of the
modern Shy lock whose extortions are fully
as lnhuman and cruel as that of the Vene-
tIan and lack even the redeeming quality
OF being animated by spirit of revenge.
The modern Shylock's sole purpose being
gain, his contemplate practices and un-
godly extortion from the poverty. stricken
wretches whom he involves in his mesh,
make him being with the attributes of
fiend incarnate. It rs the fable Of the spi-
der and the fly embellished with thousand
horrors. The misery and suffering caused
by the bleeding of their victims could it be
display ed in one panorama. would make
picture so terrible that it would at once
Christianize the world. themselves ex-
copied.
The term Shy lock. though it has become
synonymous with and expresses to every
mind q grasping vlllainy, Is sbrouded in o
halo of virtue when il Is placed beside the
term money shark which latter-day
money sharks. like Shyloek. when their
deeds are brought to light. and a just con-
strumenrs of torture. the chattel mortgage.
they cringe and plead for what the law
they have diregarded gives.
The limits of their ex tortions can only be
understood by knowledge of their illegal
exactions in specific cases. Such cases
could be paraded by the hundreds by any
person who cared to devote the time 10 Sc
cure the facts. They are to be found on the
records of the courts, In the shop of some
poor struggling artisan or in the humble
home of the honest workiDgman who may
have been forced into the tolls by inability
to secure work. by sickness or by death. as
is often the case. Occasionally they find
victim where one would not expect they
would be successful in their extortions.
A prominent attorney, In this city,
once found himself involved in their
mesh and paid dearly for the experience
which he has since used effectively in
the cause of humanity by compelling
them to release other unfortunates from
their grasp. When he was just entering
upon his profession he was compelled 80
secure 225. and not having the money IN
ready cash at the time. borrowed the
amount from O money LENDER, giving chat
tel security. The attorney executed his
note for $3.50. secured by mortgage on
goods worth four times the amount and re.
ceived the S25 desired. The S12.50 over and
above the amount received was claimed az
fees for negotiating the loan for the third
party. q fictitious person whose money was
alleged to be loaned. and for the recording
fee Although this amount was several
times what could legally be collected as
interest on the loan for thirty days. the
time of the note the attorney also agreed in
the note TO pay the legal rate of interest on
this additional Sl2. So not one cent of W hich
he ever received. The note was due in
thirty days. but IL Was fourteen months be-
fore the young lawyer finally succeeded in
disen tang Cling himself from the meshes of
the money lender. At the end OF each
mouth. If the note was not paid. al
was necessary. and for this the money
lender required new commission for ex-
tending she note. At the end of the four
teen months tho attorney found he had