Democratic messenger., 1893-04-29
FINDS THINGS FOR A LIVING.
A New Yorker who Closely Watches tn
Lost aud Found" Column.

A New Yorker who Closely Watches tho
Lost and Found" Column.
The professional finder is a feature OF
New York city not found elsewhere. The
most successful man following this profcs
sion is well known but silent figure around
the cafes and hotel corridors of the Nine
teenth precinct lie is well dressed, tall
and rather distinguished looking. lie is
known as Daniel Bc,lcll. but whether that
Is his real name or not nobody knows but
himself This finder has the eyes of a
hawk, and as he walks along the the ave
nues he scans every inch Of sidewalk, in
Guiding the gutter. the latter being a ricl
place for finds But he does not ply his
trade by chance. and anything he finds
in his unprofcssional strolls he looks upon
as the results Of pleasure, not of business.
He listens ut tables of the popular cafes
and picks up many AN odd job in this way.
as gentlemen telling OF losses ARE rcfcrr''
to him as the man Of all Others most likely
to find the missing article.
When introduced TO the unfortunate
loser. Be,lell is particular To ask every '.c
tail about the loss, on which street the
loser was walking when he discovered his
misfortune. and the course he had taken
from the time he was last cognzant of still
having the article in his possession. After
he has obtained all the data possible he
wishes the party farewell and goes forth to
find. II the stone or purse or whatever IL
may be has not been picked up as acchien-
tally as it was lost. the professional will get
it and fine present for delivering IL mp to
its owner. The professional finder is an
honest man. as honesty is his best policy.
| Nobody to see the finder at work would
know that he was scanning the ground for
treasure. lie walks erect, but not even a
pin on the sidewalk from house line to
curb escapes his gaze.
The finder gets his news tips principally
| from the morning newspapers. He is one
Of the first TO buy the papers-long before
the break of day-and he turns only To the
Reward" and Lost and Found" columns.
The other news in the paper is nothing to
him a president may have been elected.
an island annexed or a cabinet named-he
cares not. Whenever the article advertised
has been lost going from one point Of the
city to another. the finder starts at the first
mentioned place and travels to the termi-
nus Oftener than would be supposed he
finds the prize and realizes enough in the
way of reward to keep him in excellent
style for week or more. He pays atten,
/
mcnts. Ills eye is trained to look in the
most likely places in which n ring would
roll or diamond pin would drop.
Perhaps foot has trodden upon the ar
ticle and crushed 1t into the color Of the
sidewalk The merest hint Of gold or stone
suflices To attract his attention. Broadway
is his best promenade, and Fifth avenue
comes next. closely followed by Sixth ave
nue.. The park is also "A fruitful source oi
income. especially the drive. and ON the
walk which skirts the fashionable drive the
professional finder takes many summer
stroll not alone for pleasure but often tG
his profit. When there is no clew to an
owner. Belcll is entitled to his find, but he
watches the newspapers for advertised re-
wards. and he has advertised himself. lie
says his good name is more valuable To him
than any one pickup.-New York Journal.