The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1894-03-08
FRAUDULENT BARGAIN SALES.
Gchomss Conoocted by Dishonest Dealers
to HoodwInk tho People.

to Hoodwlnk tho People.
In recent years the advertisements of
"bankrupt" and foreclosure" sales have
become quito common. The penchant
among certain classes of people for
taking advantage of the necessities of
their fellow men to obtain something
for less than its real value is util-
lied by the promoters of these schemes
to dispose Of second class goods at first
class prices. Some of these sharks have
an admirable system to better enable
them to delude and hoodwink the pub
lie.
Instead Of, as was formerly the Gus
tom, dropping down into town, rent
ing room and at once advertising their
great bankrupt" sale, they pursue q
different method. A stool pigeon is sent
ahead, whorents . room in city or town
centrally located and puts in a stock of
merchandise. He announces by hand
bills widely distributed and through the
columns Of the local papers that like the
country journalist he has "come to
stay" A week elapses, and another in
dividual, representing himself as the
agent of jobbers, puts in his appearance
with chsttel mortgage on the stock,
which he proceeds to foreclose.
The first man, quite crestfallen evil
IDENTIFY, gets himself interviewed by the
newspaper reporter, and, after a recital
Of his woes and misfortunes and disser-
tation on the excellence and good quail
ties Of the merchandise which has been
wrested from him by the iron hand Of
the remorseless mortgage, hies himself
to some other town to repeat the opera
ton. The conspiratoT who is left in
charge, with display Of enterprise wor-
thy Of better cause, floods the sur
rounding country and neighboring towns
with lurid posters announcing mort
gagee's sale" with some account Of the
wonderful sacrifices to be made in order
to realize the mortgage indebtedness at
the earliest practical moment, and cum
ningly worded "locals," reciting the
same story, find their way into the col
umns Of the local papers
This isthe bargain seeker opportunity,
and the way the penny wise and pound
foolish" population of town and country
respond to the advertisement and load
| themselves down with shoddy goods, an
tiquated clothing or worthless jewelry is
caution. Persons who have been in
| debt to their home merchant since the
mind Of man runneth not back to the
contrary bring their ready cash and
plank it down to the mountebank in re-
turn for his doubtful wares, A few
| yUaalys' I1se fila the boso1ns Of the barOain
seekers with vain regret as they contem-
plate the condition of their much vaunt-
ed bargains.
These specious "sales" seldom deceive
the sensible man or woman. A mo.
ment's consideration should convince
any one that if the merchandise offered
was as represented, standard goods, be
fore the local merchants and dealers
would allow them TO be disposed of il
competition with their goods they woulC
buy the entire stock and take it out oi
the market. The "agent," if the mort
gage was bona fide would be glad to dis
pose of the entire stock in this manner
in order to save time and expense. But
such is not the case. This class of goodl
Is manufactured expressly for these ir
responsible concerns and is never found
on the counters of reputable dealers
The gudgeons who bite at the bait gel
hooked. Trade with established mer
chants is the only safe rule.