The morning times., 1895-07-28
ShyIOcks Do PaWnhrOkers' Bust
ness Without a License.
INSPECTORS AFTER THEM
Locating the eStorehouses Where They
Conceal Their Victims Property.
Court-Money Gouger Newman
Brought Up In Another Case

After some months of observation OF the
robbery of poor people by extravagant
and outrageous interest in high and low
places, an officer of the city government
has at last concluded to determine in
what respect the money lenders are vio-
lating the laws of the District.
One of the license inspectors was at
work yesterday in this interest He called
at The Times bureau OF legal advice and
also on some OF the parties likely to
know the location of some of the Shylock
store houses.
This matter was called to the attention
OF the attorney for the city, Mr.. s. T.
Thomas, by The Times about month ago.
1t was shown to him that some of the
| money lenders took the goods into their
possession as a basis of the loan with the
| intention of selling them back again to
the pledger. This would bring them under
the pawnbrokerS act, which requires a
license for doing such business.
DOING PAWNBROKER BUsIN ESs.
1t is understood that the defense OF the
shylocks is that they hold these, goods
under foreclosures of mortgages, but there
are sufficient cases to prove that articles
have been taken in pawn as security for
| other articles covered by the mortgage.
The lender, for instance, would take
piano or a watch into his possession to secure
| the debt covered by deed of trust on all
the poor mans or womau's possessions.
The city attorney was clearly OF the
| impression that goods held with the ln-
tention of resale, or goods taken in pawn
| for the security OF money loaned, brought
| these people within the category of pawn
brokers, and that the violation of the law
| left them liable to prosecution in the police
| court. This was true not only OF the in
fr1s.T
! ing concerns.
SHOULD TEST THE LAW
! 1t was suggested that it was to the inter
| est of the pawnbrokers to test the law
! against these offenders, as the latter did
business free of charge, while the pawn
| brokers had TO pay license.
The city attorney was or the op inion
| that ii was not the custom OF his office to
| proceed i'll these cases, other than on conf
| plaint made in the usual way and III rough
| the proper channels.
| The Times some days ago uncovered one Of
these store-hOUses on ID street, and de-
| scriDed its complete contents. 1t is
| learned, however, that there are several
! others 10 which the license inspector Is
! giving his attention. 1t is not pos
| sible that these store-houses viii be emptied
| in time TO escape the observation or the
/: Inspector.
1t is very probable that some OF the Shy
| locks VIII be iu the police court early
| this week
NEWMAN AGAIN IN COURT.
Meyer B. Newman wasiD court again yes
terday on a case in which he swooped
| down, "a week ago, with a wagon and
constables to carry off to the cave Of the
| forty robbers certain property in which
DR.. E. P Mertz has an interest Oh behalf
| of a very worthy debtor.
DR.. Mertz called sPadea spade I'D called
| Newman a Shylock plain, complex and
| compound. Newman beat retreat. The
case was postponed yesterday until to-
morrow at 2:30 p. m., at which time there
Will be some Interesting proceedings and
testimony.
ShylQck may tell the Daniel come to
| Judgment, what DR.. Mertz called him.
a Popular Remedy.