New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-05-16
THE HOMEWORK SHARK.
larry KYLE DALLAS TELLS OF THE
TEMPTING BATS PUT FORTH IN
ADVERTISING COLUMNS.

COMMITTED COMPOSED OF MEMBERS OF THE
.srppEN HAND CLUB DO AMATEUR DErEc-
TIVE WORK AND EXPOSE FAKE ADS"
.r,oso are trying days. as we all know" said
vary Kyle Dallas to a Tribune reporter yesterday
80 all but the sodly wealthy feel that the
,,ord Of poverty Is hanging over their heaos py
,,se hair. The master of a plain home hnds II
s,ncul, 10 meet the demands Of landlord gas COM
Sarv butcher. baker and grocer; and the partner
!, his toys and sorrows must do without her ac-
cu.,omed pin money, which provides her with SO
MANY OF those things which arc necessary to a
~oman's comfort, the maintenance OF refinement
.rd even tho sense of seif-respect
an this condition Of things 1t is but natural that
,,sa women should desire to earn little money
,o- themselves and as usual thing they begln 10
.onsul, the columns of a daily paper and are de-
r.,,ea 10 find abundance of the sort of employ
nert they most desire The papers are fun of adj
vertisements Offering light homo work. with good
nav 10 women who have a few hours TO devote 10
q and il does not occur to the woman thow shouio
.0 that these tempting bats are put forth by
bose who know OF her need and desire TO eaten
hs few dollars she is willing to invest In order 10
.n,er upon the receipt Of the comfortable weekly
stipend. ,,,s
"Having for long time been Informed OF 'hs
fact, a self-consttuted committee composed oi
professional women. three writers, two arusts an"
| teacher. myself among the number, recenti! re-
rhether what they had been told OF the ho,e
nor, sharks was literally true. The results OF inc
inquiry are as follows: ,,,.ss an
For the initatory bit Of detective BUSINESS -"
advertisement something like this was seec'eu'
Ladies wishing to add their incomes o ny os
ton Of an artistic nature which can ne oaIov T
in any ones paror can nave s'eau oe,Ienf salaries
NV calling on So and SO. X-st. NO experience
necessary.
"rbA nerson who superintended this especial plt
| az shark work had his lair In a handsome puil'
,r IN q good quarter Of the city. and the crowo
=, women waiting for the elevator, when oe-
s.anded hearing another crowd. proved that the
nome art-work' advertisement had WORKED Inc
emsteur detectives waited until the third ascent
before entering the elevator. and the cry was
still they come ,, .,
,,e annl,cant Is received by a person whose duty
, is IN sort out the arrivals, and If she DECIDES
,ba, II is possible TO extract money from her
nurse she is taken into private room. ana intro
auced 10 the manager who, having offered her a
seat near his desk, proceeds to give information.
The art work. he tells her, is something entlreiy
new great discovery recently patented ana so
srccessful that there is already an immense de-
mand for it. so that employment Will be given
steadily and fer a long tins TO all who become
proficient. Any can learn in short time' ne
ODDS and all that is demanded is that those en-
| Nshment and offer their first two productions as
SAMPLES After that any quantity Of work desired
can be obtained and numberless ladies are SAID 10
be making money in their leisure hours by this
fascinating employment
| paints certain liquids bottles. called medi-
ums some powders in pots, japanned box, ana
soma brushes are row exhibited; the applicant is
asAsal few questions and told that with her
knowledge of painting lessons will not be neces-
sary and that she will be presented with book
et which will give her all necessary INSTRUCTIONS
This inspires confidence and the wonderful inven-
lion is now produced. IT proves be nothing
more nor less than the time honored art and mys-
terry Of transferring photographs 10 glass, fasen-
ing them 10 the inside with some adhesive MKT
ure. rubbing away the paper with the finger, and,
II one is so fortunate TO leave features enough
10 work painting them afierward upon the
back An inexperienced person. who has never
wept juvenile attempt TO add new beauties
10 treasured photograph begins TO be hopeful.
The outfit something under ten dollars. II
the applicant is able to make this outlay. she
usually does So If she is not. she goes sadly away
envying those who have become the prey of the
homework shark.
THE investigators bought the outfit and devoted
sufficient time 10 the affair 10 be able to speak
with certainty TO the fate that awaits the VIC
TIM The result proved their satisfaction that
the inexperienced person who cannot already
draw color head must produce for long time
and at a considerable expense series Of hideous
blotches. which could be expected to pur-
chase. and also rub many prints to pieces before
she colors This is the sort OF thing which
the homework shark fattens 1t cannot last long
in any individual case, but goes another
comes.
| She who had obtained audience was sent away
by another door When the OF our inves-
tigator she ushered into an apartment
wnere. surrounded by artistic atmosphere COM
posed Of two chromos eascs one polished
palette tied up with blue ribbon and d mahi stick
ditto, sat old gentleman whose long gray hair
was crowned by black velvet skull cap and
whose costume generally artistic Having
been npressively received and seated the invest-
gator told that the object of the enterprise
TO introduce a system of teaching draw
ing 20 extremely small children. an entirely new
method OF the speakers own invention the outco ne
OF long years Of thought. Here the artist paused
and assumed a more dignihed attitude. He then
drew toward him clumsy little wooden box and
opened it,
IF the woman IS clever with the brush and has
painted a little she may. after a while, receive
work 10 do and be paid for it. but the expense of