The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-08-23
USES FIELD GLASSES.
InstaIImcnt Collectors scheme For
Keeping Track of His Customers.

Keeping Track of His customers.
A bill collector of this city has gotten
on to a scheme which may prove of ad-
vantage to other members of the same
fraternity. This collector is In the en-
ploy of a furniture house which does
large business on the instalment plan,
including among it's customers many of
the poorer classes, both black and white.
The percentage of profit on these sales
is said to be large enough to cover all
losses by reason of the numerous evasions
of payment in spite of the vigilance Of
the collectors and the ironclad contracts
which the purchasers are required to
sign But that is another story Many of
these sales are made on small week
~ ms ailments and every instalment
house collector has number of
such customers on his list. il is a COM
mon thing to hear people inveigh against
the instalment houses for the hard meas
ures adopted bv them to enforce payment,
but there are two sides to the story. Many
of the purchasers adopt every means
of eVadng payment. The collector on
arriving at the houses of these customers,
is often met with the statement that there
is no one at home or that the family has
moved without leaving any word with the
neighbors as to the whereabouts of the new
location. In fact, these people are great
hands at making frequent moves, and
knowing that the collectors are aware that
such Is the case, the delinquents have
taken advantage of it. Many times the
collectors are told that the parties
whom they seek have moved from the
nciShbCIhoOd, when, as matter of fact,
there IS nothing of the kind and the par
ties arc laying low within sound of his
voice Tie collectors are aware that such
deception is practiCed upon them, but
without evidence to the contrary they are
unable to contravert the assertions of alb
sence or removal
A collector who has had much expert
ence OF this sort was passing a pawn shop
recently, when he saw pair of field
glasses displayed for sale In the window
An idea struck him. He made inquiries
and finding that the price was small and
the range Of the glasses good he invested.
Then lie proceeded to put his idea into
operation. II worked to a charm. When
he visits a hard customer now he does
not ride or walk boldly up 10
the door, but cautiously stops two or three
blocks away. Adjusting his glasses, he
views the premises of the debtor and as
certains if the bread winner of the family,
usually the mother is at home. Having
found such to be the case he puts his
glasses out of sight and proceeds boldly
to the door, lie is probably informed by
a pickaninny that nanny is on the other
side of town delivering some washing and
that she will not be back until dark This
doesn't go with this collector any more
and he insists upon the appearance of the
party sought He usually succeeds and the
party appears with some apology OF hay
ing Just returned home. Having found that
somehow osother this collector cannot be
fooled his customers make up their minds
to the inevitable and usually have their
payments ready when he calls.
The scheme works like charm, the col
lector says, and collections have become
much easier since he began using the
glasses. $685.