Daily Kennebec journal., 1900-08-01
ABANDONS AUGUSTA.
The Clothing Club Solicitor Decides
Not to Work the Capital.
His Stories as Written 10 Journal and Told 10
Members Differ.

Saturdays issue of the Journal there
appeared an item concerning q
stranger in the city who was forming
or attempting to form, clubs of rs
young men each. According to infor-
nation received by the Journal. this
was sort of lottery scheme, the lucky
| ones to get suit Of clothes at n very
| cheap price, while other unfortunates
would have to shoulder the burden.
1t seems that the young man men,
toned is an agent Of the Warren Tail
oring Co., of ROxbury, Mass. He OBJ
jects to some Of the statements made
in Saturdays issue and has sent let
ter to that effect. The Journal wishes
to be perfectly fair in the matter and
publishes the letter. From conversa-
ton with some of the young men of
Augusta whom the solicitor approach
ed, it seems that the letter is contra
dictory to the plan laid before them
by the agent. The Journal read the
letter carefully and then interviewed
those with whom the solicitor had had
dealings. with the following result:
First, the letter:
Boston, July 30, 1900.
ITO the Editor of the Kennebec Journal:
Dear Sr-Being constant reader Of
your paper during my present business
trip. | came across an article. last Satur-
day morning, rejecting on my way of
doing business. | am the man referred
to as forming suit clubs in Augusta
Your article in Saturdays paper Is tend
ing to hurt me and reflects upon the
standing of our concern, which has been
established here for over ~ years.
Il have been forming clubs. for the
past II years. in this State and all over
slX NAl
the information regarding our method oil
forming suit clubs has given you the
wrong idea
Our suit clubs are composed of 75
members. each club. Every member will
receive a s35 custom made suit or over
coat. Each club runs 3 weeks every
As we naturally can make Is suits
cheaper we can afford to divide the
profits of those - suits In such a way,
that b members will receive their suits
for less than SIS and 40 members will pay
S3s5 each.
But every one of the 10 members will
get "A S35 custom made garment We are
simply making 70 garments; instead of
getting $50 each, we are actually receiv-
ing s2s.G0 each. Every tailor can do this
and make fair profit at that Should
any member wish to withdraw at any
week he will receive the value in cloth
ing. whatever amount he has paid in.
The meetings of every club are con-
Quoted here in Boston and members them
a member In each club shall be measured
for A garment. We have no boxes or slips
of paper as your paper states | have
had case in the superior court in this
state. five years ago. with the intention
of deciding the legality of the business,
and won my case. This business has been
thoroughly tested in the courts in this
state and | guess il will stand the test
in your courts If it should come to that.
Your tailors can do the same business. If
they work the same plan. Every
tailor in the large cities of Maine have
been running suit clubs for years. Any
game of chance is where one losses and
one wins. Our suit club is a square way
of doing business.
LAS | only have a few members in Au-
gusta and the expenses of collecting are
large, we do not intend TO work Augusta:
this season. so your tailors don't need
worry about taking trade away, but they
will have the pleasure of seeing us there
next season
Il found it very hard to get members
up there and SO it don't pay ME to stay
there. Your report of me getting 20 mem
bers there last week, is, | am sorry To
say, not true. ] have only II members
altogether in Augusta-nothing alarming.
| hope you will correct in your paper at
once and you can send bill to us.
Respectfully,
WARREN TAILORING co.
-. PINKS."
Upon receipt of the above. the Jour
who had agreed to join the club to
ascertain if the plan represented in the
letter is the same as that proposed to
them by the solicitor when he asked
them to join the club First, the fol-
lowing sentence was read from the
letter: Each club runs 80 weeks;
every member pays 81 per week for 80
weeks"
rs that as it was represent
ed to you?" was asked of one of those
who had Joined.
The answer was: mo. he told me
that if | was lucky enough to have my
name drawnin one. two or three weeks
would get my suit and have to pay
no more after that Whenever my
name should be drawn my payments
would cease at once and | would get
the garment"
The letter seems to contradict itself
in a very evident manner. The SEN
tence Immediately following that say
ing every members pays 81 per week
for 80 weeks states: We can afford to
divide the profits of those suits in such
a way that 35 members will receive
their suits for less than $35 Instead of |
getting $35 each" the letter goes on to |
say. I'VE are actually getting $3.50. |
The fact that the letter contradicts it |
self needs no further explanation.
Did you understand that every |
member would get suit of clothes or |
an overcoat. whichever it may be-"
"Yes. If he stays in the club long |
enough and continues paying his 81 |
per week" was the answer.
Are the members of the club them |
selves to decide on a voting plan as to |
which member shall be measured for |
a suit. as this letter states?'
He did not say anything to me |
about voting plan; he said that one |
name should be drawn from the rs. |
each week. and the one drawn would |
be the lucky ones, whose payments !
would cease and who would get a |
suit
This certainly does not look as !
though the solicitor told the same |
story to the club members as appears |
in the letter.
The members of the club, or those |
who have agreed to join, who have |
been interviewed, regard the scheme |
as lottery. and 1t seems as though |
they ought to know. as they have had |
it all explained to them. Similar !,