Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-02-12
FAKE AUCTION SALES
Board of Trade Committee Appears
Before Commissioners.
some ALLEGED BOGUS TRANSACTIONS
Legislation Asked for Benefit of
Merchants and People.
AUCTIONEER'S y STATEMENT

AUCT1ONEER'S STATEMENT
Mr.. Isadore Saks. chairman Of the board
of trades committee on mercantile inter-
ests. and his fellow-commttteemen had a
conference today with the District Com
missioners upon the subject Of outside par
ties holding auction sales in the District
Mr.. Saks and the other local merchants ac-
quainted the Commissioners with the man.
ner in which the parties who conduct these
affairs carry on the business, and also with
the injury they do the merchants Of the
District. Not only was about every mem
Der of the committee present at to-day's
conference. but also many local business
men not members Of the committee. The
Commissioners evinced the deepest interest
in all that was said, and assured the MEM
bers of the committee that they can be re-
lied upon to assist them in every possible
way in preventing such imposition upon the
merchants and people of the District.
Mr.. Saks was the first speaker, explaining
that the object Of the committee in confer
ring with the Commissioners was to secure
such legislation as would protect not only
the local merchants, but also the people Of
the District against the parties who year
in and year out conduct here what are
known as fake auction sales" The mer-
chants Of the District, said Mr.. Saks. suffer
more in this way than do those of any
other city in the country. He explained
how these affairs are conducted, stating
that the parties interested in them are, Of
course, outsiders who remain here a few
weeks and sometimes only few days at a
time, paying no license, and that the prac-
tice has assumed such proportions that the
board of trade through Its committee on
mercantile interests, has felt obliged to
bring the matter to the attention of the
municipal authorities. He stated that he
had some time ago inaugurated a fight
against the fake auction sales of clothing
succeeded in making them practically i'm
possible: In Richmond, Virginia, he added
a law has been passed which imposes a
license of 500 a day on such, and it has
proven a most effectice measure Mr.. R.
Ross Perry, the general counsel of the
board Of trade, said Mr.. Saks. has been con-
suited in the matter, and also the attorney
of the District. Mr.. A. B. Duvall. both Of
whom are Of the opinion that a similar
law could and should be enacted here.
The Richmond Law.
Replying to suggestion Of Commissioner
Ross, Mr.. Saks said he will furnish the
Commissioners with a copy of the Rich
mond law. Mr.. Ross stated that the Com
missioners have appointed a commission,
consisting of the collector, auditor and
assessor of the District, to examine all
license laws and recommend such changes
therein as are deemed advisable, and 1t
would be well, he thought, for the COM
mission to have the Richmond law before
it.
Mr.. Kimon Nicolaides, a member of the
committee, followed Mr.. Saks, telling the
Commissioners that fake auction sales be-
came such a nuisance in Saratoga, NJ Y,
that the authorities of the town were COM
PEELED. in order to protect the legitimate
merchants of the place. to pass law for
their protection, which law has effectively
disposed of these itinerant merchants Such
law, he added. is not only required here
for the protection Of the legitimate busI-
ness men of the District. but well for
the protection of the people, who are, he
declared. Imposed upon to an extent far
beyond their imagination He told of
sale recently conducted here by one of
these fake concerns, at which a piece of
bronze was sold for $2s25, which was
worth not more than two or three dollars
"A number Of these bogus sales he further
declared. are now being conducted here
and he expressed the opinion that through
auction sales of rugs here some local firms
lose at least $4,000 a year. The reputa-
BILE carpet and rug merchants he said, some
time ago secured legislation in New York
which has effectively protected them and
the purchasing public, and he urged the
commissioners to assist the merchants of
the District in securing like legislation
here.
License of Local Auctioneers.
Mr.. r. Harris, another member of the
Noh'hieeeCb hNitto Tile dttenttOn Oh the
Commissioners to the fact that in many in
stances these fake merchants come here
and conduct sales under the license of local
auctioneers. paying the latter a commits
sion. and using their licenses for their own
personal ends. Mr.. Harris expressed the
hope that, in drafting desired legislation,
the Commissioners will consider this fea-
tire OF the question, and prepare such
law as will prevent any outsider from SELL
Ing under the license Of a local auctioneer
Mr.. Harris also said that through these
auction sales the people who purchase goods
at them are generally defrauded, and men
toned an instance where in one of these
sales under the name of local merchant,
not an article of mis- stock is being sold, the
goods being sold all having been brought
here to be disposed Of.
Mr.. John Doyle Carmody, an auctioneer.
assured the Commissioners that the legis-
lation desired would really benefit the local
men in his line of business. The fake sales.
he stated. have become such a nuisance
and fraud that the legitimate auctioneers
Of the District are meeting with much an
Eoyance, the people having been SO hum
plugged in the past by the fake affairs that
they have really come to view with sus
plclon about every auction sale advertised
or conducted here now. He explained that
the auctioneers are under bond of $4,000,
and he suggested that 1t might be found
possible to protect the merchants and peo-
pie of the District under such bonds
The Commissioners assured the members
OF the committee that they Will give the
subject careful consideration and that they
may be depended upon to take whatever
steps will secure the protection desired.
Members Of the Committee.
The members of the committee are: 1sa-
dore Saks. chairman; s. Kahn, r. Harris.
d. ]. Kaufman. William Muehleisen, Peter
Grogan. Isaac Cans, H. w. Offutt, Robert
B. Tenney S. G. Cornwell, George #. Keen,
P. T. Hall. Charles Kraemer, @. ]. McCub-
bin, Wolf Nordlinger, Samuel C. Palmer,
John L. Prosise, George ]. May, E. ]. Nc.
Quade. W. A. Hungerford, W. H. Butler.
Percy s. Foster, T. f. Ogram w. c. john
son, Elphonzo Youngs. Kimon Ncolaides.
H. c. Browning Edwin 8. Clark, F. W.
Eberly. John Hartung, W. H. Martin, A.
W. Noack Charles Schneider, s. c. Smoot,
Martin Kastle. T. H. Pickford.5
Real Estate Transfers.
French street northwest between 9th and
10th streets-Frederick W. BehrRns to Louis