New-York tribune., 1902-04-17
SHARKS ARE LYING LOW.
ONLY ONE INSTALNENT CASE
AT JAIL THIS WEEK.
NARSHALs WHO OFFEND ARE FEW
BAR ASSOCIATION SHOULD
TAKE SOME ACTION

against the practices Of certain city marshals
who work in conjunction with instalment deal
ers are coming TO light. Warden Sullivan of
Ludlow Street Jail said yesterday that there
had been only one instalment case this week,
and that was brought in by a marshal who had
no dealings with the instalment people
The Tribune's attack has thoroughly scared
Them" declared Mr.. Sullivan. It's a good piece
Of work 1 can tell you Why. those dealers
have made this place collecting agency They
bring the poor unfortunates in here. telling them
they are only going to take them to see judge.
The people come along. and then they find them
selves in jail That isn't the worst feature Of it,
though They take the debtor out Of bed at 3
and o'clock in the morning and take him TO
an instaluent dealers home. There they keep
him all day while his friends out searching
for the money. Then. if il is not found. they
bring the man here at 3 O'Clock in the after
noon The marshal usually doesn't see the pris-
oner until he is dragged to his office. Its
case Of false arrest nearly every time.
Only the other day l spoke TO one of the
rnarshals about it, one who is the most frequent
visitor here I asked him why he took chances
and winked at these false arrests He declared
that he couldn't help it, and that he had TO
make living anyway. There are only two or
three rnarshals in this sort Of business. anyway,
not more than three. The rest Of the marshals
are against the whole business.
Cooperation is assured TO The Tribune and
the Legal Aid Society by the council and head
worker OF the University Settlement. At a
meeting Of the council last night the subject was
brought UP by the new head worker Robert
Hunter. and a committee Of three, consisting of
Samuel Thorne. jr. Henry Taft and Patrick
Bryce. was appointed 10 investigate. Mr. Hun
ter made the following remarks:
EXPECTS LITTLE FROM NEW LAW.
Messrs. Rtngwalt and Stewart in preventing me
s5t2Tos 01 IllS I nesrs Of the council have
noticed the newspaper accounts OF this cTuSa0e-
law in Tew1York to be much more TO the purpose
Of avaricious instalment dealers than the laws ID
g1srsbg9s Who have been the fools of the install
against the poor and ignorant immigrants VINO
are their debtors. This, however. will not remedy
the evil nor will the recent law which has been
passed. and which, it is thought by many. VIII
provides for hut three things-an of them !r! i'm
TheTe must be larger bond given by the city
marshal. a Judge may suspend a city marshaI
are are" heard by the Mayor; and third debtor
not be arrested unless it can be proven 1 ma
There is no reason believe either that the law
that the ousting of the two or three of the more
II eyg @ Taeay i Of fenhes Mss Resale
sounssl for the Lega Ad seeety cdd Md fsf 1e
most useful thing to be done at the present time
was to have person in connection with me
Settlement give his entire time for several months
in an investigation Of the entire situation Inc
Investigation would include study OF the number
and character Of persons engaged in the install
ment business the methods Of conducting IL, the
kind of goods sold and their methods OF mlSrep-
resentation etc-he dealers and the courts, the re
lation Of the dealers TO the officials could be an
important part of the study and in many cases OF
Imprisonment. etc. could be looked into Inc pnr-
chaser should also be studied. and in ADDITION 10
these things we should have some comparison
made between the legislation in This State and m
legislation in other States where this matter mas
been up for consideration After the necessary
Information had been obtained. II is quite likely
that AT the next of legislature IL would
be possible % get legislation this matter which
and cruelty II l may he permitted to suggest
what may be done. should feel that the Cniver-
sity Settlement Society should have an active
committee. which should take charge Of this IN
vestigation. Funds might he raised for the puT-
pose OF EMPLOYING some who could give his
entire time % the collection of the facts