The Indianapolis journal., 1903-04-12
FRENCH PAWNBROKERS.


Transacting Business at the Sign of
the Three Brass Balls I'm Paris.
Herbert Vivian, in London Express.
Although we are accustomed to confer all
| sorts of pretty nicknames upon pawnbrok-
ers establshments-"the poor mans bank"
| or uncle in this country; 1.-The mount Of
piety' or my aunt" in France-the busi-
| ness is not generally regarded as essentially
philanthropic.
/ had an introduction to the courteous di-
rector. who seems to be almost as impor-
| tant an official as an under secretary of
state in this country. but thought my best
| plan would be to begin by making acquaint-
| ance with the formalities of the place by
pawning something as an unknown indi-
vidual.
Being new to the game, had some initial
difficulty in finding my way to the right part
Of the huge palace. However. / followed
a stream of needy-looking people, and felt
| sure that l was on the right track.
We were soon in large room, not unlike
| the French Chamber of Deputies on a small
scale. There were sem-circular seats fac
| ing a high desk, where official was
| speaking excitedly. The proceedings turned
| out to be an auction of unredeemed pledges.
The front row was occupied by dealers,
| who were provided with watch-makers'
| eyeglasses, touchstones and various chem
| ical tests Then an idea occurred to me
| that instead of parting with my own watch
| L might secure something here which would
serve my purpose. A silver watch which
/ had been pawned for ST was knocked down
| to me or IF, and l glad to get out of
the unSavory atmosphere.
| / soon made my way into a large hall pro-
vided with pigeon holes and turnstileS, like
| ticket offices at railway station.
| Here l had plentiful opportunity or
| studying human nature and marking the
strange good humor and absence of false
/ shame in all these people. contrasted
| their manner with that of the furtive indi-
viduas who may be seen darting into a
| doorway beneath three brass balls In the
| Strand
| When 1 commented upon this afterward
/ traordinary that any one should shrink
| from publicity in the matter. He said there
/ were private rooms for those who preferred
\ them but that they were rarely used except
/ for important transactions.
| AS each pledge was given in. the pawner
/ received a metal disk with number on 1t,
| like cloak-room ticket Then ne had to
| take his seat on bench at the back of
/ the hall, or else loaf about until his num-
| ber was called out. The various articles
| were handed to some clerks to be valued,
and learned afterward that whenever they
| overvalue article they are obliged to
make good the difference. For a case of
4 reVOlVerS tney OHereQ y francs.
| Then the pawner was told TO produce his
papers to prove his identity, as is always
| done in the case of transaction of more
| Importance. He was not prepared for this,
so the goods were handed back to him, and
| he passed on grumbling.
| After some fifty minutes heard my num-
| Der called out from another pigeon-hole. L
was offered 6f for my newly bought watch
but, remembering that it had previously
| been pawned for ST., tried the experiment
| of demonstrating, whereupon the watch
was silently handed back to me. However.
as wanted to possess ticket, and learn
| exactly how things are taken out of pawn,
concluded to accept the offer
| was asked my name. address, and ma
/ tionality, which were written down very
| deliberately on a big colored FORM and
| then read out aloud for entry in a ledger.
| This was publicity with vengeance, and
| l reflected that few Englishmen would
care to have their private affairs pro-
| claimed TO crowd in this way. However,
| no one seemed TO mind any more than If
they had been taking out money from a
postoftice savings bank.
| On examining my ticket / found that it
| was headed "Republique Franchise. Lib
| erte. Egalite. Fraternite." A variety of
| information was printed upon it, and
| learned that had undertaken to pay per
| cent. per annum for interest, another 8
| per cent. for expenses, and per cent for
| compensation" whatever that might
| mean; that must redeem or renew during
| the next thirteen months; but that If my
| pledge were eventually sold 1 should be
/ emitted TO receive the dlnerence.
/ found the director very willing to let me
see over the establishment, but when
asked permission to take photographs he
refused on the plea that some pledge might
be recognized and that the radical papers
might protest against such a violation of
the poor mans privacy.
passed through one enormous room after
another provided with endless rows of
shelves extending right up to the ceiling.
Here thousands and thousands Of pack
ages were arrayed with scrupulous neat
ness, each provided with number corre-
spending with the ticket and with ledger
down stairs / was told that the perfec-
ton of the system enabled the officials to
lay their hands upon any pledge in the
building In the course of few minutes
One of the rooms was entirely filled with
serried rows of bicycles, not only huddled
in regiments along the floor but even hung
up in the air in flying squadrons. l was
told that many people took advantage of
this method OF warehousing their bicycles
and many other bulky objects at very
small cost AS far possible everything
was classified Here were acres of sewing
machines, there mountains of linen. ali
duly disinfected, and yonder a veritable
forest of umbrellas.
/ saw one umbrella whose owner had re-
newed regularly for forty-seven years, and
L was told or a cotton curtain which had
remained in pawn from 1923 to 1872 Thirty
five francs had been paid in interest, and
at last ii was sold for Of.
When / came to the more valuable
pledges noticed that | was watched with
great vigilance. L had been walking for
many minutes between long avenues of
packets, each containing jewelry, and la
beled with their contents. and 1t occurred
to me how easy it would have been for me
TO slip a few diamond pendants or pearl
necklaces into my greatcoat pocket How
ever, before doing so. 1 naturally looked
round, and perceived that two silent-footed
custodians were prowlng behind me- These
were multiplied TO three or four when /
reached the strong rooms underground.
where the most valuable deposits are kept
locked up within iron doors of enormous
strength. / was told that no less than
E2O,WO was advanced on one pledge the
other day.
To up the differences between the
French and English system of pawnbrok-
ing, l may conclude that while my aunt
of Paris is more generous and fussy my
uncle OF London is harder and more busi-