The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-06-02
FIGHTING KITCHEN GRAFT
NEW york OBJECTS TO A PLAN
THAT SUCCEEDS ABROAD.

Power OF the Cook IL Great and the
Cook wants Commissions on Purchases
Graft below stairs 10 not at all Q new
feature Of domestic economy. II fiourished
under another name in England long before
1t sprouted In this country. Now under its
twentieth century name IL fiourishes alike
in Europe and In the United States but with
this difference:
In England, and especially In London,
| graft In the kitchen Is tolerated practically
without protest, whereas In New York
householders kick good and hard, II I'M
avaiIingly, against the practice. 1t is q
much quoted statement that the Prince OF
Wales's oommissary' department furnishes
the most notable example In England OF
graft below stairs, every servant connected
with It exacting a commission from the
tradespeople he ~patronizes, and that the
Prince Of Wales accepts the situation philo-
eophically without protest.
In New York the weather. m more
prominent the householder the more certain
he is, II he suspects graft in the kitchen,
to want to fight It. Fortunately for his
peace of mind he doesn't always suspect It
when IL really exists for the reason that
the tradespeople~ generally keep quiet, be-
lievinR that IL iS better to bear the ills they
have than fee TO others they know not Of.
MANY a dealer In meats, poultry, game. &C.,
regularly hands over part Of his profits to
chefs, buffers and housekeepers rather
than run the risk Of having his sales dimin-
jshed. Some dealers sven try TO secure
patronage on his basis.
There is q steward in one Of the hotels
who makes no secret Of the fact that he 10
a s per csnt. man, and yet he is besieged
by tradeepeople anxious to secure his Gus
\ tom. It has been like that for years. OF
late, however. there has come a change.
In some cases chefs and their associates
have carried the game further than some
tradespeople are willing to play 1t. Con-
s~eouently tradesmen are showing a dis
position to follow the lead Of an uptown
firm dealing in market supplies which for
many wears has enforced q hard and fast
rule against giving commissions, no matter
what the size Of a customers bill may be.
This firm has instituted a system which not
only prevents graft in the shop but also
acquaints employers with the grating
practices Of their servants.
The shop is patronized by many promi-
nent families Of New York and its supplies
are sent to the country houses OF customers
in Newport, Tuxedo, Bar Harbor, Aiken,
Washington and elsewhere. The order de-
partment books register more than 300
names. They would register more were it
not that every now and then a customer
closes an account at the instigation OF a
chef. butler or h~ousekeeper bothered with
an itching palm.
The motto Of the house, as a member OF
the firm made clear, is millions for de-
fence, IL necessary, but not one cent for trib-
Ute Said he:
Notwithstanding the losses incurred by
reason of this policy from time to time we
still maintain that II is most beneficial both
to our patrons and ourselves. In opening
an account we always send out a circular
letter which includes this clause:
We believe you know that our method Of
transacting business does not permit of pay
ing commissions TO any servant in order
to retain the custom Of our patrons. This
tends to prevent waste and dishonesty In the
household of every customer we serve.
Should you agree with us in this matter and
care to express your approval We would
esteem it a favor to hear from you.
There Is the result and he produced a
two foot high stack Of letters .congratu-
lating the firm on the stand i had taken
He showed also a drawer filled with in
deNed cards-there were 200 or more OF them
bearing the names OF servants IN had
demanded anywhere from 5 TO 10 per cent;
commission on the purchases OF their
employers and giving the result OF the
refusal TO comply with the demand.
BY means Of these records the firm has
often been able TO prove that the trade of
certain customers has been taken else
their chefs or buffers. and they have some
times been the means of inducing the mis-
tres Of AZ establishment TO do her won
ordering.
sIt's a great pity the dealer went on,
of the household shopping, There is no
graft in buying neckwear and millinery
and other finery because the wearer picks
it out herself. She doesn't depend on her
maid to do 1t.
Well, generally like. this, Every employee
In the store knows the rules and what to do
when approached for a commission.
Instead Of saying we don't give COM
missions he sends the applicant upstairs
TO the office, where the head OF the clerical
force receives him and asks at once for his
name and address. In some cases a man
or woman hesitates about giving his or
her name, on which the clerk says. If
you can't tell me who you are l can't talk
10 YOU As a rule the grafters demand
a fixed sum
ION one occasion the chef OF a customer |
whose bill averages $500 a month the year
round demanded a 10 per cent. commission,
and went of vowing vengeance when we
refused it. Another demanded $40 a month,
A third said a 8 per cent. commission had
been paid him by every butcher his master
had ever dealt with and when he was
turned down he tried to compromise on a
handsome present at Christmas: One man
said he would expect us to send a joint Of
beef to his own house for his family con-
sumption once a week. This lie the sort OF |
thing we are up agai INST all the time.
Here lie a record which threw a good
deal OF light on a transaction which hap |
pened last month. 0ne Of our best GUS
toners stopped buying all OF a sudden. As
lie our custom, we wrote q letter asking for
his reasons and for any complaint he might
have 70 make. The family was occupying !
just then q house at Tuxedo.
Back came a letter from the head OF the |
house referring US 10 his housekeeper and
giving her name, | wrote 70 the house, |
Keeper In the same strain and got no reply. |
/ & ardly expected that / would get an
answer when / found that the housekeeper's /
name was the same as that Of a cook who
q year or more ago asked us for q 10 per
cent. commission on purchases made for
her employer and who went into. a rage