Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-12-01

would bring in his crooked can filled up
to the brim. and everything would seem
fact a customer would be getting only
four gallons. When the driver finished
serving them all. he would have sold, in
realty, only 1GO gallons. still leaving
forty of the original 200. which he would
then proceed to sell on his own account
1T. made a rather neat little daily bit
for him. and it was a good many months
before he was caught up with. Even
then it was largely by accident. 1t hap
pened that one of the drivers customers.
who had been buying only five gallons at
a time, but who had been StOriEe. 1t in q
twenty-gallon tank, decided to economize
on space, got rid Of his big tank and
bought new one Of exactly five-gallon
capacity. In the beginning. probably. the
driver would have made it a point to
fill that can up, but his trick had worked
so long and so successfully. that he had
grown careless. He kept right on using
course. it didn't hold enough to fill the
new tank. This aroused the suspicious
OF the customer. He spoke to the driver
about it, but the latter grew indignant at
the imputation against his honesty.
Then the customer got quart meas
ure. and proceeded to measure out the
oil he had received. OF course, he found
that he had only four gallons. He didn't
say anything, but waited until he had
gotten a new supply and measured 1t out
quart by quart again. Same result Then
he came to us, and We went after the
driver, and we got him cold, although We
had a hard time doing It, When one OF
my men asked him for the can to test
it, he knew what was coming and whip
ped up his horse and got away-for the
time being But we followed and caught
him at the stable. We found the can
hidden under pile of hay in the loft
Faxed bottom cans are still brought
is difficult indeed to get away with
them" Just as the detectives Of the
regular police force have their stool
pigeons. infOrmers and pawnbrokers. with
whom they work hand In hand. so the
watchdogs of the pantry also have their
assistants. Nowadays. when man goes
to a timer to have false bottom put into
a can or measure. the fact most probably
is promptly made known to the office
of the sealer. They Investigate and keep
careful tab on the owner of that can.
and the minute he tries to use 1t IN
making a sale they pounce down upon
him-and there are police court proceed
ings and another addition to the museum
of crooks.
There are other ways and means OF
fleeing the public, however, on which no
tab can be kept and which are being used
constantly. For instance, in the museum
of crooks there are any number Of peck,
half-peck and half-bushel measures.
made of heavy tin, battered and dented.
Saye for their age. they seem perfectly
all right. They are of regulation size.
and, being wide open at the top, thus
affording a clear view of the entire in
terror false bottom would be impos-
sible Yet they represent what is at
once the most common. most persistent
and most crafty form of petty thievery.
The dents, seemingly the result Of care
lessness, are. as matter Of fact. due to
deliberate design. Every one Of them
cuts down the amount Of measure you
receive.
Its a common thing said one Of the
men in the Office. for a crooked dealer
to buy say. a peck measure and take
hammer and dent it up. First he will
knock in the bottom little bit. making
it curved instead OF fiat. Then he will
put a number OF dents in tire sides. In
making all these dents he Is extreme.
careful-for If they showed thar t.:t;:
We're made pvrrOselv his WORK w";.i
be wasted. Thc:- must ;""f a> !: IN,
We're the result ~ mar: n>'..- '".s'--