The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1938-02-24
Americas Best Salesman Puts
On Big Show In West Jefferson
Collects $4,000 From Strange
Sales And Departs. Sells
Burnt Match.

~
to town last Friday afternoon, gave
an expensive, entertaining two-hour
street demonstration on the fine art
of selling and then made q hur-
ried departure, taking with him
$4,000 in cold cash which he clever
| ly swindled out of the apparently
hypnotized crowd.
It was, the biggest show that has
been witnessed here in many day
and the promoter certainly lived up
to his self-tyled title of Americas
best salesman" when he sold "emp-
ty boxes for $100 each; small
fountain pen and pencil sets for $500
and a burnt match, believe-lt--or-
not, for $1,000! And the amazing
part was that the sales were per-
fectly legitimate and the victims"
shook hands on the deal
Driving a new Plymouth sedan,
with Tennessee license, two men ar
rived here about noon on Friday,
went to see Jesse Reeves, secretary
| of the board of aldermen, to get
'free pedler's license" and finally
secured same from Chief Of Police
Charles Mcmillan, after explaining
that the state had issued free license
to them as one of them was dis
abled World War veteran.
About two o'clock they drove up
and down the business district,
ringing a cow bell. A crowd of
about so people finally gathered
around the car, parked across the
street from the West Jefferson post
| office.
Describing himeslf as a "profes-
sor' and doctor, one of the men
started things off mildly by selling
bottles of medicine which were said
to be good for most anything that
ais YOU and especially "rheuma-
ISM. This sale lasted for about
Is minutes and a number of the %
for 81 bargains" were sold.
Following this the real show conf
nenced when the other member OF
he trio mounted the stage, which
! took the form of an automobile
trunk and introduced himself 81.
B."-"Lazy Bill, never worked and
I never wilP'.
His magnetic personality, charlt-
able attitude and jokes gave him a
dig send off. At first he pulled out
a roll of bills and declared that "he
was going to end the depression by
giving away one dollar bills.
! That didn't develop, however, but
he gave away large number OF
key rings, and packages Of needles.
Said he had lot more to give
away but was afraid somebody
would get hurt in the scramble.
He then proceeded to sell empty
boxes for 81 and when the pur-
chase was made, he returned the 81
and much; to the customers surprise
he had his money and box con-
tanning perfume or something else
of relatively little value. Shortly,
though, he stopped returning the
| ST and it was estimated that about
20 of the empty boxes" were sold.
Of course the impression was that
the boxes might contain something
really valuable.
He partially cre~eed this impress
sion by showing that he had plenty
of money, in fact he possessed two
of the largest rolls seen around here
| in long time And strange as it
may seem, he then got the crowd
to display its money. Upon seeing
that there was some cash among the
F; group, Lazy Bill really went to
work in earnest. He sold 81 for
SOC; the SOC for Csc; the Csc piece
for 10c and the 10c. piece for 1c and
gave the 1c to a little boy.
Later he sold fountain pen and
pencil sets for $500 and it was esti-
mated that several Of these were
purchased. He held the undivided
attention of the crowd by telling
clever jokes. pulling odd stunts,
and gave them the idea that the
sale would end by having someone
scale brick wall.
The biggest achievement came
when he sold burnt match to Bill
Blevins, of Crumpler community,
for $1,000. Later, however, Bill did
get watch.
After he had made about $4,000
and before the crowd realized what
had happened, Lazy Bill and his
pardner jumped in their car and
hurriedly left town.
That morning they had spent in
Boone Some time ago they were
in North Wilkesboro and there were
said to have sold 3 burnt matches
for $1,000 each.
The sale is described as being ION
the up and up'' He doesn't prom
Use thing that he doesn't give. In
fact, he gives hundreds of dollars