Year: 1875

Among the many Institutions in the large
cities gotten up ostensibly for the poor, none
occupy more pre- ninent place tnan the pawn
shops. In them, ss conducted to-day, the honest
poor have but little chance OF aid, and as . rule
they are run In the interest Of the proprietor,
who has for his customer the spendthrifs OF the
rich and middle classes and the thief Of the lower
order Of society. By the nature Of his calling he
trades in the necessities Of the human race, and
hardened al the tales o Of woe he he hes hears and the
evidence OF vice he beholds that II 10 not to be
wondered at that be becomes almost callous.
When raiment from the handsome overcast and
silk dress Of fast ones temporarily embarrassed
to the underclothing of the destitute and starv-
critical eve Of an expert, mentions the dollar or
settles the matter.


that side is the proprietor land as rule
It Is small side, no matter how valuable the ar
ticle offered. When gold or silver are handed in
he tests the precious metals with an unerring
acid, 70 establish its quality; with watches he Is
as familiar as an experienced jeweler, and as for
mentary lessons Of bis life have BEEN spent in sc-
quiring the skill to distinguish the genuine from
the counterfeit and to establish their market
value.


The pawn.shops, their owners, and the curious
aggregation Of articles always to be found there
in, as well as the large prohts realized and the
mode Of doing business, have been written up In
these columns heretofore, but will bear, at . fu-
ture day, still further exposition.


Inc ODlecL Oh LQlS pATdgrdp1 70 CELL 6It0uIlOn
to state Of facts which should not, but IN
fortunately does exist. There are honorable ex-
ceptions, but as Q rule those engaged in the pawn
business In this city do not to put It mildly exer
else due smount of judgment In the transaction
of their business. In other words, in many shops
thieves find ready market for their stolen prop
erty,an in but very few instances, when property
has been received nom pawn-shops have the pro-
prietors been able, or at least they say 50, to
Identity the parties from whom they obtained It.
liar one, and that IL is necessarily confidential
one; that they cannot ask that those who do busl-
ness with them shall be Identified or bring cre-
dentials from well-known citizens. This may be
so, but they can exercise caution enough not
to receive stolen property, and have honesty
enough TO aid the police in their endeavors to
suppress crime and recover property by giving
them all the information they possess, and refus-
ing, under any circumstances, to deal with suspi-
cious characters. Recognizing the business as
legitimate, but peculiar, the law has wisely
thrown around 1t certain safeguards for the pro-
lection of the community, but tt can do more. 1t
now requires that they shall keep certain style
of record book, which shall always be open for
the inspection Of the officers but this has virtually
proven dead-letter. Now let there be an enact
ment that at any time they shall be compelled to
show to the proper officers all articles in their
possession, and that each morning they shall send
60 police headquarters complete list OF the arti
eles received the preceding DAY, and the amount
loaned thereon, under penalty heavy enough to
make the law be obeyed. If this be done proba-
bly, in q little while the gentlemen may become
sharp enough to distinguish stolen goods from
those offered by poor or spendthrlit owners.