iu "nun uiy SJ
The take
Auction
By HX.TWINIXL$
COPYRCfyT BY Af?$att PUB, OCX
at
MERICANS- havo tho reputation ot bo
lng quick wlttcd nnd shrewd. Aa a
matter of fact wo aro Bnrnumlzed
bluffers, far more gullible and credu
lous than any 'class of any nation.
Right now, In nearly every moder
ate-sized city of tho United States wo
aro falling in Hue and dropping gold
Into thd tills of organized fake auc
tion stores and taking in oxchango
a misrepresented article. Thcso bogus auction stores
nre more hnrmful to us as a nation than all tho old
tlmo lotteries, policy games, mall-order fakos and
circus grnfts, including gold bricks and shell games,
combined.
Thoy aro not honest. They play "heads wo win,
tails you lose." Uncle Sam doesn't want to bring up
his boys In the business; yet ho countenances It,
nnd over 530 of his cities
issuo licenses regularly
to tho auctioneers ot
thcso fako companies,
giving them tho privilege-
of swindling the
public nt a nominal fee.
Any town with over
10,000 blind, Barnumlzcd
Yunkoes waiting to bo
buncoed is considered a
fcrtllo Hold.
From coast ' to coast.
i3
.J.
TJiC CAJHtrx "
THE PROPRIETOR
from lino to line, wo find
in nearly every state
from one to forty cities
supporting tomporary
auction swindles. Few
aro permanent; it is a
mushroom' buslno'ss
wnicn springs up over
night in a cheap storo, leased from month to
month, and stays until troublo occurs or tho field
is worked dry.
Now York city nlono demnnds to bo duped
by no less than eight practically permanent com
panies of this sort, only shifting their positions to
greener fields as tho crowds change.
Thero aro three ways to toll a legitimate auc
tion. If tho placo Is pormanent nnd advertises
sales on certain days, if tho goods to bo sold
aro catalogued pleco for piece, and if thero' aro no
outsido men hired to control tho bidding, then
it is certain that tho sale Is genuine.
Tho fako auction game Is played under tho
pseudo pntronngo of reliability. Tho auctioneer's
license, Issued by tho city, is hung conspicuously
near the door and tho goods aro claimed to havo
been conBlgnod from private sources or pawn
brokers in nearby cities. It is misrepresentation
from tho stnrt. As a matter of fact tho goods
vero picked up In Job lots from novolty houses,
jobbers, Jnpnneso stores and regular auction sup
ply firms who handlo Job lots of trashy stuff
and are to be found In all tho larger cities. Tho
ivories they handlo aro mado of choap clay by
shrewd Japs who havo scraped through tho shell
of American bluff and found the flabblness ot tho
flesh beneath. Those antiques crumblo to pieces
after six months in a heated apartment Practi
cally all tho goods handled In thcso stores are
mudo on tho snmo principle) and bought at from
one-flfth to one-flttloth of what thoy will bring nt
auction.
There is nothing criminal in selling nt an ex
orbitant profit If the purchnsor gets tho squnro
donl. Hut a fako auction company is primarily a
ring of cheats nevor Intentionally giving anyono
n squaro deal.
Tho proprietor is the arch roguo. His profit
depends on selling an article at anywhere from
fifty to two, three nnd sometimes flvo hundred
dollars. The auction does not pny if run for tho
average buyer; It Is merely a trap, a "plant," for
the occasional "good thing" who happens In and
1b quickly relieved of a largo amount of money
through an elaborate system ho never suspects.
It is a Joyless game, played on cut-and-dried
rules which admit of no freshness or originality.
Tho average cast for they are all actors and
play the samo choap show overy day is mado up
of ono bnckor, or proprietor, two auctioneers, ono
pretty girl cashier, and from two to ton "shills"
(tho pale-faced peoplo with mushy morals), their
number depending on Hie slzo and situation of
tho store.
Tho backer usually Is a shrewd and unscrupu
lous man who rents a vacant store, Alls It with a
scattering of cheap, showy articles, to attract at
tention and a number of largo so-called "works
of art;" and "antiques" which, on inspection,
provo to bo minors. Tho rango runB from foun
tain pons at ton conts to docoptlvo "ivories,"
"bronzos" and "paintings by tho old masters" that
bring from fifty to two hundred and fifty dollars,
and sometimes more, from tho uninitiated.
Tho proprietor lilreB a pretty girl cashier nnd
counts her aa an additional attraction. Ho gets
ono or two auctioneers thoy usunlly travel in
pairs, to rollovo ono anothor nnd the public and
guarantees them ten per cent, of tho sales; which
commission runs from forty.to two hundred dollars
a week.
Then tho dealer Incorporates tho bnckbono of
tho wholo crooked business tho body of "alilHs.'
THE AUCTJO1R.
C
Trt JHIJ-t. - v "
Tho word "shlll," or "shll
llver" In full, Is of Inde
terminate origin. It Is
synonymous with "cap
per," "booster," "ringer,"
"dummy," "stool," "stool
pigeon", nnd "outsido
mnn;" all techlncal slang
titles for tho shabby croai
turo, tho human buzzard,
who picks up his foul liv
ing by rascality and
roguery In working between tho public nnd somo.
swindling gamo: In this caso, working among
thoso who stop in at tho auction nnd pretending
to havo no connection with tho Halo, betraying
n ecoro of people a day after ingratiating himself
In their good grnces through cunning nnd crnft
Without theso shills no Bham auction can ex
ist Of course In smaller towns only two or throo
enn bo used, as strangers nro moro easily notlcod
In such plnces. Thoy aro tho crooks on whom
tho proprietor rolles to pick 6ut unsuspecting vis
Itors snared by tho bargain luro and Jockoy thorn
into buying misrepresented articles.
The shlll mixes with tho crowd. His business
Is to look Just like nn interested buyer nnd llo In
wait for tho fly for which tho elaborato web was
spun.
This Individual, for whom tho scenery Is set
nnd the nctors dressed, is called in technical slang
"a rummy." Tho old thrce-enrd monto men chrls
toned him "suckor."
Plcturo a room 40 foot long nnd 20 foot wide.
Double doors to tho sidewalk aro Invitingly open;
abovo them hangs an enticing rod flog bearing
tho name of what purports to bo a legltimato
auction Arm; beuonth that, in largo lottors, aro
tho words:
SALE TODAY.
Pick out any acquaintance who lives In a small
town, is fnlrly prosperous, and has como to tho
nearby city oflO.OOO to 30,000 population to look
around for tho day, purchaso a present for his
wlfo'nnd somo Implements for tho farm.
Ho has read In tho papors and magazines ac
counts ot book, nrt nnd untlquo auctions nnd not
ed the hugh prices brought by rarities. When ho
stumbles on to tho flagrant flag of tho fako auc
tion houso and looks in at tho window, heapod
with a inlscollany ot antiques, ho Is suddenly
stirred by thnt perennial longing for a bargain,
Ho glances through tho door. Thero Is a wor
ried auctioneer struggling with eight dull-facod
peoplo. He is trying frantically to sell a pair ot
opera glasses,
"Genuine Lomlor, gontlomen; concavo and con
vex lenses, put up In this heavy morocco caso,"
tho auctioneer cries, "and $2 Is bid for thorn.
Think of that! Not a tenth of their valuo. Why,
I don't bollove you gentlemen would glvo $2.50
to sco statuo of llborty do a Salome danco N Two
dollars bid, oh, shlll! Two dollars!"
Jones, your out-of-town friend, Is undecided
whether to go In or not; but nt that moment n
follow ncnr tho door shakes his head to a seem
ing Btrnngor bcsldo him and says In a low volco:
"It's a shamo. Things nro going for nothing.
Wish I had tho prlco to buy somo of that cut
glass. It'll soli for n Bong."
Jones overhears and is interested. Ho thinks
tho mind of ovorybody in that storo Is contorod
on th6 opera glasses, going so cheap. Ho smiles
at their rapt attention nnd tho auctioneer's hard
luck complnlnts. Tho smile would disappear In
stantly If ho know that ho himself was tho solo
concorn of the eight minds In thnt audlenco, nnd
tho auctioneer, Ho would bo furious It ho. know
that tho wholo, salo of tho opera glasses was a nham; that when
tho auctioneer saw Jonesoy looking In ho Immediately transmitted
this fact to tho shlll nenrost tho door by saying, "Oh, shlll," ensu
ally In his Bpoech. Jones hnd novor hoard tho word, bo naturally
ho didn't solcct It with suspicion from tho nuctlonoor's Jnrgon, nnd
Buspccted nothing whon tho man near tho door remarked about cut
glass bargains.
As n matter of fact Jones was Interested In cut glnss.
His wlfo liked It and occaslonnlly ho Invested In somo, It
being tho nearest ho could got to diamonds.
So ho sauntered In casually nnd watched with an
amused smile tho frantic nucttoneor trying to Boll a watch.
Jones wnsn't Interested In watches. Ho had
ono in ins pccicct; so ms oyos continually
rnved toward tho cut glass In n llttlo Jnpaneso
cabinet.
Ho didn't know It but before ho was In tho
plnco two minutes, whllo tho nuctloneor was
trying to "fool him out" with tho wntch, ono
ot tho siillls had noticed Jones's lntorcst In cut
glass, nnd had called tho nuctlonoor's attention
to tho fnct by touching tho cabliet signifi
cantly. Tho auctioneer, on his perch nbovo them
all, had control of tho situation. Ho noted
tho signal from tho shlll, Jotted down mentally
thut Jones wanted cut glnBs, nnd knocked
down tho wntch ho hnd been experimenting
with to ono of tho shills for a' ruinous prlco,
which wns all helpful in showing Jones that
n shrewd man could pick up a bargain if ho
laid low, attracted no attention nnd bldod his
tlmo. i
"Sold for six nlnoty. Put It with tho other
goods for Mr. A. Deposit sufficient," tho auc
tioneer cried to tho pretty cashier.
Jones did not bid on tho first pleco of cut
glass. Tho auctioneer did not look townrd him
once to givo him a chance. Tho pleco was
knocked down for $3.80. It was a frightful bar
gain. Jones would hnvo given $5 for It him
self. But the auctioneer passed abruptly to tho
noxt nrtlclo.
Jones prcssod forward this tlmo ns a gor
geous punch bowl was put up. Ho hoard vari
ous exclamations around him, nil tending to
glvo him confidence In tho fact that things
wcro going dirt choap. Two ladles besldo him com
miserated bocauso thoy wouldn't hnvo enough
"Gentlemen nnd ludlos," tho auctioneer wont on
solemnly, "If I had this nrtlclo In Chicago or Now
York it would bring ono hundred dollars, ono hun
dred dollars. You couldn't dupllcato It at retail
for less than two hundred. It is tho finest ploco ot
nrt glnss over shown In your city,"
"Can I get ono hundred dollars? Nlnoty? Eighty?
Soventy-flvo dollars? Can I got sixty? Fifty? Glvo
mo forty; thirty-lino; thirty!"
"Fifteen dollars!" camo a halting volco from
bcsldo Jones.
Jones was Interested. Ho sensed n bargain.
Had ho known that whon tho nuctloneor snld
"thlrty-llno" It wna a signal to tho shlll boBldo
Jones to bid $30 with a lino through It, or flttoon
octuftl dollars, ho would not havo b6on so enthusiastic.
"Sixteen!
"Seventeen!" "Half!" "Eighteen!"
staccato offers punctuated tho ntmosphoro after tho
auctioneer's oncourngomont.
Tho llttlo man besldo Jones shook his liend
Badly. ,
"Gee, It's gono boyond mo," ho sighod, turning
to Jones; It'll go dirt choap, too. If you could buy
that for $50 It'd bo a bargain, suro enough."
'Twenty-eight Is the last bid," wnllod tho auc
tioneer. "Why, you could tnko it out and pawn
It for moro than that."
Jones thrilled nn tho auctioneer turned to look
squarely at him.
"You'd glvo thirty, wouldn't you?" ho cried.
Jones gulped and nodded.
Tho auctlonoer skilfully lod up to tho grand
landing by taking offors of "thirty-six" and "thirty
soven" from membors of his troupo, Ho hnd folt
out his man cnrofully and know that $40 would bo
Jones's limit.
"Will you glvo mo forty?" ho said simply, In n
level tono, loaning far ovor tho Bhowcnso,
Jones hesitated, gulped, and thon noddod his
hend nbruptly.
Jonoa wns ploasod with his bargains until iic
got homo and his wlfo told him ho could got the
same punch bowl for $10 anyrvhoro and that the
other stuff was worthless,
,; uncs, , TTr-yfeW.
tT' ;tr rf,-r 1
: I i i tliJ
AGED INVENTOR'S SUCCESS
Tho peoplo who dcclaro that a man
has outlived his. usefulness whon ho
attains tho ngo ot sixty jtanrs and
should bo put out of his misery with a
doso of chloroform, will havo to ox
tend "thd llrhlt If they, wish to mnke a
hit with tlio mutants of Sari' Jose, Cal.,
.since It has become known that
Goorgo Gntos, a struggling sovonty-year-old
Inventor ot that city, will bo
conio a multl-mllllonalro through tho
salo to ,a ayndlcato. of otavqn of tho
groatost railway systems of Tho 'United
States, of his patent rights In a con
.cruto railroad tto which ho has In
vented. Tho prlco to bo paid for tho
now tlo la $17,500,000.
QatCB has been working on tho con
croto tlo for nbout ten years, llo cast
thousands nnd thousands of concrete
ties In thoso years and was not dis
heartened "Whon thoy fnllod to stand
tests and crumbled nnd craokod under
tho vibration of heavy traffic.
Ono day about two years ago Gates
was loaning against a barbcd-wlro fonco. Hla moagor funds woro about gono
nnd ho was nlmost ready to glvo up, but tho barb wires suggested a means
whereby ho could rolnforco tho concroto. "I will Just oast somo ot those,
barbed wires In tho concroto." It was a happy ldoa, and ono that, afterward
provod to bo worth millions.
Ties woro cast with bnrbod-wiro Btrands running longthwlBO. Tests
Bhowed that 3G strands twlatqd In a certain manner bbtalned tho beat rosults.
A tlo thus mado will spring 1 lnchos and como back to lino. And & Btngle
maohlno will turn out tho Uos at tho rato ot 3,500 per day.
Gates, who wns born In Ottumwa, Iowa, IIvob In a modo3t cottago In Snn
t Jose, Cal. Ho Is n small, sparo nnd unassuming. Ho presents tho appearance
of a typical Yankeo worklngman, nnd bocauso ho Is out much In tho air ho
is sunburned and doos not look ovor Blxty years of ngd.
RISE OF PENNILESS RUSSIAN
Tho falluro of tho Northern bank ot
Now York for $8,000,000 nnd-tho Btory
of JoBoph G. Robin's enroor In Now
York Is tho story of Uio gold-flllod
streets of America that lures tho am
bitious of EuropQ horo. Sixteen yoara
ago ho was a penniless Immigrant,
with perhaps a half-dozen words ot
English nt his command. For tho past
year hq has had a controlling ,volco la
throo banks, two bonding companies,
two ronl ostato dovolopmont compa
nies and two traction roads.
A Russian by birth, Robin camo to
tho United States as Jopoph Rablno
wltz. Ho was about twonty-two years
old then, nnd Is now about thirty
olght Ho camo to this country alone,
and ho Is ntlll slnglo and without rela
tives horo.
A year aftor Rablnowltz roachod
America ho fixed upon Journalism as
tho profession ho meant, to follow, For
rnthor loss than a month ho was a re
porter on tho Hornld, with only broken
English and tremendous determination ns his stook In trade.
Four yonrs later Rablnowltz hnd become Robin and was- attracting atten
tion nB doputy to Gen. James R. O'Bolrno, Oom Paul Krugor'u commloBlonor
extraordinary for tho Boors in tho United States. Within flvo yonrB moro ho
was bankor nnd financier both, his associates In nmbltlous ontorprlsos Includ
ing somo of tho best known men in tho United States,
In 1900 Robin wns president of tho Bank of Discount, through which, as
a baso of operations, tho morgor which rosultod In tho Northern Bank of Now
York was carried out. ,
COMMANDER TALKED TOO MUCH
Commander ,W. S. QlmB of tho Unit
ed Statos navy haB gotton hlmsolt Into
a lot of troublo after a long and very
qredltablo caroor, Ho attended a ban
quot In London and mado a spocch,
during tho course ot which ho had tho'
mlsrortuno to "slop ovor," Ho was
very anxious to Impress on tho mlndB
of hlB British hosts tho fooling ot
friendship which exists In tho United
Stntos, but ho wont too far and as
sured them that:,
"If over tho tlmo comes that tho
British empire is menaced by an ex
ternal foo Bho can count on overy man,
overy dollar, every ship and ovory
drop of, blood ot hor klndrod across tho
sea."
Now, Undo Sam thinks a whole lot
ot John Bull, but ho doesn't proposo
to havo overy Tom, Dick and Harry
mnklnjf wholosalo promlsos for him.
So Commandor Sims has boon Jackod
up. President Taft characterizes tho
offonse ns conspicuous nnd ardors that
ho ho publicly reprimanded by tho secretary of tho navy.
This action on.ho part of tho presldont was ncceBsary, bocauso had ho
taken no notice of tho commandor's exuberant speech other nations would
havo had a right to bo offendod, in international relationships It is necessary
to steer a pretty straight courso to avoid giving offense,
THE NEW SENATOR FROM OHIO
Tho election of n Unltod StatoB sen
ator from Ohio, to succeed Senator
Dick, proclpltatod a llvoly contest,
which ondod only with tho solectlon
of Atloo Pomorono of Canton, McKIn
ley's old town. It Is said to havo beon
ono of tho hottest senatorial cam
paigns In tho history of tho state.
Mr. Pomorono Is a lawyor and Is
forty-sovon yoara old. Ho la a natlvo
of tho stato, a graduato of Princeton
nnd has boon a practicing attorney
since 1880. 1 Ho, has hold tho offlco of
city solicitor and prosocutlng attorney
nnd was tho most formidable rival of
Harmon- for tho nomination for gover
nor. Ho was forcod to accopt second
placo, however, and was elected lieu
tenant govornor.
Mr, Pomorono Is marrlod and his
wlfo Is ono ot Ohio's popular and cul
tured womou, who will no doubt o
warmly wolcomod to senatorial circles
at Washington.
One ot tho prominent senatorial candidates before tho legislature was
Ropresontntlvo Carl O. Anderson of Fostorla, who had tho ondorsomont of tho
American Federation of Labor. Mr. Andorsou began ltfo as a bootblack and
newsboy and hns mado a successful uphill struggle against early limitations.
