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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Seaforth News, 1959-11-19, Page 2They Steal It For You Wholesale! The thin, well - dressed little map with the hair -line mous- tache slid into the booth quietly. His eyes raked the "customer" searchingly, analyzing the pros- pect that this might be a detec- tive, "I understand," he said, "that you want to buy a mink stole.'! "That's right," the other re- plied, "What cplour and what price?" The "customer" blinked. "Well about $1,000." The little man nodded. "Okay, I'll have it tomorrow. It'll be worth $3,000." Without further words the little man startedto leave. The "booster" — the thief who steals it for you wholesale on a charge of 30 per cent of the going price —had taken an. order. "Wait a minute," said the other. "How do I know it'll be worth $3,000?" The little man drew himself up haughtily and frowned down on the "customer." "What do you think I am," he barked, "a crook?" "You take it to a furrier,' If it isn't worth $3,000 you don't ewe me a dime," The next day the "customer" had his. $3,000 stole, in the pro- per shade, and for '$1,000• Not only that, but appraised by' a furrier, it was worth $3,000. In such a manner does the "booster" operate—a 30 per cent "middle man" who eliminates the front man, For the booster will get it for you better than wholesale, whether you want a bobby .pin or a TV set, a steam iron • or a new suit of clothes, an exclusive lady's dress or a dozen imported sweaters. All you pay is one-third of the list price. It is shop -lifting at its most advanced and polished stage• and those who practice it are the brassiest thieves in history. Like in the case of the tele- vision store from which expen- sive sets were vanishing. The help was interrogated and found to be absolutely "clean." A puz- zled detective, hired by the frantic manager of the store, couldn't unravel the oase until saw t h a store's assistant ranger trundling a d&Hy cart back through the front door. "Gee," sympathized the detec- tive, "you have to do the hard work, too?" "'Yeah," said the assistant manager. "That customer couldn't get the television set, he just bought, into a taxicab. I just gave him a hand." "Who sold him the set?" ask- ed the detective, "I don't know," the assistant manager replied. Then it dawned on everybody. A "customer" who actually was a booster at work simply had waltzed into the shop, asked for help in getting a set on the dolly, and walked it right out— with the obliging assistant man- ager unwittingly helping him get the stolen set into a cab. They are a brassy lot, the boosters, and they work with such assurance, aplomb and speedy dexterity that their seeming innocence usually lets them slip away without detec- tion. So you want one of those im- ported brown tweed suits which are selling at one of the best men's stores for $150. Name your size and the booster will get it for you for $50. Not only that, but he'll probably get two or three while he's at it. "I'd' like to see this pattern and this, and this," he says to the eager salesman. These, of course, are debated over and he thinks "maybe I'd like that other pattern." Soon there are a hall dozen or more suits in the dressing room. Then, while the salesman is hunting more patterns, the booster wraps one suit around his waist, dangles another down inside his trousers, dons a con- cealing topcoat and airily walks out with.a "thank you" wave to the irritated salesman, writes Lawrence Martin , in the Police Gazette. So you get your imported suit at one-third the cost 'and• the busy booster finds himself with an extra size 40 or so—long or short as the customer demanded, This, at times, builds up a back- log .of hotmerchandise for the booster but he can always "move" it rapidly through park- ing lot attendants, night clerks at second rate hotels, or bell- hops who are always looking for a bargain. • But, usually, t h e "booster". doesn't steal in wholesale lots. This is left to the hijacker who steals by the truckload and usu- ally unloads his loot through a. fence. The 'booster is .a whole• sale "shopper" who hands the ordered merchandise along to his thrifty bargain - conscious "customer" just as rapidly as he can, Women "boosters" have more difficulty as they are noted for appropriating s m l l e r items which are then "sold" among a circle o'f acquaintances. They do, of course, take "orders" for the higher priced dresses, fur coats, mink stoles and such. But wom- en need lots of smaller acces- sories, too, particularly when the price is right, So t h e woman booster who specializes in small items does her "wholesale shopping" with a pair of oversized bloomers. The loot then is dropped through the waist of the skirt and into the bloomers, which often hang cue- pended• almost down to the hem- line. The booster makes his con- tact most frequently in a bar where he is known — and where he knows everyone. He will ac- cept c- cept a new "customer" . only when the "customer" is recom- mended. Such credentials usu- ally are supplied by the bar- tender, who works as the boost- tr's "customer's man." When the Police Gazette start- ed its investigation of the boost- gl s operetioij w i d e l y l New York, a bartender at a Broad- way bar made the introductions. The booster was a. jolly, open- faced and friendly type who was perfectly willing to sit and have a few drinks with his new "customer." He 'quoted the 80 per cent rate and then asked: "What can I get for you?" "Well, I have several things in mind," said the Police Ga- zette investigator, mentioning first that he wasbeing annoyed. by a "terrible headache." "Wait a minute," said the booster solicitously. A few minutes later he re- turned and thumped one of those giant, economy -sized bot- tles of aspirin on the table. "There, that ought to fix it up," he said solicitously. "I sure appreciate it," said the Police Gazette investigator. "How much do I owe jou for the aspirin?" "Nothing at all, the booster replied breezily. "Those aspirin are `on' the corner- drugstore!" He had gone to the corner and stolen them. This time there was no charge, not even the usual 30 per cent. After all, the booster has a reputation to up- hold — and has to treat the "customer" right! TAKING A TEA BREAK — Norwegian Crown Prince Harald sips tea 'after a seven -hour night march in northern Norway, where he, as a lieutenant, is second in command of an infantry group. The prince sips his brew from a cup bearing a crest, while the soldier beside him drinks from a reguletlon metal con- twiner. STATE' VISIT — Princess Grace of Monaco Chats with 'French Premier' De Gaulle in Paris. She and' her husband," Prince Rainier made an official visit 10 'the city, �,an 'TA BLE �T� With. apples so deliciously crisp right now, here's a 'salad which ; combines several fine fla- vours. Mix together a cup of diced, unpeeled, apples, a cup of sliced •g r a'e n peppers, 2 cups- thinly ups-thinly sliced celery, 1 . cup ohopped pecans, 1/2 cup toasted ehopped ahnbnds,3 tablespoons mayonnaise, 3' tablespoons sour cream, 11 teaspoons fresh• le- mon _juice, and % ,teaspoon':salt. Arrange on. lettuce and sprinkle around each salad grated fresh carrot about ,2 cups in all. Another good fall, salad .com- binatlon is celery, apples, and tuna flak,'. assembled ,with may- onnaise, and some 'seasonings (try fresh lemon .juice).. * It is a rare occasion when one. finds: on the menu , of a restaur- ant a new way of cooking chick- en; .am, when I was told that at The Old Warsaw In hales 'the specialty of the house was such a dish, I wanted' to try .it; It tyrned out to be breast of young e cken which wad 'boned, flat- tened, and wrapped 'around ,sweet butter, fastened together tightly' and ` fried in deep' gat. When it' was served - and this was done with a• true French' flourish — the waiter' slit it open with a sharp. knife so that the melted sweet butter oozed all o v e r the tender, browned white meat. It was truly, a new taste for chicken. 'Dessert at that meal was Ba. varian cream made with bits of fruit in it, and served with a generous spooning of fresh fruits on the plate beside it. >t * .h The O 1 d Warsaw is ,small, serving about 120 persons for dinner each evening. A few years ago it was on the New York' Times' list of the 10':best restaurants for that year, writes Eleanor Rickey Johnston in The Christian Science. Monitor, "Ladies often call the day after •they've eaten here and, ask for recipes," theproprietors explained. "I supply these, for I am glad for them to realize how complicated some of our French recipes are." On the little dessert wagon the waiter rolled to our takle t h e Bavarian cream appeared: He sliced it for us while we watched. Here is a basic Ba- varian Cream recipe, and the recipe for the pink mold fol- lows: BAVARIAN CREAM 1 envelope unflavoured gelatin 14 cup sugar, divided % teaspoon salt 2 eggs, separated 1'/ cups milk '/ teaspoon vanilla 1 cup heavy cream, whipped Mix together gelatin, 1/4 cup of sugar, and salt in a sauce.. pan, Beat together egg yolks and milk; add to gelatin m,x. tune, Place over low heat, stir- ring constantly, until gelatin is dissolved, about 6 minutes. Ito - move from heat; add vanilla. Chill until mixture mounds slightly when dropped from a spoon. Beat egg whites until stiff, but not dry. Gradually add remaining Ids cup sugar and beat until very stiff, Fold into gelatin mixture. Fold in whip. ped cream. Turn into a 5 -cup mold or individual molds. Chill until firm. Unmold and serve with chocolate or fruit sauce (Bavarian mixture may be turn. ed into a 9 -inch baked pastry or crumb shell if you prefer:) Serves 6-8. R + h PINK PARTY MOLD 1. cup milk 1.10% -ounce package miniature marshmallows 2' envelopes unflavoured gelatin '/ecup cold water. 2-3 drops red food colouring % cup .sugar, 34 cup fresh' lemon juice 3 cup fresh orange juice 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel 1 14%r -ounce can. evaporated milk, chilled 6 maraschino cherries, halved 34 cup crushed pineapple Heat milk and •marshmallows in top of double boiler until marshmallows dissolve: Soak gelatin incold water 5 minutes; . dissolve in marshmallow mix- ture. Add foodcolouring. sugar, citrus juices and peel:. Chill un- ' HI mixture begins to set. Whip. chilled evaporated milk and fold into' gelatin. mixture. Fold in halved •cherries and' .pineapple. Pour into mold and refrigerate until set. • * *, ' e .Among, the most popular of refrigerator desserts are those. using ladyfingers f or a base. Here' is one made unusual by the use of chopped candied gin- ger as an ingredient. ' . GINGER' - PINEAPPLE - CREAM FINGERS' 12 ,ladyfingers 1 cup or 1 No. I, can crushed pineapple, well drained 1 tablespoon finely chapped candied. ginger 1 cup heavy cream whipped t; teaspoon' vanilla Fold pineapple, ginger, a n d vanilla intowhipped cream. Split ladyfingers and arrange on bottom of a lightly buttered pan 10 x 6 x 1% inches.' Pour Cream filling over ladyfingers. Place ladyfinger halves 'across top of filling. Refrigerate for at. least 3 hours before serving; To serve, .loosen .from edge 'of pan and turn onto a platter. Serves 12. Should . Mosquitoes Use . Mouth -wash? According to recent research by Dr. J.. A. McKie' of the De- partment of National Health and Welfare, when a female Mosquito bites you, she doesn't .pump a poisonous substance into the wound. You scratch because of an allergic reaction. To rty and locate . the source of the allergic material placed the bite' wound, Dr, McKiel chopped up - about 7,000 mos- quitoes. inot head -and -thorax and abdominal regions, He thinks'. the source might be, in the sali- vary" glands: • If the mischief IS caused by the mosquito's mouth ,juices, it's clear that a . lot of human - insect ill feeling could be avoid- ed if the pests could be Laugh!; to gargle regularly. Peaches, Bananas And Packaging Notwithstanding t h e great sums spent' to convince ane other- wise, i think the fruit under - heath is the best ptprt of the dry cereal deal, and I'm still up- set because you can't get a de- cent banana any more. About every morning, when I have a banana, I say, "You don't get then, the way you used to," I've said this before, but nobody has done anything about it, -That's . ene of the 'great faults with our society -- somebody like me points the way to a great • improyemept, and. 'nobody' does anything about it. Then, again, I'd. like to know what it is they do to a banana to make it go soft and smush up, instead of 'turning ripe. It must be an expensive process and fairly elaborate. I have an ideathey go to quite a bit of trouble, really,to fix bananas so I don't like them. Well, anyway,. the lady down the 'road who had dropped in that morning to watch me eat breakfast said, "Junior has good fruit, but even his bananas are like that, Everything is in a pack- age. I hate packages:" The other lady who was pres- ent said, "So do I, I've seen more rotting fruit, seems -so, since they began packaging." "Juniorlets me take the rot- ten ones back." "I sh'd think he would — only it wouldn't be 'a case of letting me.. I trot 'em back, .good and fast. Sometimes half the fruit l bring •home I take right back again.'" "Why don't you trot back the rest of those bananas?" I asked, thinking of • the way 'bananas used to mellow up without get- ting mushy, and Wondering 'just' what a grocer does with the fruit the .ladies bring back to him. "Well," one of them said, "there's nothing wrong with, those bananas, really — that's .the way bananas are now." I don't happen to, know who this Junior is, but, it `seemed to me he'd got worked into some kind of a Ieft-handed fruit busi- ness, in which the quality of ;his wares :couldn't be foretold. I thought I'd 'pursue this. "Just how does this Junior go about the jets of making you' carry rot- ten fruit home so you carry it back to him again?'" "It's the packages." "Yes, you see — everything ,is wrapped," "The otherday," said the first lady, "Junior said he'd guaran- tee the peaches were good. They had four, wrapped in a package, so I took four homeand 'when I opened the m, two were. all gone bad at the bottom." "And youcan't, see them at the store.. When peaches were 'out in the open, you could tell. It's not Junior's fault. They come to him 'all wrapped.". "Now wait a minute," said L i "Did you take , those two bad peaches bapk to 'Junior?" "Sure. He guaranteed them." "What did he do give you two more peaches?" "No. He can't, They come four. to a package. What I had to dte was buy lour more penile", only I 'paid for just two et them." "They don't like to break ' A package of anything," said the other lady. "All; right, but there is,,some- thing about this appeals to ms as a demonstration of human relationships. What would' you dg if \two of the second four peaches were rotten?" "That's just what happened — they were," she 'said. "Did you take them back?" "Not yet, but I will. He guar- anteed them." "Looks to meas if you've started a perpetual motion deal that keeps two bad peaches in escrow all the time, How" are you going to wind this thing UP?" "There's nothing you can do about it, Junior tries to get loose fruit, but it comes to him all packaged, It's a case , of • four peaches." "Seems to me it's a case of two peaches and fifty miles of travel," "Well, you have to go back sooner or later anyway." "To get more rotten peaches?". There 'ensued a considerable moment of reflective silence in which this .masculine practical- ity was mulled ,over • by the feminine kind, the only sound being the soft crackle of the cruchy-wunchies and the low complaint of the kettle on the stove. We have a couple of peach trees, and while this •isn't peach country they always manage to set a crop. They are' late, and we' never pick them' until Octo- ber has 'grown chilly, and then they have to sit in the shed a week or so. ' But I have never known these trees to produce a rotten peach. I have never had to go back and exchange any. The continuing affair with Junior would, as soon as these. peaches came due, be concluded somehow.' It almost seemed as if there were no other way out. I fell to wondering what I could do about :the bananas. I' was reaching for a 'doughnut when the 'visiting lady' said, "Grapes are the same. I bought ' a, package of grapes, and when I took the plastic off, they were in bad shape. . This Junior must 'be quite a storekeeper. Next time I'm down that 'way .I plan to stop in and get acquainted. Maybe he knows about bananas. — By John Gould in -The Christian Science Monitor. ISSUE 46 — 1959 STOCKTAKING — Making an inventory at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo is the of Prof. Mohammed Rahman.' Some 25,000 pieces have- disappeared, Dolls he is counting represent the servants of King Tut, a few of the many items removed. from the tomb of the ancient Egyptian ruler, RED HERRING MACHINE — Fish. are processed on an assembly Ithe aboard the ship Lamut. built in Japan far the. Soviet fishing fleet. Aulematic devices can process up. to 120 tons of herring • day.