New-York daily tribune., 1858-11-19
A UEARTLESS HOAX.

yybe.ber he so ar not the grim unbidden visiter
was not absent yesterday. While comfortable Affu-
ence rolled by in his carriage to his prncely feast
cauut Poverty sat hungry, shiverpg and desoiate on
the curbstone.
In the course of our morning walk we reached Union
sus,c when. a scene presented itself, at start
ling and shocking in the extreme. Hundreds OF poor
women and children basket 10 hand sitting on
the stone coping around the Park and along the curb
stones or standing against the statue OF a'hing
ton Ween We entered the Square, there were in and
around it nearly 5000 poor poverty pinched thiniy
clad creatures, almost every one of them bearing
basket. Such sight on such day was sad COM
mentsry on our boasted prosperity We learned that
these people had been led thither by the following
notice which appeared in The Ne7c-fork Sun, OF
Tue sdsy last:
Donations TO THE PooR-we received hs following
NEw.YokK, Nov l5 1883.
To the Editor 0GThe n y Sun. ...,,.,a.-
ed.d upon by for tho distribution Of besc and meat 70 the
poor Of this city on IhaiAsgly!ns psJ 2 % 2 ~
III. gentemen have each contributed their
share 10 general fund will distribute that day W pounds
Of breed 30 pounds Of beef contributed BY different
The di,trbn,on viii take psce 4. Union Square from 10 TO
ii T. . -. III /, ....o..5 r..~
the statue Of " sshington. Yours Truly,
ANpREW sYPsoN....NNo Sss IS RG~sy Rg., street,
WALTER DUNCAN. ..............No SIS Fourth avenue
PETER McfADDEN............No No. 20 Third sVenVe;
wM AMPSON................No No 5lS 8 Third ..enae;
JAS KELLY ''o rear street. S'u
%M &E2' II H. 6RAS 6EASE' swa.hnston Marte.
JOS FLYNN. and others, Butchers.
Before a. IN. the POOR folk began to assemble in
the Square, and at 10 O'Clock were Informed that
there could net have been less than 4, 900 persons
present When We arrived many hungry and heart
tick people had gone away. Among thore that we
saw were any men, evidently mechanics out of en-
| ployment, whom Winter had found wholly unpre-
pared, in clothes or purse. The women, and they
we've by far tie most numerous wore on their care
full sad faces untold tales of suffering aud privaton;
and the little children, whose cotton rags scarce
served to cover their nakedIes, terrible to look
upor--thcy seemed to lose their y0uthfulness and
shrive up into little old men and women before the
sharp November frost.
So far as We could learn from conversing with these
people, they had come from far and near-sOme Of
them several niles-and many had not eaten during
| the day. One poor American woman who sat on .
| bench in the Park, with two sweet little children
nesting under hcr scanty shawl, told us she had
walked from near Grsnd.street Ferry, and that she
and her little ones had not tasted food since the day
before She was widow, decenty but scantiy dressed
and told US with tears in her eyes that she found 1t
hard task to keep the wolf from her door.
One of her children was bright fair-hared little
boy of six years. the other girl Of four We told the
poor woman that che need not wait any longer, the
notice in the newspaper was a hoax. AS she turned
to 60 hone she said, PITY the man that could
do so heartles sthips There were many such groups
| in that asseuibage.
We left the square about o'clock; several half
tipsy men then amusing themselves by scattering
small change among the crowd and watching the
frantic eagerness with which the famished wretches
scrambled for the coins.
On cur way down called at the stores OF Mr.
Simpson and Mr.. james Kelly. Mrs. Simpson informed
us that the names of her husband and of Mr. McFadden
were wholly unauthorized. Mr.. Kelly knew nothing
of the matter until called his attention to the notice
1t thus appears that some soulless scouncrel deoer
ately concocted this shameful hoax. Whoever he was
with the poor widow can truly say, Pity him.
| The man that could do such wicked thing needs ell
| the pity man can bestow here, for We don't believe
he will &c! much hereafter. As he looked upon the
fruits of his cruel jest yesterday, he must have felt
himself about the smallest and meanest and wickedes
| of all created bcugs. And whoever he may be, or
wherever he may CO. he will feel that tae bitter cures
| of thousand widows and children will follow him,
alike in his sleeping and his waking hours and make
his existence terrible. Such cruelty can hardly be ex-
plated by long life of penitence and prayer.