New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-12-11
.HASES or NEW-YORK LIFE.
PROFESSIONAL BEGGARs.

No sooner has the Winter season set III anu
our city payements crowded once more with arsto'
cratic toiletes and hlghheeled bronze kiu Doots tha
certain evils which, reversing the laws OF nature seem
10 20 In TO a state Of dormouse In the summer tlme, I'M
reappear TO worry and annoy Some OF the
most unpeasant of these evils are, the man with sore
eyes, the boy with shrunken leg, the woman whose
arms have both been Eamputated, the sham soldiers
widow with three babies on the top OF Darrelolgah'
and hundreds Of other specimens OF dapidated human
ity who so artistcally display their respective mseres
ON the sidewalks with an expression OF innocent suner-
ing on their woe begone faces which would be absolutely
narrowing did We not know IL to be assumed To use
the words OF the old nursery song, "The beggars are
coming 10 town" with q vengeance, and the severe
weather seems TO promise them large ana prontaDe
Winter trade There is large mass OF charitable per
sons who prefer be cheated by hundred begging I'M
posters rather than the risk OF refusing what ought
rosby to be preventive OF starvation crime, or even
suicide to some really deserving person Thus we have
class of idle vagabonds who trade from year to year on
tho the tender hearted public and who con
themselves for The dscOmforts when thelr pecu
business entails upon them by day Dy having soo'
To the werained, professional beggar, Broadway Is
a bank at which he possesses unlimited credit. whose
only drawback consists in the fact that his demands on
it are paid In nickel aud copper instead OF silver hnu
gold To him the doorstep OF fashionable chuIcn OH
Sunday il n perfect Eld0radO. To hun the shlEering
blasts OF the cold snap are as welcome as they are u
pleasant TO the Of the world for they are worm AT
ieast zen cents piece and II some friendly hackdrVer
will but knock him down. without running over NM ne
will secretly pour forth blessings instead OF Inaleo
tous ON his head the bright five cent pieces from e
compassionate passersby so0tho HIM Tor inc IAN whch
he deliberately eourted, and which he TOOK goou care
shonld not hurt him Moreover he is great physogno.
mist lie knows well when TO adopt tho manly tone OF
suppicatiOn when 10 use the lmpOring WHINE,
and when 10 IA more advisable to DO the
silent sufferer with a medieval expression OF SAMMY
Tosignation He is too great artist In his way HIS
toilette Is perfect He gets himself mp for MS post WIN
All the care and attention TO detail OF an actor preparing
90 tIc stae on s benefit night and after hearty and
inylgOrang breakfast, washed down with a couple OF
drinks Of whisky he puts three or four oid cists Oh
bread in ms pocket Tor aPpedGe e iapes n@by
through the bysreets, TIL within snort distance OF INC
ncnc of his OPERATIONS when he carefully assumes the
blindness the mpng gait any other attn cton which
may constitute his particular stock IN trade SeVeIl
hours passed on the lagsones WIN pare IeGt anu %
tcr day; but think Of the delicate oyster Stew tue ten
deroin steak smoking from the grdlron ana ne steal
and rude Borcas when he feels that his take OF the
day Will permit Of his seeking the comforts ana secuslon
OF his fayOre haunt aud II evident that DeRgnB nus
its euiovments as well as ts hardsnps.
But ought not this systcmatHed imposition 10 De put
atom 10 2 The few Teally deserving destitute persons
who wander about the streets often go without tho dole
OF charity because OF these professional cheats warm
frrugs which are put and off at pleasure; ana tue
nerves sensitive women are shocked ny having fCpu
unscrupnlous traders IN human sympathy will do no
more aborous work than the selling Of few matches
FOR the suppression Of eggng the duty OF cnfOrc
ing which falls upon the police and there s the work
house for INDECENT paupers How 1t then That We nave
fms annually recurring pest OF beggnrs In the winter
tmei Numbers Of them are. on should De- wei known
mon then enjoy for few weeks the low diet aud cOnfne-
mcnt OF the Island aud they VIII perhaps DE tehplcu 70
endeayOr 10 gam livelihood In more honest ana manly
way. II this does not have inc uesIttd ticct ol
us Of their presence must adopt fresh measures TOT
with the dicum OF His Holiness the Pope mat street
begging incentive To the exercise OF CHRISTIAN chat
ity' sreet6eggmg, 70 our way OF ,n,nhnS, "
encourages that most mlschleNous lnpcisOhAtluh VI
arlty-iHdIsCrmnate almsgNlhs