The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-02-26
THE DESTITUTE.
FRAUDS UPON THE VISITORS FROM THE cnArr.
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FRAUDS UPON THE VISITORS FROM THE CHAEI-
TADLE SOCIETIES.
Ills melancholy fact, but a truth learned from
varied experience, that frauds pracsed upon tho
very poorest OF tho poor, and systematic stealing Is
accomplished by working upon the most generous OF
peoples feelings. In this city during the present
winter the societies which have been the dispensers
of relief the distressed have experienced the great
difficulty in guarding against impostors bu
even with all the care taken frauds have boon pcrpe
rrated and tho funds nlched from the poor io
wnom they were intended by the donors Those
frauds were committed by officers OF the societies
nor by persons doing the charitable work OF operating
them, but by those who have assumed the garb OF
poverty for the purpose OF decciying and who have
brought this ystem OF swindng down 10 SO nne point
TO merit their being denominatod professionals"
Every OF tho charitable societies has its
the impositions practsed upon It, The trade has
worked well with these professionals" that for
many years past, not few Of them have lived
quite handsomely upon tho profits OF their
skill. somo OF these hypocrtcs have been at
work season after In spite OF the fact
that they again and again caught in the unchrs.
tian of seeking to humbug the visitors the
societies One OF the commoncst tricks Is TO 20 tho
society with pitiiul tac OF homclcssness aud mme-
date want aud thus obtain little money. Then there
is the presentation OF letter. giving address aud
references doth bogus) and urging hunger q
reason for ready help. The streets around Abing-
don square and Rutherford Park avorito places tor
the numbering OF bogus residence, In the Of
Rutherford Park fully 100 is omitted the numbering
OF the streets running INTO 1t. Tho swindicrs, how.
ever nearly all The streets In the city where tho
numbers might have chance Of doceving tho
ties officials.
ORGANIZED BASDs or FRAuDs
In the Twenty first ward there Is regular gang, who
devote all their time to these Efforts to deceive tho
societies The most plausible stores narrated
blushngly and only experience dealing with such
could save the societies from beng robbed by
wholesale. There arc women this city of well
assumed broken down circumstances, who have
ceivcd large sums OF money every winter from the
wealthy classes, owing to their accomplishment tho
art OF writing begging letters Ono OF these has
no less than Six ''aliases," and has resided
In any number OF places IN tho city. II Is
said that tho letters written by this woman
excellent literary performances, and seldom fail 10
secure for the writer nndeserved sympathy well
substantial mark OF credcnce the nyEo-
critics tale There are several OF this class daily i'm
posing upon those who refrain from giving donations
to tho societies, but who willing help deserving
cases Of reduced responsibility" Whole families also
are TO be met WITH every member Of which Is engaged
IN trying 10 "beat" the societies. A very bad
ample oil this class Is family OF eight persons,
VINO assume "aliases," and who within two years past
have lived IN eight different OF tho city. They
known TO have been deceving the visitors tho
societies, but nevertheless they receive very plcn
fui supply OF solid nourishment without doing any
work. The visitors from the society tor The Ameioru-
ton OF the Condition OF tho Poor especially
open to tho tricks Of all those 'sharpers"
for, in order give Immediate relief where
necessary, the visitors arc constantly supplied with
funds and no further investigation 10 necessary than
may fitting ut the time the application Is made
Tho experience this season, however, which has
gained by the large number OF visitors connected with
stood, to establish system OF relief giving In future
which shall leave but little room for fraud.