Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-03-28
A New York Wife Hits on an Odd Way Of
Filling Her Prlvy Purse.

New York World
A young woman apparently twenty
four years old, wearing a black silk
dress somewhat worn, a beaded jacket
irayed a little at the edges but neatly
kept, and partly c~oneealing her face in
a white worsted cloud, stood in
Wall street yesterdaymorning begging.
She accosted several gentlemen as they
passed, all o whOm looked at her with
surprise, and most of whom gave her
a few pennies or a bit Of silver. When
asked about herself she said hal her
husband was out of work, and hat
her children had nothing to eat. Her
name and address she refused to give
to one gentleman to whom she spoke.
and putting this together with her
dress and ladylike demeanor he faneied
that she was insane. The attention Of
Detective Thompson, of the Central
office, was directed to the case. He
questioned the lady, and finally took
her to police headquarters, where he
reported hat she had been begging
and acting strangely, In the after
noon she was taken before Justice
Wendell, at the Jefferson market
Police Court. When asked her name
she said g. can't give you my real
name, judge-put it down Mrs. Coeh-
ran" She was sent to the TOmbs for
medical examination. Warden Finn
put her into the hands of Matron
Foster, whe took her to her own room.
The personal effects of prisoners en-
tering the rooms are always examined.
la the lady's pOcketbook Warden
Finn found two business cards. one
bearing the name of a formerly well
tO-dO business man living in Carmans-
vile and having an Office at present on
Broadway. The other card was that
Of a Yell-known city dentist. After
some questions the prisoner aoknowl-
edged with reluctance that the first
card was her husbands, and giving
his address asked that he be tele-
graphed for, saying that she was
anxious to get home to her children.
The dispatch was sent over the police
wires. and meantime the lady was in
duced to explain her appearance in
Wall street.
She said that her husband was out
of employment for the time. and that
she needed money, which her husband
was not able to give her. She could
not bear to ask help from her ac-
%quaintances, and had no relatives in
the city. She determined therefore to
go into the streets and beg for it.
This she had done three times before
without her husbands knowledge. 50"
didn't see anything wicked or wrong
in il" she said; II wanted the money
for ear-fares and to spend. / went
down to Wall street this morning
about 10 o'clock, after my husband
had left the house. / had never tried
Wall street before. The first time I
went out ii was more for fun than for
anything else, but / made some money
and | thought | might as well 20
again. But ! had only been in Wall
street a few moments and had only got
ifty-five cents when l was arrested.
OF course | had 10 give a wrong name.
| think the justice treated me harsbly
| had been worried lately and was
pale, and had put a little rouge on
my face. The justice said TO me
You'd better 60 home and wash tho
paint off your face.
Captain Steers, of the T-wenty.sec.
Ond precinct police, sent a message 10
the woman's husband, who came IN
the station house and was told what
had happened. my God, has itcomc
to this 2" he said, and came down ot
once TO the Tombs. DR.. Hardie had
examined the prisoner. He said the
ease was a singular one but was NOT
willing to pass upon it, and directed
that if her friends came for her the
prisoner should be sent home. Her
husband took her home In the even.
ing. She and her husbandare attend.
ants at DR.. StOddard's church Pres.
byterian), at One Hundred and Fifty.
fifth street and Tenth avenue. and the
children attend the Sunday-sebool,
The family live in a pretty three-story
frame house, nicely furnished. and arc
by no means destitute. The husband
said last evening that he had enongb
money to live on for the present
though since he had been ont If
work he had been unable 10 provide
his wife with the luxuries to which
she had been accustomed and Ind
several times lately been compelled Ia
refuse her money. He was entirely
unaware of her attempts to replenisb
her purse. Both husband and wife
have many acquaintance in the neigh.
borhood and the latter does not seen
to be much discounted over her day.
experienced. She is twenty-eight year.
old, but looks Younger.