New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-07-20
LOCAL MISCELLANY.
DISGUISED AS AN AGED BEGGAR

DISGUISED AS AN AGED BEGGAR.
rHE SINGULAR STORY TOLD IN A POLICE COURT BY
A MAN WHO SAYS HE WAS AN ACTOR AND
CHOIRMAsTER IN LONDON.
The attention of Park Policeman Thompson. who
IS stationed in Madison-square, was called Monday
evening 10 a largo crowd on the east side of the
square. The officer pushed his way through crowd
OF 800 persons who We're gathered about man
whose long white hair and silvery beard gave hiln
the appearance of an octOgenarian The man was
leaning upon an old umbrella and he sang IN a
trembling voice The Village Blacksmith" One
by one the charitable persons in the crowd a!,-
his hat. The officer seeing that the man was OBJ
structing the public highway by collecting SO large
u crowd about him, ordered him TO move on"
The singer replied IL am hungry and tired:
Won't you please let me sing a little longer, that
may earn few pennGs In rn o'ter :" sa
him away. They had walked only few steps
when the policeman noticed that the singers beard
false. He tore II from the man face. and then
seized his wig. and in an instant the singer pre-
scented very different appearance.
When the crowd which had been listening to the
singer that he had hoaXed them and that he
was strong and healthy man, there was much in
and the two officers hurried the singer to tho
Twenty ninth Precinct station. Yesterday morning
he arraigned before Justice BiXby in the Jeiie
son Market Police Court, charged with vagrancy.
He told the following story:
My name is Henry Farwcather. am an Eng
lishman, and for sixteen years was Overseer in the
London Post Once | left the Post Office few
years ago on account of ill-health. am an actor
and elocutonist by profession have played in all
the best theatres in London. During the last eight
years | have been chormaster in St Paups
ness in Thuriow- place London | recently failed
in business, and the choir of St Pauls presented
with purse of thirteen pounds with which to
come to America, where | hoped to make some EN-,
gagement left my wife and four children in
London to settle up my affairs. and started for
at Quebec. l went to Montreal and accompanied
by Mr.: Sparrow, manager of the Theatre Royal of
that city, came to Ncw-lork, where l hoped to
find employment. | had In my pocket Just two
pounds and about twenty letters of recommendation
MI StelnwaX, the piano manufacturer. | went to
the Aston Place Hotel and started out To form
acquaintanccs. met with disappointment on
Consul. He said he could do nothing for me- but he
sent me to the st. Georges Society AZ No. / Norris
st. This was my last hope. but there too, | was
doomed to disappointment. The Society would not
assist me. This was Yesterday afternoon. had
two weeks, anC then | pennilcss | was too
proud to sing upon the street without a disguise,
but thought if ] disguised myself to represent an
aged man and then sing some nice songs upon the
street some person might drop a few pennies in my
hat | went to my room in the hotel and put on
the old garments which You see upon ME. | then
made up my face to look like an old man and tied
on the beard and wig. Taking this old umbrella,
square. L began to sing, and made my voice
trembe as much as possible. l asked no one for a
that were dropped into my hat. ] would not have
done this had not been starving"
The prisoner SAID that he had eaten nothing since
Court Messenger McAvoy gave HIM steak, a cup of
cOiice ana some BUNS. justice BlNDy sent the prlS
Oner TO the island for six months. When Fair
weather heard the sentence he sObbed piteOusly.
Mr.. Stelnway was seen yesterday aftf rnoOn by a
TRIBUNE reporter and said: "Ths is the first have
heard of the man. He may have had letters to me,
but if SO he did not present them" Mr.. Steinway
expressed sympathy with Fairwoather for the heavy
sentence he had received
AT the Twentyninth Precinct Station Captain
Williams was found a. The man appeared to be
about forty years old" he said. "He was well
made up and evidently well educated. l can only
imagine one cause for his getting low, but
would not like to name it, | know nothing of his
previous history. As far as know he is not on the
records. He is evidently stranger"
At the Aston Place Hotel the proprietor and at
tendants spoke well of Fairweathcr, who-Occuped
room No. II. " He here June 80" said the
proprietor, " and always paid in advance. He was
dressed in neat sli of gray, and very gentle
manly and quiet, He sang and PLAYED or read in
his room great deal. and he sang beautifully" An
attendant added that Fairweaher seldom had
company: he was never seen TO drink
or smoke, and appeared to be very
temperate man." He frequently received
letters, having arrived only yesterday, adj
dressed in small neat round hand 1t was post
marked at London. July z, and directed to Mon
treal Post Ohice-tO wait till called for" and was
remailcd July 3 to this city, at the hotel named
The proprietor said he thought il strange that Fair
weather had not been in his room, and asked how
he could get word to the Justice. He evidently
took considerable interest in the unfortunate man
and was inclined to believe his story, from his OBJ
seTNatiOn of his late guest,