The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1883-09-14

LOn6en PGner

Begging Is, in reality, regularly organi-
zed profession, the principal varieties of
which are termed "lurks" (from the Welch
Uere, fit Of loitering); the fire lurk (prs-
tended losses by tire); the shipwrecked sail
ors' lurk; the foreigners lurk; the accident
lurk; the sick lurk pretended illness, some
tie up their arms in very clever way, others
feign fits, others remain in bed Stimulating
illness while they send out their companions
to beg for them); the deaf and dumb lurk;
the servants lurk (pretented loss of place as
domestic servant); the colliers' lurk (pre-
tended loss Of work through an explosion>;
the weavers', callenderers' and cottonspin-
ners' Turks. To these may be added the
"shallow cove" or "shivering Jenny" who
goes about half NAKED, and the "high fliern
who Stimulates the broken down gentleman,
officer or tradesmen.
1t would require separate report to deal
comprehensively with all the deceptions and
disguises of these rascals, as there is hardly
a source of human suffering or o passing
calamity of any magnitude which they do
not endeavor to turn to their advantage.
The following are the signs chalked by the
fraternity ON doors and gate posts for the in
formation of their brethren:
D. This road is better than the other.
"+ They will buy If you have what they
want.
v v Good for something to eat.
q Religious, but good on the whole.
3 No good.
- spoilt by too many tramps call
ing.
[ Likely to have you taken up
~ Dangerous; sure of being lmpris-
81 oned.
The expedients adopted by the higher |
ranks of the fraternity are described in the |
following letter, addressed to the Times:
cover 5000 names Of persons residing in |
London and its suburbs have been found |
marked in the directories s-thirty-four In |
number-which were used by one of the
chiefs of a London gang of begging. letter
imposters.
"The following are the mark, with their
- means doubtful, or not called on be-
fore.
means good, or likely to give.
means very good, or very likely to give.
"The gang consists of over fifty persons,
who are believed on an average to make at
least f5 week each by their proceedings.
Personal descriptions of ffty-two of them
are kept for purposes of Identification.
"The letters or petitions sent or presented
in each case are skillful fabrications and for
geries; sometimes they are sent by post, but
more frequently they are presented in per-
son.
"The petitions often profess to be signed
by the vestry clerk of some parish, and have
attached to them excellent limitations of the
signatures of number of influential peo-
pie who are stated to have contributed to
The case. Sometimes the case Is that Of
laundress whose horse las taken fright and
uasneu ner van 10 pieces, lHlufing ner Onsy
son and causing her great loss; at other
times the case Is represented as that of q
widow in distress, whose husband has died
under affecting circumstances and left her
nnprovided for-the circumstances varying
with the supposed social position of the
husband; or widow Is represented as being
In danger of ruin In consequence Of her shop ,
having been robbed by burglars, of her hav-
ing an execution In her house, or of her COW
having died of pleure-pneumonia.
"Frequently the members of the gang as I
iume a variety of characters and call upon ,
people without letters or petitions and rec
,mmend one another for assistance on every
Kind of plea-an invalid child requiring TO
De placed In an asylum, a distressed trades
nan or foreigner, q singer OF celebrity who 1
has fallen into poverty, or sufferer by ship
wreck or FIRE. Sometimes the members of !.
he gang call singly, at other times they
work In parties of four or six, two going into J
he house while the others keep watch In i
he neighborhood to give warning Of danger.
"The names OF the neighbor.ng clergy are
RELY used, either rs writer's of recommend
tory letters accompanying petitions, or as
contributors or references; or the visiting Q
ards Of people Of position are employed as !,
these cards having been taken
rom the card-baskets lying In the halls Of !
ther people," Z