Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1883-03-21
A Wealthy Beggar.

The old story of preferrIng to beg
father than work, and Of becoming rich
from the aims given in charity, was very
forcibly brought out before Magistrate
South at the Central Station yesterday
morning, Nicholas Hauk, sturdy old
beggar, tall and broad-shouldered, but
slightly STOPPING. and with gray hairs
that carried no veneration with them,
was charged with being beggar; and a
special officer testified that he had found
him begging at Second and Buttonwood
streets. Recognizing in him an old Of
fender the Magistrate sent him to the
House of Correction for thirty days-a
sentence very distasteful to Hauk, who
always complains that they do not give
good enough food in the city institu-
tons. The history of the man, so far as
it can be learned, is remarkable one.
He claims TO be seventy-seven years old,
Is of German descent, and has been q
beggar for nearly forty years. What in
duced him to take up such business
whether it was financial troubles, or
utter laziness and disinclination to work,
or at first real necessity--is not known I;
but it is certain that through it he has
managed to accumulate much more of
this worlds goods than falls to the ordi-
nary worker. Different stories are told
rs to his wealth. Some say that he owns
several houses in Camden, valued at
many thousand dollars, and has also laid
away a very pretty sum in cash. Con-
siderable sums have been found upon
him when arrested, but yesterday had
evidently been a poor day with him up
to the time of his arrest, for he had only
one dollar in cash with him, and note
for eighty dollars.
Hauk's stand of late has been at Sixth
and Arch Streets, and for short time
he has been boarding over Charles e.
Ockins' saloon, 3l2 Market Street. "He
was good boarder," said Ockins yes
terday, "and always paid me very regu-
larly every Saturday night l don't
know where he got his meals, but he
used TO go out somewhere every morn
ing and didn't come back till night. /
didn't know much about him, and
Schwarz, up the street, can tell you more
about him." Mr.. Schwarz also keeps a
beer saloon, a,class of residence to which
Hank seems to have been partial. In
deed he was German in all his tastes as
well as in his thrifts. Mr.. Schwarz re-
membered him very well. "Why, he
was my best boarder," he exclaimed
when told of the old fellows arrest.
'"He was with me two or three years,
but l was glad to get rid of him when
they sent him to prison while ago. He
used to be awfully particular about his
food, and was always saying that it
wasn't fit to eat; but he used to drink q
good deal of beer and wine, My other
boarders were mostly workingmen, who
could not afford to take more than a
glass of beer at a time, but Hauk would
take ten, fifteen, or twenty q day, and
wine, too. Sometimes he would say my
wine wasn't good, and would send out
and get some that was more expensive.
When the old fellow was on the streets
he used to wear glasses and pretend that
he couldn't see much, but l noticed that
when he was playing bagatelle with me
he could see as well as could. One day
when he was going out we noticed him
take off his coat and double one arm
under, so that people would think that
he didn't have but one arm. o, he was
a smart old fellow, but he always paid
me right up for everything, and didn't
owe me a cent when he went
away. When he was sent to the prison
he gave me twenty dollars to take care
of for him, and he always seemed to
have all the money he wanted"
This last arrest is not by any means
the first time Hauk has been behind
prison-bars, but he seems as incorrigible
as Dickens Dutchman, Langheimer.
He was taken up in Centennial times for
begging around the main building, and
his last trip to the House of Correction
was but short time ago. He always
returns to the old business, however,
and by strict attention to duty, if so it
may be called, has probably now amassed
enough to keep him in comfort for the
rest of his life, If he were willing to rest.
He does not seem to be a miser, as beg
gars are so apt to be, but has taken to
the business simply because it appears
to bring in more money with less exer-
ton than an honest calling. Philadel-
phia Press.