The Sunday tatler and Jersey City express. (Jersey City, N.J.) 1883-1886, 1885-07-26
BEGGING OFF A BEGGAR.
THEN HAGGLaNG WITH THE COURT 4s
TO THE PRICE OF HER FREEDOM.

An Old Italian Woman VINO Finds II
Profitable TO Pay Heavy Fines for
the Privilege OfBeggfng In the street
Doretta Moretta is the name. as far as IL
can be Anglicised, of decrepit old Italian
woman who makes a living by begging.
Her fellow-countrymen declare that she is
over ninety years of age. She first came TO
police attention while Police Justice Still
sing held court in the Oakland avenue DO
lice station. Some policeman had run her
IN for begging on the street. A penalty of
80 or five days was imposed. To the sur
prise OF everybody, she chose the SIS. and
was released. The next day she was again
arrested and fined So She went down
into her stocslng and paid. The next day
she was found plying her business on the
street again, arrested, fined $40. and drew
from her apparently inexhaustible wealth
to pay the third fine. Then nobody heard
OF her for time: but year afterwards
she was found sitting by roadside, appeal
ing, by means of sign swung around her
neck, tothesympathy of passers-by. When
arralgned before Justice Lawrence who
had then assumed the Judicial toga. on the
Hill, he. was made acquainted with her
previous history, and he tried how $40
line would work. The old woman retired
to her cell to think about that. After
desperate mental struggle she suecumbed
to the inevitable, resolved to Weld up
shining gold Eagle, and for the fourth time
pad. Then she seems to have made up
her mind that Jersey City was not healthy
place for her business, and she betook her
self to fields green and pastures new. Last
M0ndnV .tao IL. 4 u
were seen together on the street ayain.
Officer Howell led her gently to the
Gregory Street lookup. Justice Stilsing
recognized her at once when she was ar
ralgned before him, and he imposed a $40
line, and down into the cell she went
again. Thursday no anxious friend made
inquiry about her Friday she was left
severely alone too, but yesterday morning
Mike Kepowana, an Italian who has sue
ceeded In acquiring the ownership of a
house. made his appearance in Court. He
came in the guise of a philanthro-
pist to beg this poor old woman" off
His appeal was fruitless. He retired to
to bench and sat down. Presently little
boy came in; then a band of Italians
strolled in. They whispered and auttered
about Mike. Suddenly. Mike pricked up
his ears. He had heard Justice Stilsing say
something to Court Clerk Douglass about
Doretta and ninety days in Snake Hill.
81 gift you fya tollar, Shudge !" he said
to the Court.
1t wouldn't dc. Douglass was instructed
to make out commitment for Doretta.
81 gift you tena tollar, Shudge," Mike in
terposed.
Still was the offer insufficient. A paper
was handed to van driver Kilburn.
s'This is for Doretta ?" Kilburn audibly
enquired of the Court.
Justice Stilsing nodded assent, while
Miko's eyes were fixed eagerly upon him.
81 gift you fifdeena tollar, Mike offered.
SITS twenty dollars or nothing" the
Court said with an air Of determination.
Kilburn buttoned his coat around him with
busy air and went toward the door as
though to get Doretta.
" Stopa -a-lettle," shouted an Italian,
who sprang to his side. ''Miko pay fina.h
Mike had gone to get the money. Pres
emily he returned, paid the twenty dollars
and secured the aged Dorettas release.
1t is shrewdly suspected at police head
quarters that there is colony of beggars
in town, to whom Mike or some one else
farms out districts; and that loretta is one
of his employees. Frequent applications
have been made by Italians for licences to
beg. Doretta herself once made such an
application, but of course it was refused.