Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1886-06-07
a SPECIES OF sTREET-eEeelNes.
Which Is Very Prevalent on the Streets
of a Leading Western. City.

Which Is Very Prevalent on the Streets
of a Leading Western, City.
"Catching' is a new term for that very
prevalent species of street-begging which
5 being carried on extensively on our
streets at this time Hardly any one who
IA, occasion to be IN the large thorough
%sres of the city after o'clock in the even
ing escapes the vigilant eye of the
catcher" The term arises perhaps from
the fact that this species of begging is u
awed, as it is made u business of, and the
berson who contributes his mite to these
PEOPLE would be surprised and hurt if he
eally knew that his charitable intentions
sere entirely misplaced, and that the
nandicants spent the nickels and dimes IN
ON convenient saloon for beer or drinks
II seme other kind. These "catchers" sell
!on ply their vocation until the shades of
night begin to fall, and they are encoun-
tered oftener in the vicinity of some pub
lie place. One can hardly pass Bessehl's
on Broadway, without being tackled, and
where the bright rays of The electric light
verge INFO shadows aud darkness a short
distance from the door of some "all night"
eating house, or around ana near to the
entrance of the great carayansaries of the
downtown thoroughfares, these mendi-
cants are sure to be found. Sometimes
they go into partnership and 3whack" on
the proceeds of the evenings begging
tournament. -
A catcher wishes for no greater snap
than a man who has just stepped out OF
some eating house with a tooth-pick be
tween his teeth and a look of satisfaction
on his c~ountenance and a feeling of con-
l tppf TIM nt rttitI bin,yoJf aud xxrifh fbn xyprl6
filing his soul.
These "catchers" learn to be good
judges of human nature, and can tell
when, it ever, and under what circum-
stances, a mans charitable feeling will as
sert itself. They Invariably haye some
pathetic story to relate, in which the de.
tails of the circumstances which forced
them into this humiliating position are
cloquently and feelingly portrayed-if the
chance passer-by is willing to listen to it
Sunday is harvest day for the "catchers'
and they @work" the downtown streets
during the whole day. Often on Sunday
the catcher appears as a little girl, al
most respectfully clad and heavily armed
with a heartrending story Of Q bed-riddoI
and Widowed mother ana not less than
six or seven little famished brothers ant
sisters. Woe to the nice young man wht
dares to promenade Fourth or Fiftl
streets Sunday afternoon with his "besi
girl, " for he is tackled at every corner and
in the middle of the block. He could cas-
lily give away his weeks salary in dona
tions of five cents each in a promenade o
fifteen or twenty blocks. OF course thu
nice young man with his best CIR
wouldn't wish to appear stingy and i'm
charitable. but O the other hand woult
wish to appear rather the opposite. Thes
street ''catchers'' know this, and the MIC
young man falls their prey accordingly
OF course a great number of these va
grants are run in by the police and givel
.hours' the next morning, at the fou
courts. OF course they evade the police
whenever they can, and are watchful no
to ply their vocation when an officer is il
sight.-St. Louis Republican.