Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1890-10-10
a Rich Beggar.


gen'zation OF the city OF New York, succee d.
ed on wednesday of last week In efecting
the arrest and conviction OF msn wdo al
though surrounded by every luxury that
money could buy and enjoying wide-'rresd
circle OF acqualntsnces, is proiesaicnai
beppsr. The mans name is Edward Brown.
He is an Epglshmqn but hes lived long in
this country. He lived with his wife and
daughter 10 q handsomely furnished Nat at
No. 345 East Twenty .bird street.
Two years ego he was the proprietor OF 8
prosperous fruit business in the vicinity OF
his home, but he disposed of it for 10
other purpose than TO become 6eggar.
During the two years ne has thus bee9 en
gagged it ia calculated he has begged several
! thousand dollars. Brown s nearly seventy
two years OF age. He ia tell and slim, hnd
bas a high, intellectual forehead. When ar
raigned before the justice In Jefetucn mar
ket police court Wednesday, toe mnn was
dressed in suit If black which fitted him
neatly. His sboos we're shined to nicety
and his hat we'll brushed. His coa!, e
Prince Albert, was buttoneo up closely.
Had il been open, one could nave seen
dar Cling from bis waatcoat heavy gold
| H..
were studded With get Of gold buttons.
The officer testified thst he had seen
Brown stop several lsGies Ia the dry goods
district on Sixth avenue between Fourteenth
and Tgeuty.third and beg money rom
theu1. He had been OF Browns track for
sight months, but could get 60 evidence
against him uoti Wednesday. While the
officer was testifSing Brown was stolid for o
while but at last said Il had to beg to.dsy
Ny vile end child are lying i'll at home and
I had no money to get them food and buy
medicines" The judge ssid be die not be-
ieVe tue prisoner AID told the otiicsi to in
yestiRate further Browns case.
| Jerome went 10 Browns house, which Is
| O high step brown stone re sdence. He vas
ushered into magnifceUtly furnished apart
mens where he met Browns wife and 0augt-
| ter. They eere not surprised when told
| Brown bad besn arrested. Then the ladies
of the household told all they knew Of the
husband and father. It appears Brown was
in receipt OF an annual income which vas
| left him by sn aged sunt when sbe died 10
years ego, besides be had been educated for
teacher and had made considerable money
out of his profession. As evidence Of his
comfort. his wife took the officer to Browns
room. It is splendidly furnished apart
ment His clothes closet was FLIED with
the finest underwear. Notwithstanding the
excellent manner in which he lives, his wife
said be was mlser. boarding the money he
got by begging He made il 3 daily prsc-
tice to leave his house at o'clock every
morning end return at 6 o'olock at night.
TIE wife told remarkable story of the
manner In which Brown first began beg
ging. When ne owned the fruit store he
made it o daily practice 10 go to market
Ooe day, upon arriving at the market he
found be had lost his money, and had not
even enough to pay mis- way back to the
store He determined to ask somebody for
the fare. He did 80 and supplemented his
request with statement of how he lost
the money. The stranger generously gave
him dollar. The very next day Brown
recited the same story to another stranger
and met with the came success. He did
this daily until at last he sold out his store
and made it business to 60 on daily beg
ging tours. He had not missed day ence.
He got to be such confirmed beggar that
be weat from house to house begging for
aims. He would take anything II it were
eatables he received, he would dispose Of
the lot to an Italian with whom he had pre-
Vlously entered irto bargain to buy all the
stufYs he brought him. For this house to
house begging Brown had o special outfit
which gave n!m very seedy appearance.
Brown was sentenced TO Blackwel's I5'aud
for three months.