The sun., 1891-01-11
THEY FATTEN ON CHARITY.
INVES TI0ATION OF THE PUBLIC OUf.
DOOR RELIEF" OF HARTFORD.


How wei,.to.do and Thrifty Persons. Mssy
OF Whom Have Money Z. the Bank, De.
cure A,d from tho seieetmeu Recauss Of
Their Poverty-A Gu-ious Re eveiation.
Hartford. Jan. 9.-In Connecticut towns II
is the custom for the local Selectmen to dole
out charity 70 citizens who, 1t Is presumed.
have an intimate acquaintance with the wolf
at the door. They set apart certain hours OF
certain days, when the poor are at liberty to
call and get outdoor relief" Usually II 10
tho woman Of the poverty stricken household
that calls for aid. To some applicants tho Be-
leotmen give an order for coal or wood. which
the coal dealer around tho corner nils; to 9th.
ers cash, generally from $3.50 to Is . week. Il
Is cash tho poor folks prefer After few
years OF wholesale official charity giving. the
townspeople usually rebel against tho prao.
tice. call q meeting. and appoint an agent to
investigate tho innumerable cases OF public
charity. His inquiry always dlscloses host
OF odd incidents.
In this city the Charity Organization Society
is investigating the public pauper affairs for
the Selectmen. One OF the towns dependents.
widow. admitted that she takes boarden and
las twU sttSppihx sons 1t WORK. Her income
from her boarders. together with what her
sons earn. is 46S month: In addition to this
she gets $3.50 a week from tho town, which
also gives her three tons OF coal each winter.
manage to get along very nicely" said she,
Another case " as that Of an old man who 10
unable to earn his own living. but has young
aud buxom wife and no children. When the
agent OF the society called on him he was shov.
eling snow In his back yard. while the young
wife 10y heplessly drunk on q bed In the
house. She made out to sit up In bed. and
hiccoughed: THE town pays the rent and 90 vs
get along" And they gives US the ooal,"'
es 81 shs u q.
and iorslSly thrust him into a chair. Hpo!Ssr
ehidTsn three q them being STssd wiPPsls:
think We can get along she added. "a d. peH''on
satd she earned ss
!!hs sssotmsn for rent. and $3.50 a week
Ss Sdos four s@s
ss., S.s srsss In, SSsSsd
rugs. and brio. a. brae in plenty. In a spacious
WdoWs sasS sesisiin % oioat Iess than M shres
years ago the widow received $4,000 from
os rSe Ct
only s. month from tho town and she wants
%Se %1e .xS9xa With bsT srox .s
from still another. special donations from sew.
sry aid from snetssl society, because sSs xss
explained. was something toward the rent"
ony He1sSn oss. G m.R.r s2 sbs xhGs'
: month. ~ poor MSmsn explained iSs
longs to Social club and h. has - eir iI hs II l.
as sas f.
that the woman has received her coal Tor
several years from 2 charitable sosisty. 10
aided b. By oh ohusEh h society. and has $50 S5oo in the
band deserted her and her sx, children. has a4
income % out Of their wages and her own Of Sl4
heT eon sSs %
Altogether. about 100 cases 10 which resi-
dents are receiving or have inyoked town aid
400 more which TIC .sRent must INQUIRE into.
but It seems that the public demand for aims
indiseriminate giving stimalstes bexsins' s T. one one
Hartford charity society dispenses about 100
tons t9Ps oi y coal IN Msmong po9r % people annnally n an
other, gives s26 yearly e. eseh Of forty:a7s
ttsmilI!ss; from Sne Rgbic fund thIEsy;nys
ANNUALLY. and 7oo families with 't toS &C Of coal
ap apeG,e ,siMy each year Al this charity w9rk does
& Gnion 70 for s House. wv Wosk 'ne o'' MISSION ana
pubic Hs 81 s sSSc~sa wa Il
In Norwich, a town agent Investigated tie
q a IN wne
from $500 to ssoo6 IN the . savings bsnf; IL one
% Town nm money "ior Years T It @ was % found shs had
nearly $4,000 IN q local bank.