The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-01-16
A PLAGUE OF BEGGARS.
AN Epidemic IN NEW YORK THAT THE
POLICE ALONE CAN CURE

AN Epidemic IN NEW york THAT THE
POLICE ALONE CAN CURE
Il Meuases the Honest Folk OF the Town,
ana ~ 10 Kept Alive by tho Free Lodsins
House, where tho Honest and Worthy
Poor Almost Never Go for shelter.
For some reason or reasons not yet discov-
cred New York has q plague OF beggars as
general as the plague OF influenza. The street
beQRar is no new institution. but has
been with us 90 long that without him
tho night streets OF New York would seem
lonely and unfriendly. We are oil familiar
with his deep. sad. hoArse appeal. his watery
eyes. his shufflina and furtive gait some-
tlmes We give him money to allay that thirst
he hesitates to confess and again sometimes
We don't.
II is not to the multiplication OF this indl-
vidua that the present plague Is due, how
ever. Tho professional beggar whom We have
with US summer and winter is q timid and
commonplace creature whose soul seldom
rises to the uttered curse at q refusal. The
individuals who form this plague are bold.
insolent fellows with no disposition to take
rebuff. and with most threatening mien
under refusal
Again the perennial professional IL found
almost exclusively In the lower parts OF the
city. You may meet him on upper Broadway.
but he 10 rare there The plague extends from
tho Battery to Harlem. and Is more noticeable
In and around Forty second street than any
where else. II does not oonnne its operations
TO tho softened and sympathetic hours Of
night but works BY day as well. And far from
being content with annoying the footsteps OF
the passer-by. It climbs stoops' or descends to
ring at area bells.
Whenever there is . superabundanoe Of beg
gars q misguided soit-henrtedness at once
cries. poor wretchesl It 10 hard winterl"
But this plague has struck US In mild and
open winter after . summer and fall In which
work was plenty. Tho fact Is that tho beggar
loves not tho eager and nippinE air. He
prefers nights when he may look sad ond
shabby without discomfort other than the
mild and salutary washing Of the softly falling
rain.
Thore were mover moro facilities for tho 40
conmodation OF the moneyless at night There
10 no reason why any man. woman. or child
should walk thu streets and beg. The police
stations. the charity organizations. the houses
for the frisndless are all ready to put their
forces In motion for those Who need assist
anoe. Tho plngue wants none Of It The
plague has come to beg. steal. or assault and
II will not stop for work
In the upper parts OF town. In the quiet
streets whore thero are but few pedestrians to
LD0 OlOCks YOU WILL uhu d'S1o NV pekSNn NV
singly but In pairs or trIoa Ono Is spokcs-
man for oil. He makes his demand either In
q surly way or with q throat not ip the least
" SoE sb and at In mott
dlstaste OF q disturbance or bis four.
tho pooS stsions that these banas are
going from house TO house In broad daylight.
01a Ss A. these ss
50 Rs By as MAY IL
addition to this. tho N merchants on the west
upon them and linger long eiter they have
no doubt looking for . chance to steal md run
h rss ssf ast the ssSfn Sy
out from Police
miserab le-looEing creatures. charged with
nas 2Soy
months. but the plague does not seem to lessen.
csS s KSss Ct Sn R s ssaRhs sEs a S
ing e Ss s se Of o ss
sss:s e. Ss,
Il shs n nsaSss g. peSsisIs !sssss. 5as tfss
1sS soadf e. b.
yond the control Of tho police.
As 2 matter Of fact the Peddling beggar is
ann ann forms Of the Nuisance. He has court
plaster. or he has pencils. or he has n jews
solitary ~ article q mSrehand se Is In 1opl9r.
by PPM S1 % h e sb9Ws Gy
how little Of merchant and how much Of j
beggar no Is. But the peddling Ssggar is not
threntenlng or violent ana belongs 20 tb the
The BoWs,y lodging houses, where AZ pight.s
and upward. are crowded nightly. and. at all
sseh for hsvHs nss now aHs
hss 9t sFs
Ing house. and md the other mission Lodging
class that simply begs and lodges free because
Goa In PSaR taken
GoSSp p HoSnn
precinct ne said she was a professional beg.
and thst he had repeatedly warned S her OF
woman and ask for money. She was refused.
and Striking at Ser Justice %cMahoa sent
her to the ISand for three months
Wright Of the Fourth precinct for begging In
and asked for a dime. When he did not get It
| lodged and ran. Whalen started after him.
anl was caught BY Wright with the open razor
At the Tombs Court yesterday Justice Mo.
Mahon remanded Whnlsn. for trial At tho
0nk street police station 1t is believed that
| half a dozen men ncross the face or neck re-
| comfy. and has been able to escape before tho
police came up
The increase Of begGsra and the increase OF
| their insolcnco REQUIRES that tho police take
that tho mission lodging houses and police
stations Hnd other places where FREQ beds arc
or lack OF charity that says thai tho FREQ lode-
| ing houses do not receive tho deserving poor
| so much as they afford shelter for those
trannps who prefer tho streets Of a city In win-
ter to the muddy roads OF the country. and
| come In to live through tho winter season
| without work.
| crs r1uD nvrp isrD cynr