Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-02-23
IN a BEGeARs, MUSEUM.
How Two Rogues Cor Their "Biind" aud
"CrippIe" Labels Mixed.


"CrippIe" Labels Mixed.
In dingy street short distance from
Charing Cross is one of the curiositles OF
London, BeggarS' Museum, which re-
ceives its name from the fact that II
contains a miscellaneous collection OF
articles taken from the various grind
ers" (beggars) infesting the metropolis
who fall into the hands Of the Mendiei-
ty Society officers.
Wooden legs, crutches, splints,
swords, books, pictures, drawings med
ais, begging letters, naval and military
uniforms Gre TO be seen here.
you would hardly believe It," re-
marked the officer who accompanied an
Answers writer, "but l have taken
four crutcbes from one man. l found
him in Brixton limping along follow
ing an elderly lady.
Il saw her hand him 6 pence, where
upon he concealed the crutch behind
some bushes in the garden OF an I'M
occupied house and made mis- way to a
public house. / got him months hard
labor, but within a week or his dis
charge, he was at it again.
There is rather curious history at
tached to those SplintS. They belonged
to a man who worked whdt is known
as the crushed hand lc.y, and for years
he went about with his hand tightly
bsndaged in thUee spliDts.
Later on this man. having come into
some money through the death Of rel
alive in America, went TO Guys HoSpi-
tai complaining that he could not bend
his finger, and while there confessed
that his hand was never injured.
II heard afterwards that, owing to
the hand having been so many years
bound up in stiff and cramped posi-
ton, the doctors despared of being able
to effect a cure.
This time I spotted him in the
borough. He was standing at corner
quietly contemplating which street he
should work. After | had been watch
ing him for a few moments he crossed
the road, forgetting altogether to use
| the crutch he had under his arm.
Those three pictures in the corner
| leach depicting house on fire and a
| man I'm his shirt sleeves reScuing the
I inmates) all belonged to one man. He
was no more injured in rescuing people
from a burning house than you have
( been. We have 40 sooner deprived him
of one picture than he obtains another,
and they cost him something like
thirty ShillinRs 10 get them painted.
"ThOSe medals and clasps belonged
| at one time TO an old Chalsea penSioner
whose son, after his death, was in the
habit of lending them to the grin
/ dlers, charging so much per day.
81 have found short account OF the
battle Of Inkerman on one man that
wore them, and he confessed that he
was learning it by heart in order that il
he should be questioned he could give
/ an accurate account OF the names OF the
regiments engaged on that occasion.
That bullet was carried by a man
/ who would 60 into public houses anC
tell a most dramatic story Of how be re
ceived it in Egypt, and how, after he
! had been in six hospitals, it was finally
taken out of his leg He was what IS
| called Il Borough soldier and the only
enemies he had ever fought, were
the police"
The writer's attention was next call
] gu " IL uuu!uc VI plVSIo VI e'"' vi "a
! board and wood, having on then
"bind," confirmed cripple" deaf anC
dumb"
II remember a curious instance hap
pening TO those two pieces you have in
| your hand.
Two grinders had quarrel as
/ they were walking along, the confirmed
cripple alleging that the man wearing
I the deaf and dumb ticket had no RICH
to work his street. The row got tC
flows, which resulted in their sprawiing
| in the street.
$50 soon as they caught sight OF mt
they scrambled up, and picking az
their pieces of tin made off. A few
streets of l saw them again, and found
! that in their hurry TO escape they had
changed the tins, the confirmed Grip
pie was wearing the deaf and dumb
ticket, while the deaf and dumb man,
who was walking as well as you and l,
was exhibiting the confirmed cripple
ticket"