The Wichita daily eagle., 1893-08-13
PARTISAN PAUPE7S.
Disused Ouarries Nightly Invaded by Peri
patetic Beggars.

Disused 0uarries Nightly Invaded by Peril
patetic Beggars.
One of the most curious and deplora-
BILE sights in connection with pauDer-
ism during the winter in Paris is the
influx of peripatetic beggars who in
wade at night the disused quarries of
Argenteuil and Montmartre, where they
huddle together, as they safely can, to
the limekilns, in order to obtain little
warmth.
Along the suburban roads, in the di-
rection of Paris, they can be seen in
twoS and threes bent double almost and
hungry, hurrying on. footsore, in the
hope of being in time to obtain a night
shelter in the aisles de nuit-night
refuges-of the capital. But in those
buildings there is not sufficient room to
accommodate all applicants. Their
hospitable doors are open only for a
short time late at night and when once
they are closed all entreaties for admis-
sion are vigorously unheeded. In the
disused quarries they can find plenty of
room, whole army of medicants could
easily obtain shelter in their long gall
leries-a warm corner to huddle-up in,
and convenient stone for a pillow.
Moreover. there are no awkward
questions asked as at the asiles de mutt,
such as: ''Who art thou? From
whence comest thou? What is thy
calling?" And so from all directions
leading towards Paris they come in
large numbers at night, mud-be-
spattered, hollow checked, worn out
with fatigue, and numbered by hun
dreds as thev descend into the quarries
where, pressed pell-mell one against
the other, they endeavor by contact
to keep out of the cold. The largest
number and the deepest of these dis
used quarries are in the neigh borhood
of Argenteuil and there it is that the
police often make their raids when in
search of some criminal who has es-
capped capture, and who, it is thought
may be hiding among the ''malfrats.' .
The writer of these lines was present
at one of these irregular expeditions.
4 few days previously two rogues had
broken into house in the neighbor-
hood of Argenteuil and had beaten the
occupant, an elderly man. and COM
peeled him to give them food and money
A descent into the quarries was de-
cided on by the police, who thought il
not unlikely that the malefactors
might be hiding there. Towards mid
night a party of gendarnes, led By a
foreman employed at the limekilns.
entered the galleries of the quarries Of
Argenteuil BY the light of the red
glare of their flaming torches their
shadows appeared giantlike on the
sides of the galleries At each one of
these galleries gendarme or police
agent stood sentry, revolver in hand.
while the commissary walked through
them accompanied By party of
agents and the foreman. to whom the
regular ha bitues and most Of the hon
est but needy poor who frequent the
galleries are known. As they reach
the first group of sleepers they wake
them up somewhat roughly and throw
into their eyes { ray OF light from their
bull s-eye lantern. DO you know this
man?" inquiries the commissary. ad-
dressing the foreman. The answer IS
YES" or no as the case may be; and
possibly. while the first man of each
group is permitted to turn on his side
and go 10 sleep again, the second or
third one has the handouts slipped on.
and soon becomes the head OF chain
of suspected individuals, which VIII
lengthen until there are some forty or
more Of them in custody Of the repre-
sentatives OF the law Escorted by the
gendar1nes they are marched into /
town. thrust into D corner OF the sale I
de police, and separately interrogased- Z
What revelations OF sad his !
tories are made. What dransati. !
narratives are told! y disreputable 4
priest. driven ont OF holy orders, teIlS .
the story Of his :niquitous life with +
tears IN his eyes; fraudulent LAWYER /
asks for pity at The hands OF the inter 4
ragating magistrate: broAea-dossn 4
artist speaks Of hi5gAted love Thec .
comes the turn OF some sordiss-iooking. /
raCred women. witH the looA Of fam /.