The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-11-21
swNDLING LETTER WRITER'S.

/ From the New YORK sun
/ This is by no means a new trick. and
/ yet people are being swindled by il
/ every day, said the head of one of the
relief societies in speaking of the arrest
of a begging letter writer, who pre-
tended to Ue clergyman. II requires
a clear head TO write a letter 10 a total
stranger and make money by the trans
action, but this man Is only one Of a
multitude who have protitably pursued
this line of trade. The fact that his
pockets were filed With the names and
addresses of many OF New NOrk's most
generous citizens would suggest the
possibility of there being known to his
profession some association similar 10
the Charity Exchange" which -four
ished for a time In a coffee house in
the suburbs of Vienna. II was the
rendezvous Of professional beggars and
swindlerS. II was as regularly organ
lied a legitimate club. and in design
and method was au3aciously unique.
The charitable and benevolent were
classified. Lists We're prepared and
revised from time 10 time 10 correspond
with the changes arising from death,
.oSS OF fortune. etc. and these lists
were sold. according % value from
beCrar's standpoint.
Each class had its name. The prince"
embraced those who gave freely. inva-
riablv, and without the Formally OF
questions: the Priest" those VINO cat
ecbi>ed before giving and were not Law
ish: the Mean those who Unpleas-
antlv insisted upon having the appli-
cant name and some proof that the
appeal was genuine. and who had been
known 10 heartlessiy offer work in
stead Of money; the "Pauper," those
who gave nothing and Of whom II was
useless 70 ask. and the Extra" those
who were personally inaccessible and
could he approached only hv letter.
sum equal 20 i've dollars entitled the
purchaser % one dozen names OF the
best grade. warranted - yield a good
revenue. Half that sum purchased
four % the best. and four from the
Extra" and Priest The MEAN"
and "Paupsr~ lists were sold a. very
low rates. and were bouvh: chiefly By
those who were anxious - avoid them.
for be-rars are very cautious about
wasting time on the wrong material
The exchange srnoothcd the beggars'
path greatly. bat fortunately FOR the
public is career was brief IN 80.
after al invest cation 5- the police.
tho managers v7cre ioaze3 IN jsil.
The sending ~ r begging lester - al
a., times an ct open q ~--oleion- and,
where one E. tae result OK genuine need
Tn are frauds. For yea-s woman Kept
two homes one IT Ire Sums one - q
rss--seta tle quarter ot the city. She seut
ol' t4r and --.de letters representing
that She was iu great cist-css. >he
gave .ne address ~ her wrrtcheG rea-
basement and invited -he inferes'e'
or doubling - vlsi- beg A. resale
she wa- y ia 20 maintain he- -~roat
home EEra tie imposition -ees Dis
covered she hsH accumulated surn
1ot - tae Le=..ee3 and s-sicieut -
ta,re hrr le. - .aa country.
None h1s -ao-c vho have eu-e.voTed
-o I1v.-s. -a-e snrh plea can znq-e1i-
@.c ta- saea--r-i-- etfe-t % tae e f.
c1-rr- that tr1eh5rl- -to~v - gFani s
-lt-ez. ere eiek wife ard su1e-lrr
are r--r..i-zl. ard the a16Tc-a T5rfa aas
- e, ste--c. Ci.e k5ud- .sezTte! sso--zl.