The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-03-12

borne upon the backs OF the Hebrews in this
city. This opinion was expressed by the
secretary of the benevolent S ciety, who
called at the old City Prison yesterday to
see the seventeen Russian Jews who are
domiciled therein
There is good reason to believe that
these people are mpostoTs-professiO
beggars-who came 10 this city to prey
upon the charitable. One OF them, Her
man Fischer, is said TO be an anarchist.
Thew arrived on Wednesday last. and in
duced a gOod-natured cit zen who listened
to their tale of woe to find them an abode.
de paid So to the owner OF a tum ble-dOwn
house at 424 Eleventh street, and there the
entire party camped. The windows of the
rookery yielded long ago to the BON bard
meDt OF the boys who live in the neighb boz
hood. The exiles lived there aud, they
say, starved there until Saturday after.
noon, when a goOd-natured grocer sent
them food and a goOd-natured policeman
took them 10 the old prison, where they
were given quarters in what was the hos
pital.
Four families are Representa- by the sew
enteen men, women and children. Their
names are Nader, Balochstein, Liedeman
and Fischer. With one exception they
professed TO be ignorant of the English
language. The spokesman said that they
bad come from Minnesota. where poverty
farms which they had been cuiiyating.
I'VE sold our furniture and came here.
but bad only Sc when we reached the city,"
said Herman Fischer. who talked for him.
self and his companions.
They huddled together In the warmest
room in the hospital and passed the night
there. Breakfast, consisting of bread,
coffee and stewed meat. was given them,
and shortly after their first visitor APP
peared. He was secretary of a Hebrew
benevolent society aud his heart was moved
by the somber picture presented by the
battered and dirty group.
II will do something for these poor
wretches Tomorrow" he said. "They
shall not want in this city where there are
so many wealthy men," Then he made
some remarks about the Eastern societies
who shift their burdens on to the gener-
Gus Israeites of California, and went away.
Early In the afternoon a young man
called upon the forlorn seventeen: II will
see the two rabbis at once" he said.
These people must be assisted" he was
| q member of a Hebrew charitable society.
The next visitor was Isaiah Cboynski,
secretary of the Jewish Alliance of Cali
| fornia for Aiding Russian Refugees. This
society is composed of representatives of
all the Hebrew benevolent societies in the
city. 1t was organized for the purpose of
raising funds to assist the Jewish people
in the East who are providing for and
helping their coreligiunist exiles from
Russia who are daily landing in the United
States. and FOR the purpose of preparing
to do the same for any of the unfortunate
people who may find their way TO the Pa
| cific Coast. so as to make them self-sup-
porting and fit them for the duties and
responsibilities of American citizenship"
Mr.. Choynski unhestatingly pronounced
the melancholy groupa gang of impostors.
II know all about these people," be said.
"They are Professional beQgars from Min
neapolis. One of the women, Mrs. Fischer
| has several hundred dollars in her possess
| sion, and the man Liedemann has enough
money either on his person or his wffe'S to
| buy farm in California.
"They called at my Office Saturday after
noon and said that they were exlee from
Russia. They spoke Polish patois which
/ understood, but every one of them I'M
derstands and can speak English. Why,
all their children were born in this coun-
| try. Fischer has land in South Dakota
and has money in the bank that is draw
| ing interest"
"Who told you this?"
"Ppople who knew them in the East"
WHO are these people?"
at would not be safe to tell you"
"Why?'
Fischer would harm them. He is said
| to be an anarchist and 1t Is known that he
! is a desperate character He and Lieds-
mann obtained assistance from the benev-
| client societies of Minneapolis until some
one found out that they had property.
| Liedemann had an interest in paying
business and his daughter was earning IS
week in factory. When they were ex-
cut off they decided to come to this city
! and work the same game.
The alliance provides the Russian