The morning call., 1894-01-17
WAS WIDOWS DAY
Mayor Ellert's Office Was
Besieged.
HUNDREDS OF APPLICANTS.
MANY of Them Told Tales of
Distress.
HUNDREDS OF APPLICANTS
THE ROBINSON BEQUEsT FUND.
Blanks Issued by Private Secretary
Newman to Almost Six Hundred
INDECENT Widows.

Yesterday was widows day in the
Mayors Office. Fully 500 of them passed
in and out during the morning and after
noon hours. The occasion of such large
visitation was the distribution OF the
blanks for applicants desiring aid from
the Robinson bequest fund, the annual in
terest being ready for distribution. The
interest amounts to about S2100 and was
on last Monday apportioned among ten
different societies in amounts ranging
from S75 to S4O0 Although those socie-
ties will distribute the money. it is neces-
sary to apply to the Mayor for blanks to
be filled out, giving name. age and circum-
stances surrounding the case. These
blanks must be returned to the Mayor by
next Friday. The Mayor will send the
filled-out blanks to the different societies
and these will investigate each case. Each
worthy person will receive certain por-
tion of the fund. The amount will not be
large, as there are usua lily about 1000 ap-
plications for portions of the money.
AS soon as the Mayors Office was opened
tn ere was a large delegation standing in
line waiting to receive the blanks. The
early comers were those who had learned
from long experience how the fund was
Handsome Girls Newman, the Mayors S
private secretary, in faultless Prince
Albert and a spUtless tie, lent courteous
and tireless ear TO the hundreds that came
In and dismissed the applicants with kind
and encouraging words. Messenger
Millard, whose heart is SO soft that he can
not turn anybody away, folded up about
600 blanks, which were almost all distri-
buted during the day.
There were many sad cases told in short,
brief and broken sentences while the ap-
plicant waited for the blank to be
folded.
Sunday; l am out of work and have five
little sisters to support" sobbed a bright
looking 17-year-old girl, as she drew a
ragged shawl about her neck to keep from
shivering.
my husband died three months ago and
left me penniless with three children
said another. And so it went on all day
while the messenger folded up and de-
livered the blanks.
There were women of all sizes and de.
scriptions, of every age and represeDt ting
every cline. There was one woman 96
years of age, who just managed TO hobble
into the room. There was another who
came in on crutches. One Indian woman
was among the number, and only one ne
gress. Most OF the women had obtained
relief from the fund before, while others
were new at asking for charity and en-
| tered the office with timio steps and full
heart, which made the voice break in
speaking.
During the afternoon a 12-year-old boy
entered. He had long hair plated down
the back and the curls were topknotted OF
| his head. A pair of bright blue eye;
peeped out from dark laShes. He was @
| brave little fellow and went straight to his
| set task.
my mother is sick and she sent me fol
! a blank" he said. "She used to be an ac-
tress, but she has been sick for lone
| time. Please give me one for her. she is
so good"
do you go to school?" was asked.
mo. The boys pull my hair and it hurts,
and my mother don't want to cut it Oft un-
| til [ take my picture, but she has nc
money" said the little fellow.
Here is your blank" was said. and the
| little man put on his cap and went out
| with a beRmiDg smile.
Henry E. Robinson, the dOnator of the
! fund, was pioneer OF the State, having
arrived in Sacramento in the year 1849
| In which city he accumulated handsome
| fortune in mercantile pursuits. He was
| possessed of great business tact aud ability
and was of a charitable and generous dis
position, ever ready to respond to appeals
from the distressed and afflicted. He died
at Norwalk, Conn.,. on June 10, 1880. In
his will was the following:
81 give and bequeath TO the Mayor Common
Council and cOmmOnaIty of the city and county
OF San Francisco the sum of $4,000 in trust
10 be by them and their successors invested "a
the best advantage, the interest aecru
ing thereon to be paid out from time tC
time to the destitute women and children of the
city OF San Francisco, Califor MIA, In such
manner as such Mayor and Common Council
may deem proper aud beneficial"
On December 20. 1880. the Board of Su-
pervisors adopted a resolution accepting
the trust, and authorizing the Finance
Committee of the board to act in conjunc-
tion with the Mayor OF the city in the in.
vestment OF the fund and the distribution
of the annual interest where it would dc
the most good.
Before accepting the gift, however, it
was necessary to obtain the passage Of the
act by the Legislature to authorize the
several committees of the State 20 receive
property by gift, beauest and devise, and
to hold, manage and dispose Of such prop.
erty. Such an act was passed on February
4. 1881. duly approved by the Governor
The money was subsequently accepted
and invested in bonds and other securities
The annual interest has varied from $1,000
| 10 $1,000, and has always been distributed
among the most needy and deserving.