The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-04-10
BECGARS ON THE STREET.
Disgusting Sights to Be Seen
on Leading Thorough
fares.
Disobeyed by the PATROL
men.

The crippled and blind beggars are
again becoming a nuisance on the streets.
1t was just a month ago that the CALL
published a long article showing that
hardly any of the professional beggars on
the streets were deserving of charity; that
many of them had good bank accounts,
and principally that all of them were ille-
gally on the streets. If blind and crippled
men and women have no means, the law
states plainly they must be arrested and
sent to the Almshouse. If they have
means, the law says they should be ar
rested and punished for begging. The
CALL published the Law and the facts on
March s and 8, and on March the follow
ing order was issued at the instance of
Chief of Police Crowley:
Cuptnin Douglass: Your attention is called to
section % of No. 1887, page 35, orders OF the
Board OF Supervisors. The Chief OF Police
directs that you arrest all those who adopt beg
ging calling, also all ablebodied beggars,
and charge them with vagrancy, and those
Who are physically unable to earn a support or
livelihood should be charged with begging UNI
der the city ordinance that they may be COM
II. s. HEALEY, Clerk.
When the above order was given to Cap
tain Douglass he submitted it to the differ
ent sergeants, and they in turn instructed
the policemen to see that all beggars were
kept off the streets. For two or three
weeks the streets were kept quite clear Of
the unsightly objects, but for the last few
days they have ali come out of their holes.
Most of them have changed from their
regular places though, and in the morning,
before many policemen are around, they
cluster thickly about the White House.
Fernand Deboas, the imported profess
sional blind beggar from Belgium; Robert
Morris, the legless pencil-seller; Joseph
Zen, the blind Swiss, and newly i'm
ported blind woman are around the corner
of Post and Kearny streets every morning
until it is time for Police Officer Peter
Richter to come on watch.
They then scatter for fear of arrest,
Richter considers the beggars as dis
grace to the city and will allow none of
them to take up stands on his beat. If all
the officers obeyed the law and the instruc-
tons of their sergeants, this city would be
quickly rid of its unsightly beggars.
When noon comes the human leeches who
live off the blind beggars take the bread
and beer winners to other places. Deboas
usually goes down to Sixth and Jessie
streets, Morris crosses over Post street and
stands In front of D. Samuels store, Zen
goes to Montgomery street and the blind
woman is taken. to Market street opposite
be seen daily at their old stands on Grant
avenue, between Geary and Post streets.
In speaking of the matter yesterday
Chief Crowley said: 1.-THE principal
trouble In carrying out the law in regard
to the beggars is that the police judges
will not convict the poor devils. Cases
after cases have been brought before them
and they have always let the beggars go.
Then there is another objection. The
Almshouse is packed. 1t is so full that
superintendent Weaver will not take any
more people. The Almshouse is full every
winter, and if all the beggars were arrested
we would have to build new Almshouse,"
1t is a peculiar thing, however, that
Officer Richter has no trouble to keep
Kearny street clear and free of disgusting
sights, while very few others have the
sense to enforce the law. The only beggar
who bothers Richter is Henry ]. Powell,
the paralyzed old xylophone- player, who
still comes out TO gather tribute from his
regular patrons. Richter will not allow
him to take up stand, however, and the
old beggar, whom the CALL proved to be
worth Several thousand dollars. is not TAX
ing in very much to aud to his hoard.