The San Francisco call., 1896-02-26
Gifts From Philanthropic Citi-
zens Disposed of in
Other Cities,
LIVED IN LUXURIOUS STYLE.
Profigacy of the Seemingly Penniless
Itinerants Revealed by an
Investigation.

SANTA BARBARA, CAL, Feb. 25.-A
trio of as sleek professional beggars as
ever traded upon the sympathy of a COM
munity has been operating among the
upper circles of Santa Barbara society for
the past five months. The fraud they
have practiced hes just been uncovered,
and it is believed they have become hun
dreds of dollars richer through the mis-
directed philanthropy of Santa Barbara
citizens.
An elderly French woman named lie
Febre with putative daughter, Mrs. Rob-
erts, young woman Of decidedly Scotch
Irish cast, the latter's husband and four
young children, came to this city last fall.
Mrs. LIE Febre professed to be looking for
French scholars to teach, although her in
dustry and gifts have been chiefly directed
in other directions.
Son-in-law Roberts was a civil engineer
who was sent to the Worlds Fair to run
an engine used with the captive scenic
balloon, but who has since been out OF an
engagement, Nine. LIE Febre everywhere
told tale of poverty and woe, with the
result that charitable women united to
sustain the family, paying rent, sending
wagonloads of supplies of all sorts d on ating
money and hiring trained nurse to carry
the young woman through sickness, and
raising money to pay the passage of her
husband to Guatemala. With house
overhowing with eatables and clothing and
comforts of every kind, donated by sympa-
thizers, the old woman industriously
worked the city, going from person to per-
son with her tale of Distress and every
where receiving generous aid.
The extent of the woman's schemes has
just become known. She offered donated
garments for sale and shipped others to a
Stockton woman. She has assistants
working the country districts, gathering
food, groceries, clothing and money. the
same pititul tale OF want being everywhere
repeated.
During the young wOman's illness, ii
was discovered, numerous trunks were
brought to them, already filled with elabo'
rate underwear and rich clothing, while
the grossest waste was going on within
the household, whole loaves of bread being
burned and preserves thrown away.
Interesting incidents could be recounted
of how the family spurned Mrs. Admiral
Harmon's best curtains; of how the kind
offer Of Mrs. Gaty, wife of the manager o1
the Arlington, to supply leftover meats
was taken advantage of, with written or.
der for so much butter, sugar, tea, etc. oi
an honest little neighbor, the mother of a
family of children, the wife OF struggling
mechanic, obliged to deny her own little
ones butter upon their bread, but who was
imposed upon for loans of every sort to the
seemingly pennileSs family
The community at last awoke, investi-
cations were quietly conducted, and it was
proved that this family's operations in
Santa Barbara were but repetition OF
what has been carried on for years in other
places, notably Chicago anu San Francisco
They were helped away from these cities
by people who wished to shirk the burden
of their support. They have been grow
ing rich upon the charity of others, and
now that they will be elected from Santa
Barbara, some other unfortunate commu-
nifty will probably contribute to their bank
account