Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-10-09


touch Of frost the summer boarders cnce
mole wend their way back to the city, and
with hem comes the beggar. He may
have been on his own vacation, or he may
have been idling about the city; but cold
weather finds him again at his same old
place. When a warmly clad man feels the
chill air penetrate even through his over
coat. he feels kindly disposed toward fell
low-mortals who are in distress and pow
erty: and all the beggar has to do to exc
out living is to stand in the crowds and
show the badge that denotes his distinct
i've individuality blind or Grip
pie
The beggarS of Washington at the height
of the season are very numerous. They
haunt the thoroughfares everywhere, and
IL Is Impossible for one to walk the avenue
after nightfall without being accosted
Ihey hesieSe the doors of restaurants at
ali hours. and each hearty, well-fed citizen
who comes in or out is struck for
dime a quarter.
There are two classes of beggars to be
seen on the streets The first class is COM
posed of men who are really in need and
are forcei by circumstances to adopt the
be%Sar 5 mode of life The second class is
mace up Of fake" beggars. who go around
with the blind and dumb signs upon their
breasts. and make living by playing upon
the sympdthies of the benevolent. OF
course. II is true that some of these blind
charity. but the majority of them are
fakes. and enjoy reading The Evening Star
many time.
Erstwhile Tramps.
Many of these blind and lame frauds are
the tramps seen about the country In the
summer time They manage to live in
fairly comfortable style during the hot
weather, but wnen winter comes they lin
ger no longer in the fields and by the road
10 l,ata 10
cltyward- There healthy, well-built man
IS easily doctored up a cripple: or If the
man is lucky enough to have had a leg cut
OH Ii a railroad accident. he is fixed I'D as
veteran of the late war who had his leg
carried away by 4 cannon ball at the lat
lie OF the Wilderness, and now has seven
teen people in his family whom he must
support. including an aged grandfather
who fought in the war of 1872 This sup
posiutious case has had many parallels
There is absolutely limit to the extent
on which these fakes may build I'M their
distressing tales of woe.
e And yet very often these marvellous tales
OF injuries received turn ont to be true.
Last winter the agents of the Associated
Charities Investigated the case of man
VINO had lost leg in premature explo-
sion of cannon on the Fourth of July
1876, IN some western town. The man bore
pldcard announcing that he had served
throughout the late war without receiving
wound, and therefore was not entitled to
pension. but as he had received injuries
In a patriotic manifestation on the natal
day of his country. he solicited aid when
uhdbie TO felp himself. The mans story
vas found 10 be true in all respects.
Sometimes Overlooked.
The local police are ever on the lookout
for fake beggars- 1t is against the law for
beggar to solicit charity ON the streets.
so that there is always a way to get rid of
superfuous beggars whose claims for SYM
pathy may be doubtful. Yet there are
times when policemen wink and look the
other way sooner than arrest a deserving
beggar- The few who are to be seen on the
streets pursuing their vocation openly I'M
der the guise of selling pencils, playing an
organ. or peddling shoe strings are proba-
bly, all deserving cases which have been in
Vestsated by the police. 1t is the beggar
Who lodges into dark corners and solicits
in the shadows who can usually be set
down as fake. ever fearful of the ap-
preach of policeman. There are times,
however. when even policemen are fooled
by the clever make-ups of beggars who ask
aims on account of wounds, blindness or
illness
Washington is one of the best fields in
the country for beggars on account of the
extremely large class of rich and well-to-do
People When Congress is In session, some
of the more energetic beggaIs make large
sums. OTe night several years ago a group
OF consressmen was standing ON the ave-
Eue. when their attention called to the
little. old, STOPPING woman who Is always
seen on the avenue at night grinding out
her melancholy dirges a little hand or
gan The night was cold. for 1t was in
ntdwinter. and the hearts of the wealthy
Congressman were touched by the sight of
the aged woman. Shivering in the corner
by a large show window, vainly endeavor-
ing to shield herself from the cold winds
A silver dollar was tossed into her cup by
each Congressman.
Tragedy and Heroism.
Beggars form quite colony In Wash
ington and constitute a distinctive class.
at these poor wretches how much of trag-
edy and perhaps of heroism is hidden away
beneath their rags. There is one Of their
Lumber who. by hawking pencils upon the
streets, obtains the money by which he
supports a fair-hared little girl whom he
picked W on the sidewalk late one rainy
night The child seemed to belong to no
one. and he adopted 1t for his own. After a
while he began to save He was more
persistent in his begging than ever before,
and closer with his money. This closeness.
however, did not extend to the child As
soon as he was able. he sent her away to a
respectable school. where she Is now being
educated Meanwhile. through rain and
sEow, heat and dust. he drags himself
along the street selling pencils. The pas
serby never imagfnes that those keen lit
tie eyes peering out beneath bushy eye
brows can grow tender at the thought of
his adopted child.
There is another story told by those who
krow these beggaIs and their history con-
corning the man who carries his coat a
label with his full name. The man is brok-
en- and dissipated-a sordid wreck-but the
name Is an old and aristocratic one He
vas a college man, and once lawyer of
some prominence: but he acquired the
liquor habit and In few years was so
Tar down In the social scale that he was
cut by all Of his relatives. In a MT of pioue
he resolved to bring shame and disgrace
upon the name. He became a beeRar of
the most disreputable type. and hung a
piacard upon his neck with his full name
printed upon IT. Many times have the
members of his family. rolling by In their
carriages. caught sight of their honored
miserable wretch.
Most Co.tly Leather In Market.