The San Francisco call., 1897-09-19
What Soma Do With Coin
That Is
FrauduIontIy Obtained

Say, podner, kin ys help fellow out
tnight2 Gimme nickel er dime if We
can DO no better. It'll help toward get
ting me a NEAL
l looked at the specimen of humanity
standing beside me, suppllcating with ex-
tended palm for small coin He was
cng-looking, a bic bodied and certainly
in the best of health. His clothes were
no worse than are worn by the average
Worklngman and altogether there seemed
no reason why he should ask aims.
What manner OF man can he beP l
asked myself. Then l remem bered that
there Is work on the ranches in different
parts OF the State and asked him why ne
was not out picking hops or fruit.
FOR answer he cursed me and walked
on. But as his was the third request of
The same kind that [ had received within
an hour determined 10 estigate the
street beggar question and see just how
many OF this class OF citizens really needed
help. l spent a whole evening in the
vicinity OF the old City Hall PARK and
gave small sums 10 all who asked. l fol-
loved as many OF these as | could.
III the course of five hours / received
eighteen appeals for aid, and out of the
whole lot only two were deserving. The
other applicants spent the money for lux
uries.
S Sationing myself on the corner of
kearuy and Clay streets and taking a
moment 10 wait.
Say, boss, l am awful hungry. Amt
had nothin' TO eat since yesterday"
L -
ing and :he speaker certainly looked hag-
gard enough to be hungry. Gimme a
nickel if you can't spare no more. L kin
sit cup OF coffee and big piece of bread
fur dat right down de street here"
gave him 25 cents and turned as if to
walk up Kearny stIeet He shot down
Clay and in a moment l was after him.
1t was hardly more than a quarter of a
minute after he had received the 25 cents
before he was standing be ore a dirty bar
i'll cheap saloon.
Gimme glass of Zinfandel," he de-
manded Of the tarkeeper, laying down
his coin.
large goblet of purple fluid was served
him ana he received 20 cents in change
He drank the fluid, pockeled the money
and went to another place, where he re-
peateG the operation. The stuff ne had
now drank was at least quart, but he
was still unsatished and went into a
restaurant, where he got bottle of wine
and meal (?) for 10 cents. This left him
cents. for which he bought two cigars.
He then strolIec up to the park and fall
ing into a bench lapsed into a state bor-
derng OF stupefaction. All efforts to
make him talk were unavailing.
OF the other seventeen who asked aid
eleven were SO paIpably fraud that gave
them not over cents apiece, and saw it
carried TO the nearest saloon. Some OF
these were inclined to talk after they had
received the nickel, but always disap-
peared as soon as the word work was
mentioned.
Why don't you go 10 work ?" l asked a
strong-looklng fellow nearly feet tall.
Cant find no work; been trying 10 for
six months"
why don't you go out in the country
and pick fruu?"
"Pickin' fruit amt my station of life.
N an ironworker by trade, and l have TO
live BETTING my position"
But" l argued, you can go out and
pick fruit for month and come back here
with $40 in your pocket. They want men
badly out in the country
Where is that l kin earn $40 in a
month"; he asked, tempted moment.
Down near Niles and IN different parts
OF Santa Clara County,"
How you goin' to git there?'
Its only about twenty miles. You can
walk it in a day"
"Good-b by and he waved his hand at
me as he disappeared in the vicinity of the
cheap saloons.