The San Francisco call., 1898-12-25
KNIGHTS IF
 THE STAR PLAY
 SANTA CLAUS Carry Good Cheer to UnfortunateS. TURKEY AND DESSERT GALORE NO CHRISTMAS FOR INMATES OF
 PRISONS.
TURKEY AND DESSERT GALORE
NO CHRISTMAS FOR INMATES OF
 PRISONS.
After the Piratical Supervisors Fin ished Their Steals There Was Nothing Left for the
 City's Guests.

Deeds of charity in this holiday seasoi. are not confined to the organizations ere ated for the purpose of carrying Christ mas cheer to the deserving poor of this city. It falls to the lot of the humble policeman to come in contact with the distressed classes and he is doubtless the best judge of those who are entitled to assistance.
 The members of the force who patrol the southern portion of the city, in ac- eordance with their usual custom se- lected number of needy families during the latter part of the year and made ar engagements to provide for them Christ mas dinner. Contrary to the ordinary custom, they did not go around solicit ing contributions from their friends, but when the proper time came they went down into their jeans and made up purse with which to purchase the neces- sary food. Sergeant Donovan was SC, lected to take charge Of the matter, ana he performed his duties faithfully. es- terday afternoon he started out With wagonload of food and a list Of families that had been reported as requiring as-> sistance.
 Ut is not a pleasant task to perform this duty" said Sergeant Donovan In speaking of his experience. Tt matters not how much food you take with you there nad IS aSnys mSrs Thn me is ~hen tha e @ task.
 ',This year we made up packages con taining one ten-pound turkey, nileel pounds of potatoes, a bunch ot celery ana cauliflower, two pies, Christmas eakes two loaves of bread and one quart or cranberries. We distributed these as far as they would go. When there were no more turkeys we gave orders Tor good, husky roasts of beef or for brace or two of ducks, according to the size or the family, and accompanied them with package of tea or coffee and roll or put, ter As an evidence of good faltn ana fellowship we added in special cases little package containing four half-dol- lars, and. God bless me, while don hke f the job, it was worth year of a man life to see how these small favofS were appreciated These surely are the times when the poor man with generous ln- stincts would particularly appreciate the possession of wealth to be devoted to the amelioration of the conditions or ms un- fortunate fellows"
 Even in the days of the real old Solid Nine" the creation of Chris Buckley, when the city was supposed to be robbed of everything in and out of sight, the in- mates of the City and County prisons humanity and the city found means to provide its erring children with decent Christmas dinner. The present Board of Supervisors appears to be more more solid ftn strange to say, there is no money left in any fund from which to secure means to purchase the willing turkey or the modest roast of beef for the iarder of these fnsti- force board with the city this week will feast on the common everyday food and thank heaven that Christmas comes but once a year.
 The explanation as to why in these days of plenty these conditions exist is to come