The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-06-23

Roscoe Conklin.l
155 West 18th street-N. g.
(Arnold Schwarz)
go West Ninety-third street-Gooa
clarence v. Klp)
So West End avenue-Fair.
civilian R. Sargeart.)
So West Forty-seventf street-N. @.
%. Henry Hayes-1
When the desk sergeant questioned
Lawson sto the meaning Of the mer1or-
auda he said. with the utmost nonchai-
ance:
"Oh. those are merely houses where
visited. I was always business1like. you
know, and I like TO keep n record OF the
manner OF my reception, so that, IN case
It was not q pleasant one, would not
make the mistake Of calling there again"
The memorandum book told the story.
Lawson had the art Of begging carried TO
higher point than, perhaps. has ever
been attained before. The memorandum
book was the ledger of his business.
His daily cash book consisted Of dirty
piece of paper folded inside Of the note
book It Is written rather illegibly, and
the entries are purposely as obscure as
possible. Many OF them cannot be de-
ciphered. But they are evidently list
of various articles of clothing which had
been given him by charitable people and
which he had pawned. Here are three
sample accounts:
pants. 50 cents. In Sixth avenue and
Eighth street
Bicycle shoes to renew IN July. Is cents,
Levy.
pants in Levy, ran out May 80"
A reporter interviewed lawson in his
cell in the West SIxty-eighth street sta
ton.
Apparently the ''Prince or Beggars" is
not more than about twenty years OF age.
He Is slender and rather tall. His light
auburn hair Is parted in the middle and
inclined to be curly. A good many people
would call Lawson's face handsome. His
forehead is high and his features clean cut.
The nose is of the Bourbon type. His lips
are thin and compressed. In no sense IS
II the dull, plebian face OF the ordinary
beggar.
But It Is a bad face, just the same. the
eyes are small and restless. In talking
they never look into yours. but seem con-
stantly trying to find some escape IN the
ceiling or floor. The eneer is there about
the corner of the mouth that indicates In
dolence and crime. The prince of Beg
CARS linen was immaculate. From
turned-down collar floated a loosely tleo
poIka-dot four-in-hand necktie. He wore
Well-ftting double-breasted blue serge
coat. His gray clearinghouse trousers were
carefully creased and turned up at the
bottom. His patent-leattler shoes we're
highly polished.
"I can't understand" he said, in sort
Of drawl. why I've been arrested. Ny
PHILOSOPHY of life is different from that of
the majority of people. That Is all the
trouble.
"You earn living by working. prefer
TO make mine by begging. l have oeen
very successful in my calling and 1 can't
| understand why l should be interfered
with. 1 am a gentleman in everything.
never insist on a man giving me any
thing; I only offer him an opportunity 10
do so. / was in business once, but l lost
my position some time ago, and instead OF
| irving to find some other kind OF work l
have made a practice of going to peoples
houses and letting them feed me. am
sure It is their privilege to do so II they
| wish.
az was a beggar and made successful
living at It. i was caught. That's the
whole story. don't care to explain in de-
tail the entries IN my book. They relate
| to my private affairs. And It would not be
business-like for me to talk about them.
81 am not going to employ a lawyer. be-
cause I don't think that my case needs
one. I can't be punished only for being
beggar, and that means a comfortable SEN
tence on Blackwell's Island. My parents
live in Binghamton. n. Y. l could call on
them for assistance II were inclined to
| do so, but don't think It necessary. In
| fact. hope that shall be sentenced
| quickly"
| But his wish was not realized. When
| Detective Kennel told Magistrate Went
worth in the West Side Court yesterday
morning the story OF the prisoner, the
Magistrate looked at the prince Of Beg
CARS" for a moment and said:
'T am not going to sentence you TO the
Island. as I would an ordinary beggar.
This Is very strange case. You are re-
manded In custody Of the detective for
twenty-fou hours
Lawson's case will come UP again IN the
West Side Court today.