The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1900-10-05
THE CROWD WAS EASY.
Ana So Was the Sympathy Dodge
with which Il was Worked.

Ana 80 Was the Sympathy DeaGS
with which Il was Worked. a.
A woman In deep mourning and APP
parently in distress attracted crowd Of
belated citizens on Eighth avenue and
Sixteenth street at 2 O'clock In the morn
ing one day last week. She was young
and good looking. She stood close to the
rails Of the down town track and looked
up and down the pavement a. II In search
Of something. She was nervous and said
repeatedly:
4 dozen young men lit matches and
Joined in the search. They were unable
to find anything. One asked what she
had lost.
"Oh, I've lost my pocketbookw said
the woman sit contained all the money
had, and don't know what shall do"
Then she began to weep.
"It's too bad" said some one sympa-
thetically. How came you to be so un-
fortunateT .....,.-.
81 alighted from one Of these Eighth
avenue cars, and just as 1t was about to
start I discovered that my purse was
missing. The thought occurred to mo
that / might have left 1t on the seat, and
I shouted to the conductor to stop the
car. He refused, but flung something
at me which I believe was the pocket
book, and the car was soon out OF sight.
l thought that would be able to find II,
but II does not seem to be around any
where. would not mind 1t 50 much on
Iy it contained little ring belonging to
my dead child. Now I have nothing to
remember her by"
One man at once said he would pay
L L N
a cab, while another proposed to COM
plain of the conductor for his rudeness
il she could only remember the number.
The woman began to lament and weep
again. A tall, well dressed man wearing
eyeglasses broke through the crowd and
spoke to the woman.
"what has happened"
"Oh, nothing" she said; "only I've
been very unfoezhnate. have lost my
pocketbook and am penniless. It Is not
that care about so much. 1t Is my dead
baby's ring which / lost with It that wOr-
ries me the most.
The man, without listening further.
delved down into his inside pocket and
produced a card. He handed 1t to the
woman and said:
This Is my business address. Call on
me tomorrow. have influence with the
Metropolitan Traction people, and will
see that this conductor il punished. Here.
accept this IS bill. 1t is the smallest
have. It will tide you over till tomor-
row."
Here he paused and turning to the
crowd continued: .r.
"Gentlemen. I am going TO start a sub
scription for this poor woman. She In UNI
fortunate and deserves your assistance.
| The same thing may happen any night to
! your wives, mothers, sweethearts or even
your own children. Now, who viii help
her out of her predicament? You see
have contributed S., although am not
q millionaire"
Quickly dimes, quarters and halves
were subscribed. and In q little while
| more than 81 more was collected. The
| money was turned over to the woman ~
| the man with the eyeglasses. The woman
| was profuse in her thanks and bidding
her benefactors coed night boarded
| an M town car and rode away. A report
er who had observed the whole proceed
| inRs thought he would watch the man
| with the eyeglasses. The latter got on the
| next car, and the reporter followed. The
| man with the eyeglasses got Of at Forty
| sixth street and Joined the woman, who
| was waiting at the corner for him. The
| pair greeted each other efusi%ely and
| then walked arm in arm toward Broad
way. As they went along the reporter
heard this: Say. those guys were dead
easy. Why, it was the softest graft ever
| struck. We got about 81. Say, this 10
easier than stealing. and I guess we can
make enough to keep US in luxury for
couple of months"
eyes. they were easy. Let US strike
Broadway. We may catch another lay
| before We 20 home."-New York Sun.