The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-12-16
Paulian - -
Great Beg8ar
Detective - ~

with scarcely a doubt. Louis Pauiian
is the best beggar detective in the world.
Proficiency came TO him in this art De-
cause he used II in his business, and
his business in life is to reduce mendi-
cancy in Paris. The Paris beggar is the
prince of them all He makes the most
money with the least effort. and he saves
the most. He can lay over the New York
beggar a thousand times. Yet begging
on the streets of Paris is forbidden ny
law, and it is the proud boast OF the gay
French capital that Its charities are so
plentiful and so accessible 10 all that
street begging is unnecessary.
Thirty years ago Louis Paulian began
his connection with the prisons OF Paris,
and his first work was In learning the
criminal phase of life from the inside
was done more than a quarter OF GEN.
fury ago Since then he has been an In
mate of countless jails in France and
elsewhere on the continent, and for the
most Of the time not even his jailers
knew hts identity. He Is quick change"
artist who would do credit to any stage.
Tall. fine looking with big brown beard,
bald on the top OF the head, he can
stand before one in his ordinary clothes
and by few twists and turns convert
himself into the most woeful looking
blind beggar that ever happened
Paulian says that one of the most profit
able forms of begging liz In the guise
of poverty-stricken gentleman. CHAD
in this way he says II can succeed
without uttering word. Sinking ST.
lently along, peering out of the corners
of my eyes at the other pedestrians.
every fourth swell will turn back and
drop few sous In my hand. With
hasty word of thinks. ! hurry on. as of
ashamed TO be found begging"
One of Paulian's most treasured keep
sakes is model of the lantern carried
..~t.. IL .wtxr
him by the guild out of respect for him.
for he long ago announced that the rag
picker was the only honest person, or
rather the only person who IL 30 honest
that he cannot be found in Jail The
rag picker's implements are a bag which
he carries on his back, crooked stock
with bent nail on the end with which
to pick up the various kinds OF stun that
he gathers, and lantern by which he
can in dark alleys and getaways.
AS slight token of their appreciation,
and as the rag pickers obviously could
not give bag or astick to Paulian, they
made a model lantern and presented that
to him. The rag picker takes not only
rags. but every kind OF refuse that can
be carried conveniently. A little-known
industry OF the neither world was discov-
cred by Paulian in his prowlings around
Paris. One of the city officials is a but
ter faster. He jabs a gouge into a tub
OF DutttT, anu tHstes the Dutter winch Is
brought upon the edge of the gouge. Ii
is impossible. of course. that he can eat
all the httle pats of butter OF which he
tastes. and so after the test is made be
drops the bit on the straw in front OF
him. These pickings from the straw
form one Of the most valuable finds OF
the so-called rag picker. The pats OF
butter are gathered up and taken home
and there put into cauldron OF boiling
water. The butter rises to the surface
In OIL, which is SKINNED OF and left to
solidify. Then 1t is sold to the poorer
classes.
There Is absolutely nothing" says
Paulian, (which 1t Ia impossible for the
beggar to get. Name anything you like
An armchair. a crutch, a wooden leg,
a pair OF spectacles, a violin, a cradle.
food of any kind. medicine and I will
go out on the street and beg 1t out OF
people. and II won't cost a SOU"
For ten years Paulian begged and at
the end of that time he was able to COM
pute that yearly the private charities of
Paris alone pay out Se.0oo.000 to UNI
deserving persons. And. taking all
sources of the swindiers' income, fully
$b.000.000 year Is wasted on them In the
belief that this vast amount goes to the
deserving poor.
ance Paulian made was Father Antoine,
a pious hunchback who begged in front
of churches. The hump on the fathers
back was his strong box. which con-
tained all his earnings. amounting at the
time OF his death TO $4,000 The father
created for himself monopoly OF church.
door begging. Any other beggar who
wanted to work the church doors had
TO pay regular rental TO the father.
Possibly the most important discovery
which Pauiian made In his years of re-
search along these lines WAS OF the ex-
istence OF a beggars directory OF likely
victims, and also Of the man who got Il
up and maintained 1t. Every profession
al bsegar In Paris knows OF and con-