The evening times., 1900-03-17
PREYED ON TIE PUBLIC
Begging Brooklyn Children Swim
die Many Sympathetic Persons.
All of Them Frequently i'm the Hands
af the POiice-Tbe Mother to lie
P-osecuted-a sister Played the
Role of Fagin-one of the I'M
posters Goes to the Protectory.

NEW YORK, March 17.-Thomas Con-
Toy was sent TO the Catholic Protectory
yesterday. and agents of the Society for
the Prevention of Cruelty to Children in
Brooklyn. whose duty it is to bring about
the conviction of juvenile violators Of law
feel that they have won a signal victory,
as Conroy and his brother Andrew, and his
sisters, Maggie and Kate. are old offenders
These offenders are not men and women.
Andrew is four years old, Kate is six,
Thomas eight, and Maggie thirteen. but,
despite their youth, they have succeeded
in going unpublished thus far. notwith-
standing they offended even while out On
parole pending trial. Their chief offence
is begging. which they do adroitly. each
OF them having committed to memory
touching story of poverty and illness
which has no foundation in fact.
Bridget Conroy. the mother of the chill
dren, is charged with forcing the children
to go out TO beg. She is to be tried before
Magistrate Brenner on April >. Each time
the children have been arrested Robert
Wilkin. Superintendent and Attorney of
the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty
TO Children. has insisted that the mother
should be prosecuted. but she managed to
escape with reprimands until recently. The
father of the children is a driver. He
earns enough to support his family.
1t is shown by court records that Thomas
was arrested on January last year for
habitual begging in Fulton street. His
father then told the court he was able to
support Thomas. and that he was surprised
10 learn that the boy had begged in the
street The father was reprimanded for
not having sent the hoy to school He
promised to do this. and was permitted to
take his son to his home, then AZ pa Til
larry Street.
Maggie Was caught stealing an over
coat After she was found guilty in
the Court of Special Sessions. she was per-
mitted 10 go home under a suspension OF
sentence
Thomas was again arrested three mocths
later for begging His mothers arrest was
again asked Tor by Mr.. Wilkin. but she re-
ceived what was said to be a final warn
irg, and was permitted to take Thomas
home.
Thomas then became a Juvenile tramp
and was arrested in Manhattan for yagran-
cy. Mrs. Conroy went before Magistrate
Mott to whom she was not known, and
Was permitted to take her boy hCme upon
promising TO whip him. He did not re
main al home
For several months previous to last De-
cember letters were frequently sent to the
Office OF the Society fer the Prevention of
Cruelty TO Children in Brooklyn calling
attention tC what appeared to be a sad
case of destitution and sickness. Two
children representing themselves as Kate
and Andrew Lyons had called on the
writer Of each letter and had obtained
money by saying their mother was dying
ana needed money for medical attend
arce- Addresses given on different occa-
siOGS always proved TO be false.
Finally. on December 8. the Lyons chill
dren were arrested while telling their
heartrending story. They proved TO be
Kate and Andrew Conroy. They were ar
Taiened before Magistrate Brenner. who
permitted their mother to take them homa
after reprimanding them. The young
children denied thar their mother was their
Fagn. and said their sister Maggie had
trained them 10 beg and had carefuliy
taught them the story of a dying mother
with 30 money for medicine.
Acting Captain Colgan. of the Liberty
Avenue station, while in citizens clothes
was appealed to by Kate and Andrew cx-
actly two months after the date of their
first arrest. and he heard the story they
say Maggie had taught them. He took them
10 the Society for the Prevention Of CrG-
city &c Children. believing they needed as
siStancc. They we're held and on their
being arraigned the next day Magistrate
Brenner issued q warrant for the arrest
CT their mother. who had moved TO 3
North Portland Avenue She and the
children were paroled pending trial two
weeks from next Tuesday, and on Febru-
AIRY -. while Kate was out on parole, she
and Maggie called On the Rev Gaylord 8
White OF POO Concord Street. They told
him a tale OF poverty and illness. which
resulted in his going with them to their
home. where he was told by their mother
that she WAS able to support her children I
rnd that they had never begged before.
Thomas was again arrested for begging |
last Tuesday. and was arraigneG in the |
Adams Street Court Thursday. Magi.,rlte |
Brenner refused TO listen 10 his mothers |
pleadings for his release and committed |
him TO the Catholic Proje1t0ry.
NJ. Wilkin will ask on April that Kate |
and Andrew be committed 20 the Protec- !
Tory. and Mrs. Conroy held for trial in the |
Tourt OF Special Sessions.