The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-06-03
BEATING THE LEROY
Games by witch These Good Men Are DE.
priyed OF Their Ready Money.

bHt NV W 'Hb . 20
The most persistent and unique Adventures
in the national capital are the fakirs who haunt
the clergy aud persons connected with phil
anthropic work, They are frequent callers at
all pastoral residences in the city, a day never
passing without two or more presenting them
selves at the door. Some are we'll dressed
and others are CARRIED like the poor. They
have various methods Of presenting their cause.
but each and all have the same object. to oh
tain money. Sometimes their stories are al-
most ludicrous, but AZ other lines they are
heartrending, and II is almost impossible for
a clergyman To decide the merits Of the case,
One prominent divine said last week that IN
all his experience he had never met a stranger
begging for help whose case, when Investigated.
was found worthy.
The Rev. Dr. Mcleod of the First Presby-
terrain Church, in conjunction with four OF her
leading clergynen, had an experience not long
ago which was a, laughable as IL was exaspera-
ting. A woman clad in deepest but shabby
mourning called at the church office shortly
after noon and told "A pitiful tale Of woe. She
said that her only daughter had died the night
before, that she had formerly been a member
of his church, and her dying request was that
Or, Mcleod should preach a sermon AT the fun
oral, which would occur the following morning
at her residence. She gave a number and street
in a W hat distant locality.
The doctor al once consented to ~oflciate
at the funeral, and expressed the greatest s. M
pathy for the bereaved mother. The woman
then began to weep, and told DR.. Mel cod that
her finances were in "A straitcnrd condition,
and that she lacked just 50 Of having enough for
her daughters burial expenses. The doctor
had been imposed upon before. so he told the
woman that he would go to her home the fol-
lowing morning and bring the necessary funds
10 defray the expenses, Thanking DR..
Mcleod The woman took her leave and proceeded
10 the pastoral residence Of the assistant rec
tor Of Trinity Church. Telling him the same
story. she succeeded in obtaining IS and the
promise that the doctor would offciate at the
funeral,
This original fakir then went TO the residence
of DIR. Fiske. pastor Of Gunton Temple Memorial
Church, 10 whom she again repeated her story
and obtained a like reward. She sought two
other clerGymen on whose %sympathies she
each s. and an assurance that the ministers
would preach her daughters funeral sermon.
To each one she gave the same hour, name, and
address, The result was that the following
morning five preachers, armed with Bibles and
hymn books, serious and sympathetic looks,
appeared at 70 o'clock AZ the quiet home Of q
y "bl - I'll illll . anu each one 0n-
nolnced that he had come TO conduct the fun
oral Of the young girl The Irish lady, thinking
that some one had PLAYED a practical Joke on
the fact that there had not been a death on that
block for six months.
Several days ago a tall, foreign-looking man
of whom he handed his card, on which was
engraved Rev. Charles Mohammed." His
card dld not state 10 which denomination
he belonged; consequently he told each min
lStpr mat he was "A mpmhpr pf his church md
a foreign missionary To some he said that he
needed, funds to go TO New York, where he was
claimed his destination was Baltimore for the
same purpose. He succeeded in obtaining
various SUM, Of money, until finally he reached
the Key Dr; fiske. To him he showed hs ere
d%entlals' which seemed Ia be correct, and,
furthermore, he claimed 10 be a professor in
Princeton University. He showed n clipping
IRON a Kichmond newspaper, which stated that
2 Rev Charles Mohamined had been mistaken
for a negro who was wanted there for some
crime and he, was almost mobbed before he
600 ,Sis es, n a h bis Identity. IN addition TO
thls. ne nad his clerical orders from the Balti-
more and Ohio and the Pennsylvania railroads.
However, these orders had expired in 1890, and
the Rev, Mohnmmed could not wait TO have
them renewed. as he was due in New York
early the next morning and in Princeton the
following evening. lie wished to borrow $40
from pr. tiske. and promised to return II two
Or, Fiske suggested that he telegraph 70
Princeton. To this the Rev, Mohammed agreed
az once and thanked the doctor for his thought
%iulness. DR. Fiske sent a telegram Immediately
IN the meantime the Rev, Mohammed went out
into town and called later In the evening to
ascertain, II an answer TO the telegram had
come The time was approaching for the
leaving OF the train, and AZ the Rev. Mohammed
Seemsd very anxious for q reply TO the telegram
DR.. Fiske was impressed with the worthiness
Of the case and willingly loaned him the money.
lhe next morning O message from Princeton
stated that there was no such gentleman at
came too lata