The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1900-07-31
PEDICREED BECGAR
John Muir Disowned by His
Father Turns Profess
ional Beggar.
ONCE A STOCK BROKER
Gambling Led to Hard Drink
ing and Then He Quickly
Fell.

John Muir, Jr, twenty years old, of No
~ West Eighty-sixth street, New York. Is
a prisoner. a Police Headquarters today
after having been adjudged a professional
beggar and fined 50 by Police Justice
Hoos. He is the son of John Muir the
senior member of the firm of John Muir
& Co, at No. 80 Broadway, a Stock Ex-
change house. Mr.. Muir, ST. is a well
known operator on Wall street He was
formerly of the firm of Muir & Powell.
but there was a dissolution a month ago
and the new firm was organized.
John Muir Jr., the prisoner was as
sociated with his father up to a year ago.
he says. He took to gambling and lost
large sum of money He then began
drinking and went from bad to worse he
says. Finally his father disowned him
and he became an outcast. He took to
the life of tramp and he has travelled
around the country a great deal, begging
wherever he went. He was arrested at
the corner of Washington and Montgom-
cry streets, at four o'clock yesterday
afternoon by Detective Daniel Lee of
Police Headquarters
Detective Lee and reporter were talk
ing at the corner when Muir approached
them and begged permission to say few
words. He prefaced his remarks by say
ing that he did not want any favor. Then
he said that was the son of John Muir a
broker, of No. 81 Broadway, and that he
lived at No. II West Eighty-sixth street
until year ago. when he left home to
travel. He was penniless and wanted
three cents to get across the ferry to get
to his father. He said if Detective Lee
would give him the money and a card he
would lose nothing. Detective Lee was
of course unknown to Muir
They told him that his story was not be-
lieved. Muir offered proof, but his offer
received no attention. Lee told the beg
gar that the officer at the ferry would
look out for him and Muir said he would
go there. But he did not. He became con-
fidential when he saw, as he said himself,
that he could not con- any one.
We'll, let's have drink anyhow. You
fellows look all right and I'll buy" said
Muir.
How can you get drink if you have no
money!" asked Detective Lee
oh, that's all right, have the money
TIL tell you. 1 am a professional beggar
and have been for a long time I was
one of the boys and went up against it
and got broke. 1 gambled and drank un-
til my father put me out. L have Just
come from Chicago and I thought I'd do
a little work in this town"
Muir was placed under arrest. He
begged hard to be allowed to go. He
told his story again at the police sta
tion, but it was not believed by the
police.
When searched there was found on the
prisoner a key tor a room in the Salvation
Army branch on Pavonia avenue. This
made the police think he was not telling
the truth.
After Muir was locked up he sent a
telegram to his brother George in New
York, but no reply was received
Mr.: Muir, Sr., refused to talk to anyone
of his ons arest when sen at his home
last night. He merely said
We 90 not know anything of the matter
further than that il was reported to US
this evening""
The news of his sons plight did not
seem to worry Mr.. Muir in the least and
none of the other members of his family
seemed at all concerned.