The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-01-06
methods OF MENDICANTS
A French Detectives Strides Into
Habits of Beggars.
One of the Most Profitable schemes
Is That of Playing the Part of n
MISREPRESENTATION GentIeman-Rng-
pickers and Their Occupation in
The Gay CapitaI-PauIinn's Plan.

pickers and Their Occupation in
the Gay CapItaI-PauIinn's Plan.
With scarcely doubt. Louis PauIian
is the best beggar detective in the world
Proficiency came to him in this art be-
cause he used it in his business. and bis
business in life is to reduce mendiesncy
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 thousand times Yet begging on
the streets OF Paris is forbidden by law,
and it is the proud boast of the gay and
rich capital that its charities are so plen-
tiful and so accessible to all that street
! begging Is unnecessary.
Thirty years ago Louis Pauiisn began
his connection with the prisons OF Paris
and his first work in learning the trimi-
nal phase of life from the inside was more
than a quarter OF century ago. Since
then he has been an inmate of countless
jails in France and elsewhere on the Con-
tinent, and for the most OF the time not
even his jailers knew his identity. He
is quick change artist who would do
credit to any stage. Tall, fine looking.
with a big brown beard bald on the top
OF the head, he can stand before one in his
ordinary clothes and by a few twists
and turns convert himself into the most
woeful looking blind beggar that ever
happened.
Pauiian says that one of the most
profitable forms of begging is IN the guise
OF poverty-stricken gentleman. Clad in
this way, he says, Il can succeed without
uttering a word. Sinking silently along.
81 III. ,f a.
the other pedestrians, every fourth swell
will turn back to drop a few sous in my
hand With a hasty word of thanks 1
hurry on, as il ashamed to be found beg.
ging."
One of Paulian's most treasured keep
sakes is 4 model Of the lantern carried by
the Paris ragpicker. 1t was given to him
by the guild out of respect for him, for he
long ago announced that the ragpicker
was the only honest person, or rather the
only person who is so honest that he can
not be found in jail. The -ragpicker's I'm
plements are a bag which he carries on
his back, a crooked stick with a bent nail
on the end with which to pick up the va
rious kinds Of stuff that he gathers, and
a lantern by which he can see in dark
alleys and getaways. AS slight token
of their appreciation, and as the rag
pickers obviously could not give a bag or
a stick to Paulian, they made a model
lantern and presented that to him. The
ragpicker takes not only rags. but every
kind of refuse that can be carried con-
veniently little known industry Of the
neither world was discovered by Paulian
in his prowlings around Paris. One of the
city officials is a butter faster He jabs a
gouge into a tub of butter and tastes the
butter which is brought up on the edge OF
the gouge. 1t is impossible, OF course,
that he can eat all the little pats Of but
ter of which he tastes, and so after the
test is made he drops the bit on the straw
in front of him. These pickings from this
straw form one of the most valuable finds
of the so-called ragpicker. The pats OF
butter are gathered up and taken home
and there put into a caldron of boiling
water The butter rises to the surface In
oil. which is SKINNED off and left to
solidify. Then it is sold to the poorer
classes.
There is absolutely nothing" says
Paulian. which it is Impossible for the
begsar 10 get Name anything you like
an arm chair. crutch, wooden leg.
pair of spectacles. a violin, cradle, food
of any kind medicine, and l will go out
on the street and beg it out of people, and
it 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 afcne pay out 81 eco, coo to undeserv-
ing persona And, taking all sources or
the swindler's income. fully S5,OOo,OoO
year is wasted on them in the BELIEF that
this vast amount goes to the deserving
poor.
one Of the characters whose acquaint
ance Paullan made was Father Antoine,
pious hunchback, who begged in front OF
churches The hump on the fathers back
was his strong box. which contained all
his earnings. amounting at the time OF his
Heath to $4,000. The father created for
himself monopoly OF church door beg
ging Any other beggar who wanted to
work the church doors had to pay regu-
ar rental to the father.
Possibly the most important discovery
which Paulian made in his years OF re-
search along these lines was of the exist
,nce of beggars' directory Of likely vic
inns, and also of the man who got IT up
md maintained it. Every professional
1eggar in Paris knows of and consults
his directory. 1t is in manuscript. and
an be bought in a small or large edition
It and francs. or, in our money. 80
.ents and 81 90 The small edition is
allied the Petit Jeu," and the large one
he Grand Jeu" all of which means the
title and the big game. The big game
,ook is marvelously complete, and is the
,eggars' who's who2'' The good and bad
POINTS OF everyone in public life who
ives 10 the craft is set uONH utA C. lAO
wo books are kept revised and up to
ate. and the compiler pays 30 centimes
o the beggaP who brings to him authentic
nd important information as to new
ames and addresses.
The beggars store was found by Pau
ian. the place where are sold all kinds OF
egging outfits, from crutches to babes
rho ought to be in the cradle. These
ontractors or storekeepers also farm out
he advantageous places in which beggars
nay stand and in guise of selling some
rifle really make successful touches
II the day and long into the night
And now. after having accumulated all
his knowledge, Paulan is trying to de-
Use ways and means. mostly through leg
Station. which will make it more difficult
,r the beggars to get living. He be-
ewes that as soon as It is apparent TO
hem that it is cheaper and easier to
ork honestly they will take to honest
ork and quit begging.-New York Press.
The Sultan and the Auto.