The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1902-02-27
FAMILIES WHO LIVE
BY ROBBING CHARITY

people and the Associated Charities. it
was claimed had utterly ignored them
4 few minutes later the groccryman in
/ that locality was interviewed The boys
T he said were unable TO read or write.
but they managed TO have money In their
+ pockets an the time. He then went 10
the door and pointed them out, playing
in the street. The family was being
helped every day by a number of church
members and the Associated Charities.
. the grocer said. and they always had
money enough TO buy the very best grocer
les and meats i'm his store
only few minutes ago they purchased
two pounds of beefsteak. a pound of my
. hest butter, ana numerous other articles
/ The grocer added, as if to give weight 10
his statement.
Several of the neichbors also added
. their testimony TO that Of the mer-
chant.
Confirmed By Mr.. Weller.
Mr. Charles F. Weller. general score
+ tary Of the Associated Charities. was
I next seen in regard to the family. He
I stated that he had known the people
+ personally for nearly ten years. during
. which time they had almost continually
been helped by the various charitable
/ organizations OF the city.
. The Associated Charities. he said did
. not consider each individual as wort by
/ OF unworthy of aid. but sought TO dag
. nose each case and provide the treatment
] which was necessary In the case of this
/ particular family ne believed the adequate
/ treatment was TO urge them to desist
. from these methods Of imposition 20 gain
. livelihood and make them seIf-reliant
4 This he has thus far been unable TO do
/ owing 20 prOmiscu0Us charity which has
Fan hoo
their hard luck stories and appeals.
Other Cases of Imposition.
Mr. Weller referred to other imposi-
tions which had been and were being
practiced upon the public by other
families and individuals. The most
fragrant case of imposition that had ever
come under his notice. he said, was one
that was operated by a man and wife
and the latter's sister
The man was employed in one Of the
/ Government departments at a salary that
he Invariably declared was but $50 Der
month He and his wife kept a small
boarding house the latters sister being
one Of their boarders-
The man was frequently taken i'll and
vas unable to work regularly. Finally
he grew 20 De an invalid and was unable
TO get out Of bed Matters rapidly grew
worse with the family uatI they claimez
TO be in almost a starving condition.
Driven to desperation. as they claimed
they enlisted the sympathy Of q young
lady and her mother in their behalf
These parties gave them aid repeatedly
until they had given them $73 in money.
besides clothing and other articles.
Deceived Even the Association.
Finally. as the family appeared 10 be-
come more poverty-stricken. the young
lady reported the case to the Associated
Clarifies and solicited their help. ,Ir.
Weller vis;tza the people and found o.
all appearance, that their case was indeed
a needy one. They appeared 70 be very
respectable persons. and. as they said
Il vas the first time that they has- ever
J depended upon charity. The wife stated
that her husband had not been out Of
his bed for quite a time and that through
his inability TO work their only means
Of income was cut short.
Mr. Weller gave them sU n help as was
within his power. and promised TO look
into their case. He asked the name Of
the doctor who had attended the husband
and also the head Of the department in
which he had been employed. The wife
hesiJated. She did not remember who
was the head Of the department. AMI
D. ED4lA only give inc physician last name
She did not even know the location OF his
Office.
Scope Of the Fraud.
After a lengthy search the doctor was
found who. it was claimed. had attended
! the invalid in his illness. Much to 1Ir
WeIIer's surprise he stated that the man
was not sick at all. and that he had been
called to treat him upon very few occa-
sions. The head Of the department was
next found. and he said the mans salary
was SO per month, instead OF so, as
claimed.
Subsequent investigations showed that
two other ladies had also been cOntribut-
ing 20 the maintenance Of the family at
the -ate Of from $ % SO per month for
the past ten years. One relief society
from one of the prominent churches Of
the city had been contributing daily, and
other parties were found who had given
liberal sums Of money at frequent inter
walls.
Then, .tOO IT was shown that the wife's
. . sister was in reality the owner Of the
boarding house She had however. been
/ in the habit Of stating that il was the
wife Of the sick man who kept the place
and that she was merely a boarder.
Instead Of being in an almost starving
condition, as they claimed. they had plen-
ty 10 eat They had chickens and tur
, ] keys in abundance and were never with
out fruits and deserts Of some sort.
They were brought before the authori-
ties 10 answer for the imposition that
they had been practicing, but were not
convicted inasmuch as they promised TO
pay back the money they had obtained
J . and desist from further attempts TO swim
} die the public