The sun., 1902-02-23
AMERICAN WAITS IN LONDON.
SOME or THEN FRAUDS, OTHERS
REALLY STRANDED.
Taies by which swtndlers Play on tho
Feelings OF Their ComDatrfots Ameri-
cans Who Find Themselves Penni.
less In London Pathetic Gases.


less I'm London-Pathetie Gases.
LONDON, Feb. N.-The more prominent
Americans here have during the past year
received a particularly large number OF
,npeals for assistance from stranded fellow
countrymen and women. The war In
South Africa may be held accountable for
the major part.
Most of the South African cases were
Of men who shipped from some OF the South
en ports, generally New Orleans, as mule
teers. got broke In South Africa, but man
AGED In some way to reach London. where
they looked to their fellow countrymen
to help them TO accomplish the remainder
Of the homeward journey.
The Americans In London. particularly
those who have lived here for some time,
have had their sympathy with their fellow
citizens played upon 30 often by plausible
frauds, that caution now somewhat tempers
generosity and careful investigation pre-
codes any considerable help. Most OF
the investigating Is done by one man. who
turned over the leaves Of his record book
for a SUN man recently and spoke at length
on his experiences.
He has within the last few years investi-
rated more than seven hundred cases and,
In the greater number OF these the straits
TO which the sufferers had brought them
selves were due, he says. entirely to their
own carelessness.
1T is strange" he remarked. .how many
men and women will come 10 Europe with
positively no concern as to how they are
to get back to America. They fail to pro-
vide themselves with return tickets, spend
what money they have, and then when
they are In want, trust to Providence and
the Americans here. to see that they get
back home all right.
"Only to-day had an instance Of that
sublime confidence that tho future would
provide. Two young Americans, decent
chaps, both OF them. one a druggist. the
other a musician. reached London a short
time ago Just TO see the place. They had
800 between them.
This they quickly spent, as they ex-
pected remittances. The possibility Of the
remittances not coming never seemed to
enter the minds of either until they were
without penny and very hungry.
They came TO mo and am giving them
lesson that they won't soon forget. l
sent them down TO the docks this morning
10 see II they could arrange with the captain
Of a steamer which sails for New York to-
morrow to work their passage over
Just as he was speaking the pair came
h with encouragement written In every
feature
1T was no use.' said one. we saw the
captain. told him our hard luck story:
begged him TO give us a chance In the stoke
room or anywhere else as long as we could
get a sight of the Statue Of Liberty once
more He took US TO the side Of the ship,
pointed to gang Of between fifty and 100
man on the dock and said, Everyone OF
those fellows has made the same request
you fellows have. / can't do anything
for you
The pair received enough for their lodg-
tngs and food and were told to come again.
Il will get them back very shortly
THE Suns informant said, ,-and will see
that they don't want I'm the meantime, be-
cause they are decent fellows. l venture
10 say, however, that neither OF them will
have any desire TO see Europe again. That
crowd Of fifty or more wanting a chance to
60 70 America is usual thing.
But not all the appeals we receive arc
deserving and the most plausible stories
told u are apt 20 have but airy foundations.
The most recent was Of man who had a
beautiful story; IL dovetailed In every par
ticular and he told 1t with such pathetic
accomplishments that great many Of the
shrewdest and most level-headed Amer-
cans were completely taken In.
He pretended TO be an American. said
he had lived for years In India and ON his
way to London had been treated most
outrageously by the steamship company.
According TO him a negro aboard the boat
had insulted his wife and he promptly
knocked the black scoundrel down
For this the captain forced him ashore
at Malta where his wife was taken H. In
consequence Of this and the extra fares
which he had been obliged to pay from
Malta he was now without money and his
wife was suffering both for want OF food and
medical assistance.
why, that fellows tale was 30 well told
that he was drawing between fve and six
guineas q week from some people here.
He came 70 me. gave him some money
and then had him watched.
He Joined his wife around the corner
both went into a public house and the
starving wife and my plausible genial
friend spent the money had given him In
high balls. Then both took cab and drove
to a rather fashionable part Of London.
Further investigation showed that he
vas not an American at ALL but a Scotch
man who had been sent out from Calcutta
by the st. Andrews Society TO whom be had
proved a nuisance. His Malta experience
was entire fabrication. as he had TO leave
the ship for another reason entirely, and
the steamship company forwarded him
on the next steamer without charge.
Another equally smooth fraud Is a
young American, who, even now spots out
newly-arrived Americans on the Strand
as his quarry. He has good address and
makes comfortable living by his wits.
He poses as Hebrew and a gentle both,
as the occasion suits and has drawn from
both elements with impartialty.
He came near fooing me. He pre-
tended 70 be an actor who had lost his
effects In Berlin during the fire which de-
stroyed the theatre at which he had been
playing. He gave me the managers name
for reference and / promptly made In
quiries.
The manager, whose name had been
given correctly. replied he knew nothing
of the person In a,lestion an VA that hx, tho