New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-05-10

class of mendcants who come under your personal
supervision. OF my intelligence you can have no
doubt. and from my remarks, disconnected AND I'M
prepared they were, you see at glance
that l know the business and how employ it.
The limits of the present article do not permit
OF more than hasty glance at the beggar world
now passing. Of all the old throng. only four are
known to be in the city at the present moment
Since last June there nave been $40 beggars
rested and in the same period there have beer only
102 discharges hence the disconsolate plant made
by Florida Shine" writing from Harris Island
York is jimmied'
IN the old DAYS besgars worked in gangs. There
gang in Eldridge-st., headed by man named
Anderson. who was accompanied by Mamie Lar
go, woman. whose name is well known in the
underworld. who is doing three years at
Bedford In this gang there were four crippies,
two able bodied and several women, and the
gang prospered and lived high until officer Hayes
and the mendicancy squad descended upon them
FUNNY EXPOSURE.
Perhaps there is no better conclusion to this
brief summary of beggar life, as it was, than the
story officer Hayes told of the experience he had
with noted topper" and its amusing con-
sequences 1t is indicative of the whole range OF
mistaken sympathy wasted upon the begSar, who is
generally not victim of misfortune, but a thor
oughgoing criminal. Hayes said:
l hurrying to Brooklyn day. and as
I was going through the covered passage at South
Ferry near the L." l stumbled beggar
sprawled out there, will, his arm in splnts. pass
ing his hat I'd let the rascal off few days
before and 1 naturally didn't feel kindly toward
him At the time ! was in great hurry. so 1
fetched him a couple of hearty kicks for luck and
started
Get out, you fakir,' said I.
Yes. Mr.. Hayes" said he, crawling off.
Just then I heard a woman Shrek and before
1 could turn grabbed from behind.
1.-The brute. the brute" shrieked two women.
you fend' beloved the man, hanging on to my
collar what do you mean by striking a helpless
| cripple?"
Get the police get the police" anuealed the
woman. Well, mad and at the same time
I expected every minute the would hit me
with his finally said angrily:
I'm a police officer myself"
''Oh, the unspeakabie thing chorused the women
''You are disgrace to the force" Numbered the
| man.
| Well. then got mad too.
| It's Just the sort of people are" growled,
| that makes the beggar what he is. Then l
| grabbed the beggar by the neck and stood him up
| in corner; in a second l had my knife out and
| in about minute had that splint cut off. Then
| took that fellows and doubled it up and
waved it back and forth to show the people there
was nothing the matter with 1t.
There said finally, dropping the arm and turn
| ing them. Now you for yourselves that
| you didn't know what you were talking about when
| you called me those hard names" Just then the
| beggar his chance and slipped away. When he
got a safe distance off he began waving that arm
| and calling me names that wouldn't go in print
| Wen wish you could have seen my hero with the
| women come down.
| 81 wouldn't have believed it, he explained in
surprise isn't it wonderful" Then they all apol-
| ogIzed again.
'rE thought such things all newspaper talk,
said the man.
II guess things in the newspapers are about
right anyway said l. tried hard to get the man
| to give his before he went off but he
| laughed and said:
I'D hear the last of it in Wall Street
This is a fair example of the mistaken public
belief about beggars Nine out of every ten men
dicants criminals, with criminal records. They
represent the neral of humanity, their hum
dred lodges catch public sympathy all fakes,
and crime and vice the elements in which they
live They have their female companions and
spend earnings in debauches AT last they are
gone from the streets of this city. Only a bare
handful remains. No city in the United States
| has become a fnhosDitable refuge than
| good old York" and by far the greatest credit
for this change is due Mr.. Forbes officer Hayes
| and the mendicancy squad of the Charity Organ
| ization Society. The beggar has to go, not be-
! cause he was a nuisance primarily. but because
he a fake and. going. he has left behind an
! evil, if a picturesque, memory.