The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-04-26
q'N HUNGRY" IS HIS PLEA.
,,scourITURE or 4 BEGGAR
WHO LARG E-SIZED FRAUD.
~. Has Rea ped . Rich Harvest From the
CtsrItabIe in Lobster Land. but the
"sta,ers" Have Driven Him Out-TsIe
A.. valiant struggle with His Meals.

.s,.,ers" Have Driven Him Out-TsIe
ofa valiant struggle WIN His Meals.
ryorvbody in The .Stayers Club" knows
All heuear and they are q doubt but
,,n,lI part Of his wide acquaintance. He
unrked the same beat in tie esta' rant
.,,.,ric, uptown for 80 long that 1t is strange
~ oa, find 40 many victims as evidently
= does for he il actually far from being
.ho emacia,ed shadow he would have those
rom whom he begs believe him TO be.
Rut the sStayers- have nown him long
.,ougb, contributed enough to his resources,
been cheated by him all they propose 10 be.
and are now determined to drive him out
~ business. at least in his old haunts. They
began their campaign the other night, and
,be first engagement resulted in a decisive
victory for them
He il a tall. thin. very hungry-lookinR
fellow, who usually has just enough stubby
hoard on his face to make IL loo tn more
paunt and haggard. His clothes are
usually in fairly good condition. His fav
orita beat is along Broadway from the Sixth
avenue crossing up to Forty-second street.
There are poin about his work which
r,,eal genius in the begging line. He does
request for ew pennies to help get
nights lodging" You are never asked by
him 10 Help poor man who Is out OF work. I"
iii, game l. simpler and holder
Hi voice is full and strong End not I'M
musical. He steps up to you with sufficient
energy and briskness to avoid the disgust
that always aries ut the appr, ach of the
cravlers. He speaks out clearly and dis
timely What he avs varies little, changing
through slight deg es of yigor and en-
rhass a. he judges the best way TO affect his
victim
Madam. I'm hungry or I'm very hun
cry, is about as far rs he goes with women
With men there little & eater variety.
II he thinks the person approached will not
be offended by strong language. he will
even go as far as an earnest BY God. I'm
hungry" That is hi GU side limit, how
ever, and he rarely goes that far.
He makes his simple declaration, you do
the rest. If you seem disposed to give him
something, he will step a.onH with you defer
entially until you have had opportunity to
get into your pocket or your purse. II not.
he does not attempt to follow, or annoy
you by stalking close to you and repeating
y whining story.
IL is amazing to See the number of men
and women who will yield to this sort Of i'm
portunity. He does most Of his work near
the restaurants. shifting from one to an
other at different meal hours. and seldom
working long in one place. The fairly pros
porous in appearance are those from whom
he begs Such man. going into an eating
house with an air which proclaiins that he
,e hun lie ~ ti,
meal, is a much easier victim for the beggar
than the casual passerby on the street.
The weak point in the scheme Is that ne
has no memory for faces and therefore
cannot, or at least does not learn the regu-
Jar patrons of the different restaurants
before which he works The result is that
every little while he strikes the same man
two or three days in succession.
This was what first attracted the attention
Of some Of the -Stayers" to him. One OF
them called his attention to the fact that IL
was q bad practice. sure TO result In loss Of
Income and likely TO lead to arrest as pro-
fessional beggar.
The panhandler admitted the fault. 1t
had cost him money. he knew. He had
tried TO remedy it. He would at least not
make the mistake Of again approaching
his adviser. But he did, and not only
that one but others, 80 at last the -Stayers'
agreed To take him in hand and give him q
good lesson. The instruction was given a
few nights ago, ON this plan:
One Of the -Stayers" Is an artist. He had
not been tackled by the panhandler. so he
was selected to begin the lesson. THE
bcggar was duly identified to him and then
with half dozen of the other -Stayers' not
far away, where they could see what was
going on. the artist sauntered up to the
door Of the restaurant on Broadway near
which the panhandler had then taken his
stand. The beggar took the bait. He
.teppcd up to the artist with the old sure
manner and said:
Sir, I'm very hungry"
The artist stopped and looked AT the
man. Hungry" he said. well, come
along with me and Ill get you something
70 eat
He turned and led the way across the
street To another restaurant. The pan
handler followed. but the watchers decided
that there was not proper spring IN his
step. His manner was not that 81 half
starved man going Ia a square meal. II
was rather that OF one facing All ordeal
which for the credit OF all concerned must
he passed successfully.
front of the restaurant, where any one who
happened 10 pass by could look in and see
Who was dining. There he and the pan
handler sat down. For himself the artist
ordered only cigar; the meal was for the
heggar. IL began with thick, heavy
soup, and there was a large cup of coffee.
Then there was a plato piled high with
bread. Next came a beeisteak. a huge,
thick siroin. with potatoes and vegetables,
and another cup of coffee, the panhandler
having made the mistake Of drinking the
first with his soup.
The panhandler saw that he was up
against IL" and he did his best to make
good He ate slowly and made several
efforts to lure the artist into conversation.
But If he hoped to divert attention from
hi- own actions he was disappointed. The
artist smoked leisurey, az II he had just
finished his own dinner. and watched the
beggar eat.
Il was an extraordinary performance,
but the beggar did his stunt He got
through the beefsteak ard the quarter OF
pumpkin pie that came after that. then he
struggled 10 his feet and thanked the artist
FOR the meal in language and with a manner
that did not betoken II in the least II he had
any suspicion that he was victim Of any
thing but hard luck u must 60 that way
sometimes. even with the most skilful pan
handler, and the best OF them have 10 en-
uure their luck as IL runs.
He went away toward another part of his
beat and the artist joined the -Stayers,"
who had been strOlling by the restaurant
all 81 xaI hair