The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1903-08-25
DIRECTORY OF BEGGARS
Unique Volume Being Published
by New York Charity Society.
LIST OF ooUETRYs MEEDIoArTs.

Ane Most vigorous ana AfounAG~
some class OF Migrants Are De-
clared to be the "Yegg Men, who
Are Tramp safe Blowcrs-strange
specimens OF Humanity.
A complete guide to the professional
beggars of America, with photographs,
Bertllon measurements and tattoo
marks, about to be issued by the Unit
ed Charities of New York is the latest
step taken by that organization in the
determined fight it is waging against
professional begging throughout the
United States, says the New York
World.
This booklet which will be sent to all
the charity organizations Of America,
as well as to police stations and to in
diyiduals Of wealth and known chapi-
table inclinations throughout the coun-
try, has been prepared by James Forbes,
special mendicancy agent Of the Chart
ty Organization society. 1t covers the
records Of fraudulent beggars as com
pletely as ex-Inspector Byrnes' book on
criminals did the careers OF notable
crooks.
Mr.. Forbes has been studying the
problem of Kidding New York of street
beggars for over two years and the
booklet about to be issued Is the result
Of his labors.
Il, IL v,rofoecforal hi,,grFo~s "a -, o1,-e3
fed according to their deformities.
There is a special classification for
those with the right leg amputated, am
other for those who have lost arms, as
well as general list of all impostors
known to the Charities organization.
Besides the real name of the beggar,
what is known in the under world as
his ''monneker name, or alias, Is given
with his height, the color Of his eyes.
hair and a full description Of the tattoo
marks, by which the great majority
of them are easily identified. The pro
fessional beggar according to Mr..
Forbes, is nearly always a criminal
He is usually of the variety known
as "Yegg man" or tramp safe blower
the name having originated at the time
Of the arrest of John W. Yegg. the first
travelling safe blower known to the POI
lice. The Yegg man" when on the road
or in the Jungle" as be contemptuous-
" terms the country west of Manhat-
tan, is usually a safe blower. He comes
toy New York to spend his plumber. or
if1t is spent and he still does not wish
to resume an active criminal career,
he stays in the city and begs.
ITO the average 'Yegg man, said
Mr.. Forbes, 'the safe in country bank
is easy. When 'Yegg men want to rob
bank they usually send one Of their
number into the town on begging
expedition to size up the bank at
night they travel into town on a hand
car and while two Of their number
stand outside with six shooters to settle
possible interruption they putty the
cracks of the safe, pour in nitroglycer.
in, which they carry in rubber bottles,
and touch it Off. They then board the
hand car with their booty, and before
the bank wakes up to the robbery
they are well away
In Mr. Forbes book, the s'Yegg men"
are considered in two schools, the ana
tomical school," which includes those
who assume to have some physical In
jury and usually wear shlints, band
ages or goggles, and the pathological
school, or those who feign a more sub
&c infrmity. usually the paralytlc
hand.
The "Yegg men" stand by one anoth-
er and will imperiI their own lives to
aid a comrade to escape. Mr.. Forbes
says they are far more loyal than other
classes OF criminals. And they WELD
strong financial and political influence.
Frequently a "Yegg man" convicted Of
vagraney and sent to prison for a long
term Is released on habeas corpus by
the aid OF influential politicians in spite
Of all the Charity Organization society
can do.
This influence comes from the fact
that many "Yegg men and the women
with whom they associate belong to in.
fIuential families and the additional
fact that they frequently have large
sums Of money, the fruits Of big rob
berries.
earl Williams" for example, whose
correct name is Earl Webster Kempton,
is an influential 'Yegg man" He has
relatives living In Schenectady and Al
bany who. WELD a great deal Of indu-
ence. Spanish Mamie" handsome
woman, is also a power among them.
Lowell Eddie" is recognized as an or
ganizer In the craft and takes charge
Of most Of the big cases when their ac,
completes are in trouble His right
name is Edward Common, and his home
is or was. In Lowell Mass.
Most Of the crimes committed by the
''Yegg men, are ID the middle west.
where distances are greater between
towns. Many Of them are employed
particularly in doing what they call
"sticker" jobs, which consist in rob
bing small post offices of stamps Ev.
cry place outside Of New York city
they call "the jungle, and New York
is their headquarters. They have eighty
lodging houses there occupied exclu-
sively by 'sYeggs' and their eompan-
tens MI tst,o ,,r e{fas