Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1903-08-31

that he was broke. and to give him
little money to start him back to the
farm in Delaware that he was sup
posed to have come from.
In the station-houses the officers
told him that they were forbidden to
allow any one to lodge there; but none
the less they made very little trouble
about letting him stay in such quarters
as they had-nOt half as much as he
had in controlling his desire to get
out Immediately or sooner, in getting
rid of the vermin which began to col
lect on his clothing as soon as he ar
rived. This, of course, was clothing
jonned for the occasion, for when Mr..
I Marsh starts out to do any stunts as
a tramp or a beggar he dresses the
/ part and does them in costume.
an effort to get what we think you will
want this summer.
He has found out that there exists
in Philadelphia, and presumably in
every other Zig city, a regular beggars'
clearinghouse or club, where, when a
new man comes TO town, he is given
/ list Of names and addresses of the
charitably minded-the soft marks"
and whats particular spot in the
makeup of each is the softest. He
says:
ION entering the place l informed
the clerk that l was broke and asked
him whether he could not direct me
10 some one 10 give me some money.
/ He referred me to a man sitting in the
room who could furnish me with q list
of givers. Frank, as they called him,
was partially drunk and reticent at
/ first, but soon referred me to a rector
near by who would give me tickets to
the Samaritan Shelter and probably 90
cents besides, If / would tell him |
/ belonged 10 DR.. Walpole Warren's
church, st. James's, en- Madison av-
Ienue, New York, as he had given
Frank the same before. The rector
was absent, so / returned to my
mentor. In the course OF the evening,
he grew communicative and told me
that most of the ministers here in
Philadelphia were dead easy blokes,'
and If a man could put up any kind
Of front and talk decently straight
gait he could get money. He cited
several of his successful raids on the
credulity and sympathy of prominent
clergymen and business men, and
promised to give me a more complete
list the next morning.
"One OF his chums told me that
IN, al, L. L.
on what he had grated, and had been
drunk good part of the time. He is
a good type of the intelligent beggar.
He has Travelled extensively and
knows a good many cities in New
England, where also had been within
few months, and found that he had
imposed on several of my ac-
quaintances."
Mr.. Marsh tells how on another oc-
casion, in the guise of a disabled
mechanic, he had collected at the rate
OF S11.50 a day. He put on a rough
cap and rough, worn, but perfectly re.
spectacle clothes, suspended one ban
daged arm in a white sling and got a
friends wife to write out the follow
ing letter, that it might be in a WON
ans hand:
My Dear Son: / am glad to hear
that you are out of the hospital.
am sorry you suffered so much paine.
Since you are not yet able to so back
to work / wish that you would try to
come TO Mahoney city over Sunday.
am angus to see you. Please come
home and spend Sunday with me.
Your mother, Jane S.
He went into a wealthy part of town
and rang front door bells. He ex-
planned, in low troubled voice to the
maids or buffers the predicament he
was in, offering the letter in corrobora-
ton and asking them to see if the
master or the mistress would nor give
him quarter to help pay his fare
home 20 his old mother. In every in
stance but one the quarter was forth
coming, the one being at a house
where the master and mistress were
out and sympathetic butler gave him
dime. In one or two instances he
was put through a mild examination.
but so mild that any beggar worthy of
the name could have come through il
with flying colors.
1t is little wonder that, in view OF
such experiences, Mr.. Marsh has de-
cided that any beggar can pass a com.
Portable existence in any large city
without doing a stroke Of work, and
that the public's ignorance of the very
ample provision already made for men
who are willing to work is mainly re-
sponsible for this state of affairs.
Were it not for this general ignorance,
/ Mr.. Marsh believes that the begging
tramp would soon cease to exist.
Tramps in general Mr.. Marsh
divides into three classes-the healthy
and reasonably upright tramp, who is
victim of wander lust; the
drunken tramp, who is the victim of a
passion for strong drink; the swim
ding, lying, begging tramp, who is