The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-01-13
OFTEN GAVE AWAY oVERCOAT
When Unworthy Man Got Garment
Police Were Instructed 90 Recover
Ii and Return II 10 the Rec
tory-Washed Dishes for n Poor
Family Afflicted with DiptheFia.

IN Rochester, DR. Crapsey is thought
quite a character. but is infinitely more
loved than dreaded. Every one knows
him. and he Is the friend OF the strangest
and most diverse sorts Of persons, mem
Der Of the best club and intimate with
the most cultured and fastidious repre-
sentatives Of the professions and society.
( He is known TO the police as the little
padre who often appears at the police
court 20 PLEAD Tor some poor fellow
gone beyond TIE pale Of other persons
loving sympathy.
DR.. Crapsey is a sort Of Vicar OF Wake
field. a couple Of years ago he came
| 10 the conclusion the salary the church
was paying him was a burden to the
congregation, so he had $1,000 a year
struck of. Ever since he has been IN
consciously trying to defeat his wife's
Efforts to make ends meet for a large
family by giving away to charity every
thing his hands could lay hold Of. The
frequency with which he has given away
his ovcrcoat has been a subject Of Jest.
To see q man SILVER ia the cold Of a
severe winters day seemed almost 20
cause himself more pain than Il cid the
actual s1fferer Here. friend. you look
as though you need this more than
do tonight" he has been known 70 say.
as he pulled of his own coat and helped
some poor, half-starved fellow iato the
warm folds Of IT,
Police Protected Him.
The precinct police knew OF this little
peculiarly Of the rector Of St An
drew's. and the tale is told how the cap
TAIN who had peculiar weakness for
the little minister. chalked up on the
station blackboard one morning a notice
10 the effect that all officers are TO keep
lookout fer rascals who might be
feigning cold 10 get DIT. CraPsey's over
coat: and if the rector should hand over
the coat 20 some unworthy object. the
officer was TO be certain 20 get Il back
and have it surreptitiously returned 10
the rectory.
Certainly Dr.. CTapsey seems 10 have
been heretical in some matters; he was
a constant source OF shock 70 the more
orthodox. II less kindly, rectors and
pastors Of the city. Not long since a
Presbyterian minister. one night when
going home from q friends house after
elders hours, saw two men come reel
ing toward him. He was about 10 give
them a wide berth when the very much
smaller ~ the two men whose wide
brimmed hat tapped widely over his left
eye, suddenly raised a suppliant appeal
for help. and let the minister recognize
the voice as that Of DIR. Crapsey- The
Presbyterian was dumbfounded but the
doctor exclaimed that he was only help
ing home chuTchman he had found in
gutter. The policeman on the beat tells
how the tears ran down his weather
stained cheeks as he watched the little
/ Episc0palian rector and the severe Pres
I byterian pastor lead the man through the
darkened streets
Dr. Crapsey has always displayed
great affection for the young One Of
+ his earliest accomplishments after coming
/ to Rochester was 10 start the FIRST kinder
6arteR in the city. He had given up
/ lucrative rectorate IN New York to take
charge Of q mission station in Rochester
+ at a yearly stipend Of S1ol8
Remembered the sick.
The remembrance Of cases Of sickness,
need. or any other distress was a mar
( yel0us faculty always awake in the rec
I tor Of St Andrews Church. Of Roches-
/ ter. He has a heart as generous as his
+ mind is determined. Even on his own
acknowledgment. he is known not to
/ have saved anything out OF his salary re-
ceived from the church. although he lived
frugally and with great simplicity. His
/ former rectOry home lies in a third-rate
side district Of Rochester, but is en-
/ powered in an oid-fashioned garden. In
summer it makes one of the prettiest
sights Of the ncighborhood: in winter it is
/ the resort OF the afflicted.
The little hereto was never known to
+ be absent-minded when there was a duty
Of love or an errand Of mercy TO be
performed for any one living within the
/ confines of his parish. let the sufferer be
Of any kind OF creed or color. Two years
ago an exceptionally malignant attack OF
/ black diphtheria broke cut In a family
that at the best of times was destitute
of even the wholesome necessities CT
this world. The familys fortunes sank
10 the lowest ebb fer finally the poor
husband and father caught the disease
himself. To add to his troubles. he was
alarmed one morning before the sun had
time TO rise TO hear some one moving
about in the kitchen, knocking over pieces
of crockery. The husband thought he
would try to save something by warning
the burglar that he might take away
more than he had come for, but stood
transfxed in the doorway as he watched
the Rev. DR., Alger0n Sidney Crapsey
washing greasy dishes in cold water
He had thrown his clerical coat over the
back OF a rickety chair and rolled I'D his
sleeves and above the collar of his black
vest could be seen peeping out the edge
Of his pajamas
Enjoyed "A Picnic.
IL Na .af,s~e,,f- ,,..,r..r ..-..-s. -.
alagys fairly bubbled over with merriment
and good humor, being willing to taste
everybody's pie and play ball witt any
boy. As the especially chartered cars had
not arrived at the prearranged starting
point last summer, the Four Corners OF
Rochester, DR.. Crapsey said he would Kill
time, and asked to be excused while he
ran into nearby store to glance through
few books he wished TO buy. Not until
the picnic party had settled itself at the
lakeside and began 70 enjoy itself was the
discovery made that the rector was miss
ing. What had happened to him could not
at first be imagined. but seine one recalled
his suggestion about going into the book
store. A telephone was used, and sure
enough. the reply came that DR.. Crapsey
had been there fer more than two hours
reading a book.
The little rector was not Known to be
guilty more than once a year Of the car
dinal sin Of plueldng all the blossoms in
hts wifes charming garden, 10 take u
some poor invalid whom he desired 70 re-
joice with the sight and scent Of SO many
flowers.
DR.. CraDsey could enjoy dance. He
was always proud of the way In which he
provided entertainment for the young PEG
pie of his parish. and at their request he
permitted them TO hold dances in his par