New-York tribune., 1907-12-26
CALLED IN THE HUNGRY.
Feast for Nescsboys and Bozoery
Lounge at Brace Memorial.

did We get a feed? MOI Then beat It down to
de Newses' Home: it's hand-out till midnight,
was the word passed along the Bowery and Park
Row within few minutes after William NJ. Fliess.
ir had provided more than three hundred news
boys with large tempting dinners at the Brace Me-
mortal Lodging House, No Il New Chambers
street last night. The boys were first taken care
Of and before the last had been seated Mr.. Fuess
acted on the suggestion of Superintendent Heig to
invite the poor of the streets who had not been
provided for
Mr.. Fliess had hardly finished his welcome 10 the
bows and wished them all Merry Christmas, when
Chicago Tom" and Wise joe who sell the even
ing extras at the bridge entrance hurried from the
dining room to spread the news among the wan
derers on the Bowery. that they, too. would be
welcome The tip spread rapidly, and it was soon
apparent that not of the loungers between the
bridge and Houston street had had a dinner, and
for that matter they showed evident signs or not
having eaten for the last week
The nevshovs invasion of the dining room and
their aptitude TO make short work OF the heap OF
turkey, potatoes. cranberries ana the DOW oi
coffee which, with celery, mince pie and pread'
made ,Ip their Christmas feast, was not to be ccm-
nared with the raid by the outsiders "lthln an
hour the line of Bowery lodging house characters
stretched to Park Row
Through mysterious underground means OF COM
munication every man knew of the decision TO keep
omen house until midnight, and as the crowd IN
creased police reserves were actively aiding super
intendsnt Heig to feast all comers- After an hour
the crowd had been fed, but almost as soon as
the dishes had been cleared away larger crowd
hurried to the lodging house from uptown Ac-
cording 10 the Boston Kids the new corners were
freouenters Of Chatham Square and the lower
Bowery.
The outsiders. who were not familiar with the
'Newsies' home'' were quickly taken care or py
the reception committee which was appointed by
.aCaicago Tom and "SnowbalT' Robinson, the
latter 10 make the colored folks at home. "Chi-
cago Tom proved himself the hero Of the
.-swaree" as ne called the dinner When MI
Fliess had spoken TO the boys and assured them
that he would give dinner every christmas ~ DIS
long as he lives in memory of mis- father, William
NJ FTess who gave dinners of the kind for forty
wears Chicago Tom who refused to reveal MS
real name thanked the boys benefactor ana sug-
gested that as the boys were unaole 10 make
Gift 10 Mr. Fliess they should provide vocal
entertainment
A newsboys' quartet ready to entertain.
but IT did not get the opportunity. EVERYBODY
ioined in the Star Spangled Banner and
"america" rather than have chosen few exhibit
.ho,r -orsicaI talents This the only enter
tainment of the evening, and owing to the change
| in arrangements Santa Claus did not give out
| the customary presents TO the newsboys
who wants presents. when the gang down the
block amt got a meal?' remarked "Dennie' Burke
who handles newspapers the Bowery and in
Chatham Square. ut is all right AS representa-
tive of the boys, say we are just as wen pleased
that they did not give any presents, because the
10 wait on the bread line every night Will have
a chance 20 that are in right, and that
we know how 10 do the entertaining thing when
| we get together The sentiment Of the boys from
| the bridge to the Bowery is to feed them ALL
The speaker then introduced kid Alderman
xto corrected by saying that his name is Leon
Alderman is the recognized press agent OF the
nevsboys who live in the home. Through his
efforts he has educated himself so far that he Is
candidate for a Civil Service examination, and if
he should get a place he declared he would be
with the boys once a year and would give them a
| dinner ..fust the same as the men who have lots
of money now do
After he had been properly introduced he in
yitea the guests including ministers and charity
workers TO see the fsuding. First he showed them
| ,,,e Kitchen and careful TO explain that Super
,ntendent Heig had severed the heads and limbs
from every one Of the turkeys. which weighed
| more than eight hundred pounds. Then he
morated the number Of pies, and the quantity Of
vegetables with the gallons of coffee and the
loayes of bread which had been provided.
The dinner one of the largest in years. and
the staff of attendants kept busy until mid
night before the last hungry man had been turned