Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-11-02
GIRLS YARN 70 WIN
CHARITY Of PEOPLE
Zimmerman Family's Troubles
Told by Children to Those
Who Pity and Help
INVESTIGATION PROVES FALslTY
Girl of 12 helIs Of Dead Father, and
Officer Finds Father Very Much
AIive--Gets New Cloak and DeIica-
cies for TahIe-Poice Will Stop Lace
Selling and Begging Canvass.

| What gave every evidence on its face
of being a systematic charity fake, was
proved to be as suspected Saturda.
\ when Humane Officer LiebiE fount
! where the Zimmerman family lived
and was able to disprove certain state
ments made by two small girls who
have been begging about the city or
the pretense that the family was III
dire straits and worthy of charity.
Altho they have been in the city
only week the Zimmermans have
forced themselves upon the public to
such an extent that they are already
quite we'll known.
Last Wednesday a 12year- old girl
who said her name was Alice Zimmer-
nan, appeared at the home of Mrs. r.
S. Hynds. and wanted to sell her some
lace that she said was hand made. She
had eight yards of the lace. which she
offered for s1.50. The girl told a hard
luck story that would cause any one
to pity her, and before she had sat long
she had made a request for a dozen
different things that she saw or
wanted.
Father Dead; Clothing Burned.
Alice was glib little thing, and
talked incessantly. She said her father
had died of tuberculosis, and that all
the family's clothing had to be burned.
There we're seven children in the fam
lily, the youngest of which was .
months old, The family needed help.
She said Mrs. Smith, wife of the Meth
olist minister. had helped her. and had
sent her to Mrs. Hynds. Mrs. Hynds
asked her where she lived, and she
promptly replied, APT Broad street.
Knowing of no Broad street Mrs.
Hynds questioned the girl more close
", and the girl said it was across the
creek. next to Sixteenth street. Six
teenth street also caused some doubt
in Mrs Hynds' mind. especially as 1T
might be referred to across the
creek"
Takes Her Check Back.
Mrs. EIynds had decided to take the
lace to, help the girl and had already
arranged to give her a basket of fruit
The statement as to where the family
lived, however, caused Mrs. Hynds to
distrust the girl, and after she had
started to leave she asked her for the
check. and gave the lace back. The
fruit, however, was given the girl,
Mrs. Smith Knew Nothing.
After the girl had gone Mrs. Hynds
called Mrs, Merle Smith over the tele-
phone, told her the story, and Mrs.
Smith replied she had never seen the
girl, and had helped no one by that
name. Alice had told Mrs. Hynds that
tie cloak she wore had been given her
by Mrs Smith.
Benedict Donates Cloak.
Upon the knowledge of the girPs
visit to the Hynds home the T.-R. did
little investigating. and ascertained
that on Monday. Oct. &C. +. r. Bene-
dict, OF Benedict & Brintnall. gave the
girl the cloak she referred to as the
gift OF Mrs. Smith. The girl had been
brought to the Benedict & Brintnail
store by Mrs. D. S. Good, who had been
assisting her. Mr.. Benedict was told
by the girl that she lived at 427 Broad
street, and while he knew this was
wrong he thought the girl probably
needed the coat. and gave it to her.
Efforts to Find Home Futile.
Efforts were made by different ones
to whom the girl had applied for aid
to find out where the family lived.
Each time, however, the girl made
some excuse in taking her inquiries to
her home.s
Humane OFFICER Liebig was then CIV
en- a recital of the girls story, and
thru the police department it was
learned that family of Zimmermans
was living in the extreme south part
of the city. on Center street. DR.. Lie
big visited the place Saturday to salts
fy herself.
!. Father Not Dead.
Instead of the girls father being
dead there is head of the house who
goes by the name of Zimmerman, and
responds to the title of papa" He
is a horse trader. and spends most OF
his time travelling ovep the country in
covered wagon. There are seven
children in the family. the oldest being
Is. and the youngest s months. Mrs.
Zimmerman said that the father of the
Oldest two girls was dead. and had
been for six years. The oldest of the
five youngest children is now Z. The
head of the family claimed that he had
lust come here from Grinnell. Dora,
aged Is. the Oldest girl, has also been
selling lace about town, and telling the
same story.
Police Will Probably Act.
Chief Nicholson told 12-year-old
Alice Saturday night, when the girl
appeared at police headquarters to in
auire If there We're any telephone
messages for her. that she must quit
selling lace without first getting out a
license. and must not beg about the
city The chief told the girl that she