The San Francisco call., 1908-08-02

are laid aside for rimiess glasses with
gold chains If under these changed
conditions you ~ean sttIl recognize the
man who touched you tor a dime
yesterday afternoon you will probably
notice thar he Ia the most liberal
spender in the crowd.
With all this e~tdence OF premedi-
tated begging and evident intent to
live luxurfously on the charity Of the
individual stranger Ii cannot be
doubted that the majority OF beggars
and takers are not worthy OF the inan-
cial help which they receive. But stin
some people may say I'VE cannot pass
worthy beggars in San Francisco. Such
one Is the blind man who used to sit.
on the north sidewalk of Market street
near Montgomery. Organized charities
In plenty will care for these peopIe If
they so wish 1t. To be overlooked by
the individual does not mean their star
vation.
This fact is illustrated by another
class of beggars which operates in San
Francisco as well as all the larger
cities of the country. These men are
the charity men," They do not. bes,
cash. Instead. they go from one char
ity to another obtaining a meal and a
nights lodging here and there until
their unworthiness is discovered and
they are forced 20 seek a new field
The methods of these men. however
furnish. ample proof that the beggar
who is passed on the street may find
the same help from a proper SOURCE
which he would from you.
A most interesting development or
professional begging seems to be in
the cleverness of the individuals in
not only robbing the public through
an appeal to the emotional sympathy
but at the same time In 0eceivinI the
police As a rule something more than
a hard luck story with rags and ap-
pearance TO match Is required TO Ian
the suspicious OF an officer. Their in
yestisations go dee per. but still they
are often deceived by the shrewdness
and perfect acting OF the suspect.
A good illustration OF this occurred
some time ago before Judge Ogden in
the superior court OF Alameda county
A deaf and dumb bcggar who also ap-
peared to be a. partial paralytic was
arrested and hailed before the court for
examination by the lunacy commission
His arrest had been made by a police
officer whose attention had been at
tracted by the mans peculiar physical
actions. The examination before the
court proceeded In regular form, the
beggar making every effort to convince
the board OF HIS sanity. and endeavor-
ing to plead his paralysis as the cause
of his popularity. The man was
closely examined and the board de-
clared him sane. The judges suspicious
had been aroused, however. nOtwith-
standing the fact that the man had
passed the critical eyes of the police
department and the lunaey board, apd
to test the theory he wrote out his
decision and gave it to the man to read.
1t was a commitment TO the state
asylum for-the insane. AS the prisoner
read his face took on an expression OF
decision. Tearing the paper IL pieces
he threw IL TO the floor and cursed
the Judge roundly- Considerable .ex-
citement was caused by the. sudden. .ac3
quirement OF speech. hearing. perfect
bodily health and mental understand
ing which the man demonstrated In
his anger. The result was that he was
sentenced to serve six months for
vagrancy. AS he left the cs1YtroOm be
was heard TO use his new found voice
again TO express his preference for the.
county jail rather than the asylum