New-York tribune., 1911-04-02
THRIFTY STREET PESTS
New York's Army of Prosperous
BeugarS and Their Schemes.

New Workers who carelessly flip dime
on a nickel TO one of the horde OF str-e'
ceaars who infest the metropolis. under
the IMPRESSION that they are helping needy
case. ought to consult James Forbes, men
dicancy expert. who for years has been
fighting these street pests and frauds. Writ
inc in '"rhe Survey" recently, sir. Forbes
said
Is begging nuisance that must be lo
Grated? Let those who are 50 ioo!ish
give If they wish. some may say. DINERS
IIoved lbs pity esk. How are The poor
cripples 10 live If they are forbidden 10
bes?" Thos. who need help should be
AIDED by organized puohc or private char
itv Usually those who beg Know that
their cases would not he considered worthy.
GENERALLY they get from the careless pub
tic much more man they ever could leHiti-
illtely ask for on the ground or charlty.
Many be9gars are lnpoStois, some outright
Iickpocketg and thieves.
city whose streets are overrun by beg
cars suffers commercia!ly. outsiders come
80 believe that IL Is nsot prospecting. that II
Is too careless and indul2ent. Visitors dis
Ike To do their shopping in places where
they are unpleasantly accosted. The 1tal
ian government found that the beggafs IN
such cities as Naples, which was notorious
for thic evil had marked deterrinC ef-
feet upon the volume Of tourist traffic. So
the government for commercial reasons
has for Vears been doing it's utmost to stop
the practice throughout the hinsdom.
Vigorous action in each community would
do much TO stop mcndicancy. But the beg
gar is lot stationary. When one city be
comes too strict for his comfort he moves
to another Concerted effort II the only
way to cope with him. Charity officials In
different cities have found that they must
exchange information 10 protect their funds
and prevent the abuse OF free transporia-
tion.
Though the officials Of charitable societies
incidentally learn much about beGgars tnese
quick witted workers ordinarily steer as
far as possible from the regular channels
for relief Eut is II not for the police 10
keen the streets free of heGEarS and i'm
postors? They do much To check begging
but they tend 10 devote most OF their at
tcntion to more aggressive evils ana allow
mendicancy To flourish most Of the tim,
The police have SOME excuse Tor railing
10 arrest Deggars. often W1.n they uo
apprehcnd "a fagrant impostot the ma2is-
object of pity" \ common practice is ~
rely upon lie sympathy caused by real
or apparent deformity. In on" great city
4 notorious beggar common.y known AS
by Stimulating epilepsy. Selecting busy
thoroughtare Al an appropriate time. he
was taken with severe epleptlc SEIZURE
After having secured a generous reward the
impostor strolled away. Owing 10 the actiN-
ity OF A squad OF mendicancy police In PLAIN
clothes ''Shivers' became "A tunkman
When the special squad was abolished he
resumed his old trick the effect OF which
IL heightened by the fact that his nose has
heen partly eaten away by disease. which
also destroyed his palate. making his voice
indisiinct "Shiyers" WAS arrested but the
magistrate discharge him.
The National Association for the ''re-
Xcni!on Of Mendicancy and Charitable I'M
uosture with headquarters nj No. ~ East
?2d street New York, maintains bur IN
of iI.utif.catiou and nfo.ma tion. We LA ~
sfat. IS
suppll.d from all parts of ihe country oi
all known impostois. "" disseminate eN,
pert Information concerning all types of
impostors and lie standard methods en-
yloved Ly them IN
When charitable societies and police ON
= i,1e throughout the country unite to make
,hc records Of the central bureau NOR"
cnmpioto and further call upon " NOR"
often for information. instances ~ inis-
ink.p S1mrathy. sucn as that Just moh
toned viii become move rhr" Man an
imros'or is st fgce merely because his rast
RI cord T. not known. -
Another instance viii illustrate this TACT