Omaha daily bee., 1917-08-08
War Fakes--and Others
BIZ Fred ric J. Hasktn

New York, Aug. 4-When you are tempted to
part with dime or quarter to some unknown
solicitor of aims for Belgian babies, or wounded
French soldiers, or tubercuar Hindoos or to the
alleged representative of some day nursery or
home for the aged, or to some deaf mute, one
armed chap, wounded soldier or blind man
hesitate
The chances are about seven to one that you
are contributing to the support OF some clever
fake who has bank account, wears good clothes
in the evening and despiSes you for an easy
mark. Especially since the war began the fake
solicitors of aims and professional beggars have
multiplied. The police instituted campaign
against them last winter and the mendcancy squad
was disbanded in March because the evil seemed
to have been almost stopped But now flop
ping" is on the increase again and the police will
probably take the field against the fakes and beg
gars soon as the weather cools
The war is one of the richest appeals to public
sympathy that the professional fakes and beggars
have hit upon in a long time. Anything connected
with the war attracts prompt attention. Not long
ago man with his arm heavily bandaged was OBJ
served by policeman regaling large crowd
down on Fourteenth street with tales of his ex
periences in the Russian army, where he had
been wounded OF course his spiel ended with an
appeal for aims, which brought generous re-
sponse. The policeman recognized the wounded
Russian as an erstwhile deaf mute and arrested
him. The crowd set up howl of protest and
tried to induce the officer to release the man. but
he was taken to the police station, where about
forty feet of bandage was removed from his arm,
revealing the fact that it was as good ever.
The police roundup of fakes and mendicants
brought to light several very interesting facts.
By far the greater part of the beggars of all kinds
are professionals. Most of them are poor enough,
but not a few have bank accounts and some of
then1 re ThaV
lied to certain extent, and have recognized
leaders who direct their efforts. Strangely enough
some of them seem to follow begging for love
Of the business rather than because they need the
money
The person who is actually compelled to beg
by unfortunate circumstances seems to be really
rare in New York. This is shown by the fact that
90 per cent of the persons arrested for mendicancy
were convicted. Practically all of these were pro-
fessional beggars and most of them fakes One
pathetic old man discovered begging to save
himself and his son from starvation, was cared for
and turned over to a charity. One man Of edu-
cation, who had been a professor Of theology,
was found begging in subway, and startled the
police by spoutng Latin quotations at them. An
artist of ability SO years old, was found solicit
ing aims as the sequel to prolonged spree. These
the exceptions. Nearly all of the rest were
professionals. One Richard Welsh, as years old,
and prematurely gray, so that he was very sue
cesStu in the part OF decrepit old man, was said
to be the recognized leader of all the beggars in
New York and to direct their efforts even when
in Jail. The actual extent of his decrepitude may
be gagged from the fact that he beat off two po-
licemen with his walking stick the last time he
was arrested, and did not surrender until REIN
forcements came up. He is said TO have a consid-
cradle amount of money of his own and to be
married to wealthy woman.
The average beggar, like the average every
thing else, just barely makes living but the tai
ented ones do great deal better. Thus Joseph
Vono, arrested for mendicancy and having no other
occupation, was found to have bank accounts to-
taling $4,000, an apartment on West Fifth ave-
nue., dress suit a phonograph and some dia-
monds. The prosperous "Aopper" nearly always
has few diamonds. They are conveniently
portable form in which to keep wealth. Signaro
Quarino of New York supported wife and eight
children in Italy by begging and had enough. left
over to own several good diamonds.
A woman who was taken up by the police
for mendicancy had $45 on her person at the time
and was able to show that her son was success
full physician. She was one Of those for whom
begging seems to have fascination Another sue
cessful beggar told the police that he had taken
in $40 in one mornings work and showed the $40
to prove it.
Most of the beggars are men, but there are
some women and few children. One of the most
ingenious boy beggars on the police records was
Johnnie Fitzgerald, who used in his highly orig
inal method his small blue-eyed and cherubic-
looking brother. The rest of the properties nee
essary for the act were a small iron savings bank
and two pennies.
Witness then johnnie and his small brother,
walking along until they catch the eye of some
sympathetic-looking woman. At this point John
ME gives the small brother vicious shove spilling
both him and his pennies. Johnnie gathers up the
coin and disappears down an alley, while the
sympathetic woman dries little brothers tears and
gives him dime or maybe quarter to replace
the lost pennies.