Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-01-16
Mendicants Who
Impose on Charity
The Observes

City Councilman ]. Edward McNabb
Of the Third ward, who IL q member
OF the Council committee to distribute
coal among the suffering poor durtnE
these hard winter times. In quoted A.
telling some interesting incidents OF
how some applicants for Aid-gcner-
ally undeserving-try to work" him
and his fellow-membcrs for free coal.
But this II nothing new All public |
movements for the distribution Of aid |
among the deserving poor are continu-
ally ~combatted by the manipulntions
OF undeservinE mendicants who strive
to abuse the offered privileges BY
turning them to their personal ad-
vantage. Too often the deserving sur
fer severely from their natural indis-
position to reveal their lamentablc con-
dition. while miscreants unblushngly
swtpdle the dispensers OF charity and
get far moro than any deserving per-
sons share.
The/other day talked with an old
citizen who served In City Council
more than 80 years ago, and during
one winter-that experience was am
pie for him. he said--was on tho COM
mittce to distribute coal among the
poor from a Council appropriation Of
$4,000. aided by small revenue from
a fund for this purpose left by citi-
zen many years ago, AZ coal then
was delivered on the sidewalk Mt Ave
dollars per ton. this available sum was
more liberal than it sounds today.
This former Councilman said he had
his hands full and all his leisure time
occupied In the work OF dispensing
free coal to worthy applicants. He in
voked the aid Il his wife, who inves-
tigated applications and revealed to
him the unworthy. He received APP
plicants In person at his home each
evening. and the result WAS the demo-
lition of a good carpet on his living
room, floor. which the City Council
was not asked TO replace. And al
though most Councilman coveted
places on the fuel distributing commit
tee, he never sought II after that
winters experience.
One instance related by my former
Councilman friend was interesting and
probably revealing in its application
TO today's proceedings. II was called
on at my office, one day" he said
"by an employee OF the city, who
wanted an order for ton of coal for
his sister. a poor. wildly woman who
almost starved herself trying to make
a living keeping boarders.' She lived In
another ward. so I referred him To the
: Councilman from that ward, who was
a member OF tho COMMITTEES. But he
!. shook his head. Me and him are Mt
E outs and he wouldn't listen TO me- wa .
his protest So he continued his
L Nal Fo.- Ii
woman sister, and I promised to look
into tho matter.
I After thinking over the applica-
! ton, / decided TO yield to the extent
OF an order for a half-ton OF coal
( which l took TO an office of coal
: dealer who attended to tho poor coal
orders for that side OF town. The
, office was vacant at the time. so ]
walked to the desk to place the order
. on the file which l knew was KEEP,
, there for the purpose. The top order
, on the file. which happened to be face
up. attracted my attention. It was
: for ton OF coal for this poor WILDLY
woman and was signed by the Coun-
Gilman with whom the applicant said
he was Mt outs Immediately l de-
stroyed my order for a half-ton fol-
A this same poor wildly woman
: Investigation soon revealed 10 me
that this crafty fellow had been ir
the habit OF keeping the cellar OF hi.
relative filed with free coal, white,
. after winter. by appeals to member.
: OF the distributing committee, employ.
ing one pretext or another to worl
e upon the good feelings of member,
n from other wards than the one IL
n which she resided. And he came yer,
near to working me Tor an undeserves
contribution"
And 20 1t goes. Charity Is a goot
thing, but Is always open to abus,
and misdirection by schemes of de
= signing applicants who are undeserv
ing, and the consequent exclusion O
n. those who really stand In need OF help
Too often the latter are 30 retiring
9 so reluctant to let their situation b.
known, that they actually suffer to
n cruel extent. How important 1t IL Il
the work Of distribution of Chart,
funds. to endeavor to weed out tn
: undeserv.ng and the actual cheats
and lock for those who are in rea
distress and will not speak out unit
driven by desperation.