Evening star., 1932-11-15
REPORTER FINDS
PROFIT IN BEGGING
Collects S22 in Three Days
In Investigating Success
of PanhandIing.
CONTINUED From First Page)

One "pro" told me he had yet 10 De
turned down when he asked merchant
for food in this city. Another pointed
out that one could always get sack
of rolls from the manager OF one OF the
local bakeries, the only requisite being
that the beggar call at his office before
noon. when the plant shuts down.
These men who make cumming d
business don't want to work.
Monday afternoon was talking with
two of them in front of the Salvation
Army shelter at 479 street. nao
been sent 10 the shelter after appearing
at the Community Chest offices In the
Investment Building asking for some
How they feeding up here2" I ap-
preached the two. IN
"Food's all right. but who the hell
wants to work?"
It developed that the men would
rather bum their food and money lnAh
work two hours In the munlcipal wooo,
yard in return for the meals ana Oeo
given them by the Army.
One of the two, however, beneVeo ne
had figured out q way to beat the
tWo-houP requisite ~ l.
".Just leave your ticket "a ticket IS
given YOU by the Army before going to
the wood Yard with the guy IN cnarge
and 90 out on the lot like you're going
10 work. There's a baak gate and you
can leave by 1t and just sit around tor
two hours, then go back In, come
through the crowd of men on the lot,
tell the s,lperintendent you're through.
Get your ticket back, and everythlngs
all set" he explained
Rem0ans Loss Of Car.
He said one OF his friends had tried
the wood yard trick and was successful.
The other of the pair bemoaned the
recent wrechng OF his auTomooiie'
"Things were 3 lot better" he said,
"when 1 could drive from one town to
another. We used to park the car just
outside a town, go in and work the
place, and then coms out and go on 70
The next burg"
He was, however, feeling well fed,
and told OF his mornings experience,
He "steinmed'' four men, 1t seems,
between 10 and IL o'clock and each, in
stead of giving the money for which ne
asked, took him into nearby restau-
rant and fed him.
And / had hard time finishing up
that fourth meal" he concluded.
Another phase Of street panhandling
wes described by one of the profess
sionals as the "bay rum method"
Women accosted by a panhandler
reeklng OF bay rum are usually fright
ened, and give him money. to get rio OF
him. Some of the users OF this method
never drink the stuff, but find 1t better
to pour it on their clothes, to give the
necessary odor.
1 didn't resort to any Of the techni-
cal ruses OF the craft-didn't know them
until had frRternized with some OF Its
memberS-but had no trouble working
as q straight man." who is one who
tells his story. looks the part. and takes
any offering OF the contributor with
profuse thanks.
The number Of 20 and as cent con-
tributionS was large, and few people
gave nickel. The average was dime.
Pew Are Inquisitive.
Those who did contribute, and they
were about q third or more OF those ]
touched, weren't very inquisitive. Some
of them would ask
Aren't you working?"
One man, after this lead, followed up
with, Where va from?"
,"Out West"
"Wnatcha doing herePH
1 explained there was nothing doing
out West, and I'd come East to get q
job (which was perfectly true). He
took four dimes from his pocket, said
IN give you half my pile" and gave
me two of them. l thanked him and
walked away, on my way TO q res
taurant.
Al the Travellers Aid Society, where
l. was sent after Q visit to the Com
munity Chest. I had to use ''phony'
name. George Ambrose, believe, was
the name / gave. 1 told them l was
from the West and was on my way TO
Baltimore. where I expected to get
work on boat.
I was advised to go back TO the farm
country, as the boats leaving all ports
had waiting lists OF men who wanted
work.
Young men who don't want to ap-
pear cheap" in the eyes Of the girls
accompanying them, are well up on
the professional panhAndler's sucker
list" They're almost always good for
at least a dime, and give no argument.
Like all other panhandlers. avoided
answering too many questions. It's too
easy to get crossed up in your stories.
Police Don't Interfere.
The police do not bother the pan
handler ! wasn't bothered, although I
made several touches within 100 feet
of an officer. OF course, l didn't try
to make my profession" obvious to the
policeman, or any other passerby,
Monday afternoon 1 saw a detective
sergeant standing in front Of an =
street drug store. looked pretty bad
Dirty clcthes, stubhy beard, hat much
too big, almost covering my eyes, added
to the fuFtive look / gave the sergeant
as ] passed. He looked me over, moth
ing more. I walked on around the
block, hoping my reappearance would
prompt him to ask few questions
and II that failed I was going to make
a touch where he couldn't help seeing
it. When I got back he'd gone.
None OF the members OF the profess
sion to whom ! talked would loosen up
enough to give their estimate of a good
days compensation. II I'd questioned
them too much they would have
doubted my authenticity as a seasoned
panhandleT.
Even these are locking for an end to
the depression, but not to 60 TO work
One of them expressed it,
People are just as softhearted now
as ever, but I don't believe they have
the dough"
No one got tough" when I made
touch. Several walked along unheed-
ing, others mumbled something about
the Community Chest, and still others
stopped and asked me why didn't try
the Chest. or some OF its agencies.
Cold Weather Bad.