BEGGING LETTERS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 9 April 1934, Page 10

BEGGING LETTERS

INGENIOUS METHODS USED LONDON, 2Gtli March. The recent Law Courts ease concerning begging letters, when -a titled woman was sent to prison,' has resulted in the revelation that the Charity Organisation Society has dossiers of over 50,000 begging letter writers and promoters of bogus charities. Their methods are ingenious and clever. One is a verse-writing officer who conducts his business on a large scale. He has a staff to send out a booklet of poems. When kind-hearted people buy a copy for a few shillings they always receive by the next post a request for the loan of £lO. His “business” has continued for over 20 years. He even has a foreign department. Another is the “Rent Book Lady.” She sends out hundreds of rent books showing various arrears because “my husband has just died.” Alternatively her husband is dying of cancer. The society at one time received £BO a day for this case, “if proved genuine.” Many thousands of pounds are paid away by people who do not seek the society’s verification. Another man specialises in country clergy. He sends appeals, announcing that they had christened or prepared him for confirmation. So far he has been “christened” over 50 times.