University of Virginia Library

OF THE "SCREEVERS," OR WRITERS OF
BEGGING-LETTERS AND PETITIONS.

"Screeving" — that is to say, writing false or
exaggerated accounts of afflictions and privations,
is a necessary corollary to "Pattering," or making
pompous orations in public — and I here sub-
join a brief description of the "business" — for
although the "screevers," "economically" con-
sidered, belong properly to the class who will not
work, yet as they are intimately connected with
the street-trade of begging I have thought
it best to say a few words on the subject
here, reserving a more comprehensive and
scientific view of the subject till such time as
I come to treat of the professional beggar, under
the head of those who are able but unwilling to
labour for their livelihood, in contradistinction
to the involuntary beggars, who belong more
properly to those who are willing but unable to
work. The subjoined information has been
obtained from one who has had many oppor-
tunities of making himself acquainted with the
habits and tricks of the class here treated of, —
indeed, at one part of his life he himself belonged
to the "profession."

"In England and Wales the number of
vagrants committed to prison annually amounts
to 19,621; and as many are not imprisoned
more than a dozen times during their lives, and
a few never at all, the number of tramps and
beggars may be estimated, at the very lowest,
at 22,000 throughout England and Wales. The
returns from Scotland are indeterminate. Of
this wretched class many are aged and infirm;
others are destitute orphans; while not a few are
persons whose distress is real, and who suffer
from temporary causes.

"With this excusable class, however, I have
not now to do. Of professional beggars there
are two kinds — those who `do it on the blob' (by word of mouth), and those who do it by
`screeving,' that is, by petitions and letters,
setting forth imaginary cases of distress.

"Of these documents there are two sorts,
`slums' (letters) and `fakements' (petitions).
These are seldom written by the persons who
present or send them, but are the production
of a class of whom the public little imagine
either the number or turpitude. I mean the
`professional begging-letter writers.'

"Persons who write begging-letters for others
sometimes, though seldom, beg themselves.
They are in many cases well supported by the
fraternity for whom they write. A professional
of this kind is called by the `eadgers,' `their
man of business.' Their histories vary as much
as their abilities; generally speaking they have
been clerks, teachers, shopmen, reduced gentle-

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men, or the illegitimate sons of members of
the aristocracy; while others, after having re-
ceived a liberal education, have broken away
from parental control, and commenced the `pro-
fession' in early life, and will probably pursue
it to their graves.

"I shall take a cursory view of the various
pretences set forth in these begging docu-
ments," says my informant, "and describe
some of the scenes connected with their pre-
paration. The documents themselves are
mournful catalogues of all the ills that flesh is
heir to.

"I address myself first to that class of peti-
tions which represent losses by sea, or perhaps
shipwreck itself. These documents are very
seldom carried by one person, unless indeed he
is really an old sailor; and, to the credit of the
navy be it spoken, this is very seldom the case.
When the imposition under notice has to be
carried out, it is, for the most part, conducted
by half-a-dozen worthless men, dressed in the
garb of seamen (and known as turnpike sailors),
one of their number having really been at sea
and therefore able to reply to any nautical
inquiries which suspicion may throw out.
This person mostly carries the document; and
is, of course, the spokesman of the company.
Generally speaking, the gang have a subscrip-
tion-book, sometimes only a fly-leaf or two to
the document, to receive the names of con-
tributors.

"It may not be out of place here, to give a
specimen — drawn from memory — of one of those
specious but deceitful `fakements' upon which
the `swells,' (especially those who have `been
in the service,') `come down with a couter'
(sovereign) if they `granny the mauley' (per-
ceive the signature) of a brother officer or
friend. The document is generally as follows —

" `These are to Certify, to all whom it may
concern, that the Thunderer, Captain John-
son, was returning on her homeward-bound
passage from China, laden with tea, fruit, &c.,
and having beside, twenty passengers, chiefly
ladies, and a crew of thirty hands, exclusive of
the captain and other officers. That the said
vessel encountered a tremendous gale off the
banks of Newfoundland, and was dismasted, and
finally wrecked at midnight on' (such a day,
including the hour, latitude, and other parti-
culars). `That the above-named vessel speedily
foundered, and only the second mate and four
of the crew (the bearers of this certificate)
escaped a watery grave. These, after floating
several days on broken pieces of the ship, were
providentially discovered, and humanely picked
up by the brig Invincible, Captain Smith,
and landed in this town and harbour of Ports-
mouth, in the country of Hants. That we, the
Master of Customs, and two of her Majesty's
Justices of the Peace for the said harbour and
eounty, do hereby grant and afford to the said'
(here follows the names of the unfortunate
mariners) `this our vouchment of the truth
of the said wreck, and their connection there-
with, and do empower them to present and use
this certificate for twenty-eight days from the
date hereof, to enable them to get such tem-
poral aid as may be adequate to reaching their
respective homes, or any sea-port where they
may be re-engaged. And this certificate further
showeth, that they are not to be interrupted in
the said journey by any constabulary or other
official authority; provided, that is to say, that
no breach of the peace or other cognizable
offence be committed by the said Petitioners,

`As witness our hands,

     

John Harris, M.C.	\cp\1	0	0
James Flood, J.P.	1	0	0
Capt. W. Hope, R.N., J.P.	1	10	0

`Given at Portsmouth, this 10th day of Octo-
ber, 1850.

`God save the Queen.'

       

Rev. W. Wilkins	\cp\1	0	0
An Officer's Widow	0	10	0
An Old Sailor	0	5	0
A Friend	0	2	6'

"I have already hinted at the character and
description of the persons by whom these
forgeries are framed. It would seem, from
the example given, that such documents are
available in every sea-port or other conside-
rable town; but this is not the case. It is
true that certain kinds of documents, especially
sham hawkers' licenses, may be had in the
provinces, at prices suited to the importance
of their contents, or to the probable gains of
their circulation; but all the `regular bang-up
fakes' are manufactured in the `Start' metro-
polis), and sent into the country to order, care-
fully packed up, and free from observation.
The following note, sent to `Carotty Poll, at
Mrs. Finder's Login-ouse facin the orse and
trumpet bere shop han street Westminster Lon-
don with spede,' may tend to illuminate the
uninitiated as to how such `fakements' are
obtained:

"The person from whom the above letter
was obtained, was in the lodging-house when it

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arrived, and had it given him to read and
retain for reference. Lawyer Joe was soon
sent for; and the following is an outline of the
scene that occurred, given in my informant's
own words:

"I had called at the house whither the
above letter had been addressed, to inquire
for a man whom I had known in his and my
own better days. The kitchen-door, or rather
cellar-door, was thrust open, and in came Car-
rotty Poll herself.

" `Well, Poll,' asked the deputy, `how does
the world use you?'

" `B — bad,' was the reply, `where's Lawyer
Joe?'

" `Oh, he's just gone to Mother Linstead's
for some tea and sugar; here he comes.'

" `Joe, I've a job for you. How much do
you charge for screeving a "brake?" '

" `Oh, half a bull (half-a-crown).'

" `No, I'll give you a deuce o' deeners (two
shillings), co's don't ye see the poor b — is in
"stir" (prison).'

" `Well, well, I shan't stand for a tanner.
Have you got paper?'

" `Yes, and a Queen's head, and all.'

"The pen and ink were found, a corner of
the table cleared, and operations commenced.

" `He writes a good hand,' exclaimed one,
as the screever wrote the petition.

" `I wish I could do it,' said another.

" `If you could, you'd soon be transported,'
said a third; while the whole kitchen in one
chorus, immediately on its completion, pro-
claimed, that it was d — d well done, adding to
that, not one `swell' in a score would view it
in any other light than a `ream' (genuine)
concern.

"Lawyer Joe was up to his trade — he folded
the paper in official style — creased it as it it
was long written and often examined, attached
the signatures of the minister and churchwar-
dens, and dipping his fingers under the fire-
place, smeared it with ashes, and made the
whole the best representation of a true account
of `a horse in the mad staggers' and `a child
in the measles' that could be desired by the
oldest and best cadger on the monkry.

"These professional writers are in possession
of many autographs of charitable persons, and
as they keep a dozen or more bottles of different
shades of ink, and seldom write two documents
on exactly the same sort of paper, it is difficult
to detect the imposition. A famous lurker who
has been previously alluded to in this work,
was once taken before a magistrate at York
whose own signature was attached to his fake-
ment. The imitation was excellent, and the
`lurker' swore hard and fast to the worthy
justice that he (the justice) did write it in his
own saddle-room, as he was preparing to ride,
and gave him five shillings, too. The effrontery
and firmness of the prisoner's statement gained
him his discharge!

"It is not uncommon in extensive districts —
say, for instance, a section of a county taking
in ten or a dozen townships — for a school of
lurkers to keep a secretary and remit his work
and his pay at the same time. In London this
functionary is generally paid by commission,
and sometimes in food, beer, and tobacco.
The following is a fair estimate of the scale of
charges:

                 

	s.	d.
Friendly letter	0	6
Long ditto	0	9
Petition	1	0
Ditto, with ream monekurs (genuine signatures)	1	6
Ditto, with gammy monekurs (forged names)	2	6
Very "heavy" (dangerous)	3	0
Manuscript for a broken down author	10	0
Part of a play for ditto	7	6

"To this I may add the prices of other arti-
cles in the begging line.

             

Loan of one child, without grub	0	9
Two ditto	1	0
Ditto, with grub and Godfrey's Cordial	0	9
If out after twelve at night, for each child, extra	0	2
For a school of children, say half-a-dozen	2	6
Loan of any garment, per day	0	2
Going as a pal to vindicate any statement	1	0

"Such is an outline, open to circumstantial
variation, of the pay received for the sort of
accommodation required.

"There is a very important species of `lurking'
or `screeving,' which has not yet been alluded
to.

"It is well-known that in the colliery districts
an explosion of fire-damp frequently takes place,
when many lives are lost, and the men who
escape are often so wounded as to render ampu-
tation of a leg or arm the only probable means
of saving them from the grave. Of course the
accident, with every particular as to date and
locality, goes the round of the newspapers. Such
an event is a sort of God-send to the begging-
letter writer. If he is anything of a draughts-
man, so much the better. He then procures a
sheet of vellum, and heads it with a picture of
an explosion, and exhibiting men, boys, and
horses up in the air, and a few nearer the ground,
minus a head, a leg, or an arm; with a back-
ground of women tearing their hair, and a few
little girls crying. Such a `fakement,' pro-
fessionally filled up and put into the hands of
an experienced lurker, will bring the `amanu-
ensis,' or `screever,' two guineas at least, and
the proceeds of such an expedition have in many
cases averaged 60l. per week. The lurker pre-
senting this would have to take with him three
or four countrymen, dressed in the garb of col-
liers, one at least knowing something of under-
ground work. These he would engage at `a bob
a nob' (one shilling each), and if he made a

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good day, give them a `toothful o' rum' beside.
As such men are always outside the jigger
(door) of the houses, they are of course ignorant
of the state of the subscription-list.

"A famous lurker, to whom we have pre-
viously referred, Nicholas A — , kept `a man
of business' to himself, and gave him from 5s. to 10s. 6d. per day. Nicholas, who was tolerably
educated, could write very well, but as his
`secretary' could imitate twelve different hands,
he was of course no trifling acquisition.

"It would not be easy to trace the history of
all, or even many of the men, who pursue the
begging-letter trade as professional writers.
Many of the vagrant tribe write their own let-
ters, but the vast majority are obliged to have
assistance. Of course, they are sometimes de-
tected by the fact that their conversation does
not tally with the rhetorical statement of the
petition. The few really deserving persons, well-
born and highly educated, who subsist by beg-
ging, are very retired and cautious in their
appeals. They write concisely, and their state-
ments are generally true to a certain extent, or
perhaps rigidly so in relation to an earlier part
of their history. These seldom live in the very
common lodging-houses.

"The most renowned of the tribe who write for
others, and whose general trade lies in forged
certificates of bankruptcy, seizure of goods for
rent, and medical testimonies to infirmity, is an
Irishman, brought up in London, and who may
be seen almost every night at the bar of a cer-
tain public-house in Drury-lane. He lives, or
did live, at one of the model lodging-houses.
Very few persons know his occupation. They
suppose that he is `connected with the press.'
Several years ago this person, says one who
knew this trade well, was `regularly hard up,'
and made a tender of his services to a distin-
guished M.P., who took a lively interest in the
emancipation of the Jews. He offered to visit
the provinces, hold meetings, and get up peti-
tions. The hon. member tested his abilities,
and gave him clothes and a ten-pound note to
commence operations. `I saw him' (says my
informant) `the same night, and he mooted the
subject to me over a glass of whiskey-punch.
`Not that I care (said he) if all the b — y Jews
were in h — ll, but I must do something.'

" `But how,' asked my informant, `will you
get up the meetings? — and then the signatures,
you know!'

" `Meetings!' was the reply, `don't men-
tion it; I can get millions of signatures!'

"The pretended Jewish Advocate never left
London. He got (from Ireland) a box of old
documents relative to bygone petitions for
repeal, &c., and on these he put a frontispiece
suited to his purpose — got them sent to
Bath and Bristol, and thence transmitted to his
employer — who praised his perseverance, and
sent more money to the post-office of one of
the above-named towns; this was counter-
manded to London, and jovially spent at `Tom
Spring's' in Holborn.

"Hitherto the movements of the begging-letter
writer — self-considered — have been chiefly dwelt
upon. There is another class of the fraternity,
however, of whom some notice must here be
taken; viz., those, who to meet cases of great
pretension, and consequent misgivings on the
part of the noblemen or gentry to whom fake-
ments are presented, become referees to profes-
sional beggars. These referees are kept by
local `schools' of beggars in well-furnished
apartments at respectable houses, and well
dressed; their allowance varies from 1l. to 3l. per week.

"But the most expert and least suspected
dodge is referring to some dignified person in
the country; a person however who exists
nowhere but in imagination. Suppose (says
my informant) I am a beggar, I apply to you
for relief. Perhaps I state that I am in pros-
pect of lucrative employment, if I could get
enough money to clothe myself. You plead
the number of impositions; I consent to that
fact, but offer you references as to the truth of
my statement. I refer you to the Hon. and
Rev. Mr. Erskine, at Cheltenham (any name
or place will do). You promise to write, and
tell me to call in a few days; meanwhile, I
assume the name of the gentleman to whom I
have referred you, and write forthwith to the
post-master of the town in question, requesting
that any letter coming there directed to the
Hon. and Rev. Mr. Erskine, may be forwarded
to my present address. I thus discover what
you have written, frame a flattering reply,
and address it to you. I send it (under cover)
to a pal of mine at Cheltenham, or elsewhere,
who posts it; I call half an hour after you
receive it, and, being satisfied, you give me a
donation, and perhaps introduce me to some of
your friends. Thus I raise a handsome sum,
and the fraud is probably never found out.

"One of the London lurkers, who has good
means of forming a calculation on the sub-
ject, assures me that the average earnings of
`lurkers' in London alone (including those
who write for them), cannot be less than 6,000l. per annum.

"Two of the class were lately apprehended,
at the instance of the Duke of Wellington; on
their persons was found fifteen sovereigns, one
five-pound note, a silver watch with gold
guard, and two gold watches with a ribbon
attached to each; their subscription book
showed that they had collected 620l. during
the current year.

"A man named M`Kensie — who was trans-
ported at the last Bristol Assizes — had just
received a cheque for 100l. from a nobleman
lately deceased.

"Most of the `professionals' of this class in-
clude a copy of the `Court Guide' among
their stock in trade. In this all the persons
known to be charitable, have the mark set
against their names. I have been furnished
with a list of such persons, accompanied with
comments, from the note-book of `an old

[Description: 915EAF. Page 315.]

stager' `thirty years on the monkery,' and, as
he adds, `never quodded but twice.'

"The late Queen Dowager.

Hon. Wm. Ashley.

The Bishop of Norwich.

Serjeant Talfourd.

Charles Dickins.

Samuel Rogers, the Poet.

Samuel Warren (Author of `Extracts from
the Diary of a Physician).

Hon. G. C. Norton, the `beak' (magistrate),
but good for all that.

Rev. E. Holland, Hyde-park-gardens.

The late Sir Robert Peel.

Countess of Essex (only good to sickness, or
distressed authorship).

Marquess of Bredalbane (good on anything
religious).

The Editor of the `Sun.'

Madame Celeste.

Marquess of Blandford.

Duke of Portland.

Duke of Devonshire.

Lord George Bentinck (deceased; God
A'mighty wouldn't let him live; he was too
good for this world.)

Lord Skelmersdale.

Lord John Manners.

Lord Lyttleton.

Mrs. Elder, Exeter.

Lady Emily Ponsonby (a devilish pretty
wench).

Miss Burdett Coutts.

F. Stewart, Esq., Bath.

Mrs. Groves, Salisbury.

Mrs. Mitchell, Dorchester.

Mrs. Taggart, Bayswater (her husband is a
Unitarian minister, not so good as she, but he'll
stand a `bob' if you look straight at him and
keep to one story.)

Archdeacon Sinclair, at Kensington (but not
so good as Archdeacon Pott, as was there afore
him; he was a good man; he couldn't refuse
a dog, much more a Christian; but he had a
butler, a regular `knark,' who was a b — and
a half, good weight,)

Lady Cottenham used to be good, but she is
`coopered' (spoilt) now, without you has a
`slum,' any one as she knows, and then she
won't stand above a `bull' (five shillings)."