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Show Beggar to Receive a Large Fortune Awarded Prize of a Hundred Thousand Thou-sand Dollars for Inventing a . V Successful Device. ttEW YORK, April 27 Members of tho Charity society here express the belief be-lief that Aloxandcr McKenzle. a professional pro-fessional beggar, who was once an electrical elec-trical engineer, has Invented a. successful success-ful device for tho protection of the third rail on the elevated tracks, and will receive re-ceive the prize of $100,000 offered by the Interborough company for that achievement. achieve-ment. So sanguine are the members of the society of the success of Mr. McKenzle's Invention that the matter has been placed In the hands of a patent solicitor, and a practical test of the device will be made as soon as the patent Is perfected per-fected In Washington. On the police records McKcn7,Io is classified with the harmless mendicants, usually cripples, who lt silently in the street or wherever crowds are passing, and hold out their hats or a tin box with mute appeal for aid. For several 'years McKenzle has been a conspicuous figure on the platforms of the elevated stations. sta-tions. He lias but one leg. and alwayn sat on tho Moor with his crutches lying in his lap and his hat stretched out for coins. For weeks at a time he would be seen every afternoon during the rush at the stations along the Sixth avenue line, and then some one would enter a complaint com-plaint and he would be arrested and sent to tho Island. There he alwayp was a welcome prisoner, for his mechanical genius found greai opportunity about the shops and buildings. During his various periods if confinement lie perfected per-fected the mbdols for protecting the third rail, and, distrustful of every person per-son who attempted to examine them, finally called upon tho charity organization organi-zation for help. The officials at once took charge of the matter. They say McKenzlo was almost starved when he finally asked for aid. |