Green’s Dictionary of Slang

(US tramp) to beg.

1915		Morn. Tulsa Dly World (OK) 13 June 19/3: Pringing — To reach out for ‘handouts’; to beg. Plinging de stem — Begging on street .
1917		Cincinnati Enquirer (OH) 12 May 12/1: ‘I goes in cold turkey tuh a guy wot’s standin’ in a hotel lobby and plings ’im and keeps on talkin’ [...] fer about 15 minutes’.
1927		C. Samolar ‘Argot of the Vagabond’ in AS II:9 390: Dinging the stem is known as mooching, stemming and plinging.
1930		G. Milburn ‘The Bum on the Stem’ in Hobo’s Hornbook 125: Oh, plinging down the highway, / Going to be gone so long. [Ibid.] ‘The Dealer Gets It All’ 151: Soon my nerves set out to pling me for a snort o’ old snow ball.
1935		N. Algren Somebody in Boots 141: Let’s us pling fo’ bits apiece as’ go in here.
1937		B. Dai Opium Addiction in Chicago 202: Pling. To beg on the street.
1950		Goldin et al. DAUL 161/1: Pling. To beg on streets or highways.