Ruby you would need to post the context to get the exact meaning.
Purseless is not a common word. It could mean just "without a purse".
However it could also mean "without a prize" - as in a purseless contest.
There is a phrase "light purse" which can mean poverty, but I have not seen the phrase purseless being used.
Are you still reading 19th Century texts, beacause purseless would be unusual to encounter.