New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-09-07
TRAMPS IN THE PARKS.
A PAINFUL PICTURE OF METROPOLITAN
LOW LIFE.


A PAINFUL PICTURE OF METROPOLITAN
LOW LIFE.
| NIGHTLY ngsoRTs OF THE WARRANTS AND MENDr-
| CAyrs-suNdEg RESTING PLACES OF THE
sTAT1ON-HyUsE NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. VISITS TO
TIE VARIOUS PAgKS--STgANGE sCEAES AND
sTATEMNrs -.rt
Attention has lately been called by the police 70
ports and Ivy the newyapcrs TO the great numbers Of
yagabonds or tramps who infcst the suburban towns
and adjacent country Observation has also shown
that unusually large number Of these characters beg
through the city by day and sleep in tho pubc
parks no night, greatly to the annoyance Of women
and children no their homes and IN the disgust and
even dread Of those who IRE compelled TO he on tho
streets ut late hours Of the night Inquiry INTO tie
habits and haunts Of these traps reveal some curl
ous features of low life in the metropolis which are
described below.
CENTRAL PARK PAKTLY PROTECTED.
vrGoDOUs MEASURE BY THE PoIICE DRIVE TIE
rRAMps I'd OTHER QuARfEGs--A FavoRiTE kE-
SORT AT FIFTY-SINrn-sT
During the warm weather the police stations
are closed t. male dodgers but women. to limited hum
ber are received. The trarnps who make these places
their homes In cold weather forced to seep eise
whore in Many OF them make long journeys
through tie country begging from house to iOuse fof
sIStenance ana Srep1DR ~''"@
Some DO not cult the city, and some OF THE country
tramps come into NcwYor They generally prowl about
for the greater at OF the night and early In the morning
drop down upon bench in one OF the parks or upon
mat in some doorway. where they remain until or'ered
to "movc on" by the policeman who discovers them
The great pleasure OF the city, Central Park was
visited by TRIBUNE reporter Saturday night There
lights the Par.. aud ia and about the silDDoy
the darkness was very deep. One Of tho Park o1ccfs
said that they had been so severe with tee anpS Hs
these persons generally preferred some other place "
sleep But the tramps he oided, are all busy nov" anu
they don't usually attempt TO sleep until after or
O'Clock in the morning AT 1880 m. the PARK poce
enter their houses, where they make their records
These houses are at Eighth Avenue Gate the Firth Az
enue Gate, and At tho other Important p'ne OF entrance
A round occupies hour and half IL taxes @'uay
one hour and twenty minutes for each officer 10 go over
his beat. He is therefore allowed ten minutes ~ n"So
his record and The ramps formerly took adVahg"
OF these ten minutes when there were no 0cers On GUY
to sneak into some secluded place and there enjoy
quiet nap. few slipped into the Park Ittie neforo
o'clock Sunday morning. but their rest was
short. One OF the officers went throngh the
summer-house" and heard an unmistaksoe snore.
After search OF Is minutes he found tramp snusy
slowed away under the OF the Summer house on
BEAM four five inches wide. The officer struck
several rapid blow upon the soies OF the fellows feet
UtteT1ng loud curses the Oncast scrambled DOWN RON
his perch and wen. Of the Park All daylight several
others were found in various paris OF the PARK 1--WE men
lay on the benches the Eighth Avenue Gate, all OF
them sound asleep. Farther on toward Sxth-aVe man
and woman were seen, who apparently had spent the
night in the Park. On the round 10 mora
were seen sitting on the benches aud 10 OF
these were tramps In little copse near Tie iake TWO
girls apparently about II and - years OF age lay iass
asleep in each Others arms. When aroused they ss'a
they lived in westehcster County; late on Saturday
night they what little money they had anu they lad
n.o and
TO going to a police station They started toward iiar-
lem soon aftcrward. On the seats along the paths ia
ing from Fftlave. nine more persons were iOnhu' III
Of whom vagrants and on the benches along tho
ath leading 10 the Museum three women and five men
were discovered. Including those found ON the grass
around the Park 40 tramps were counted
One Of the Park police said that the officers had been
accustomed to lind several hundred of these tramps In
and aboat tie Park every morning About month ago
they and very few have been seen since hat
time The officers unable to tel what drove them
away Another of the police said. "We don't permit
ANYBODY to go to sleep in the Park. IL Respectable
person falls asleep one of the benches, he may
find nothing left Of his personal effects when no
awakes. We frequently men coming out OF the PARK
without their hats. They ALWAYS tell the same story
They dropped asleep minute and when they woke up
their hats gone Occasionally person robbed VI
his hat boots coat and other property when under tho
influence OF liquor Only few days ago an Old gentle
man came out Of the gate with only his shirt AID pdna
looms He had dropped asleep upon secluded bench,
and the sneak thieves had stripped him while he was I'M
conscious Tue thieves in such easily escape do
lection"
There 81 ramls in the ruins OF the OF projected
by VIM NJ Tweed at yninthst and fftlayc. bcforr
clock sund AZ morning. They all full OF the dregs
Of tn, lager beer which they had drained from KEGS
into old tin fruit II ir fayorte pos ton was half
sitting. half ying with their backs against the wall on
the Filth-aye side some had taken OF their shoes and
pantal0ons and placed them under their heads rs pillows
They all sleeping heavily There was room iof ooo
more but they come and all day long, and there are
seldom tire police say than 50 or 80 in the building
II 6ne time.