The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1875-09-09
A Wealthy Tramp.

Last Wednesday evening, when Mr..
Anthony Matheney was coming in from
his work on the Midland road, he over
took an old man near the Four-mile
bridge, in the Kaw bottoms. The old man
appeared to be staggering along under
the influence Of liquor, and, from his rag
ged and dirty condition, Matheney at once
came to the conclusion that the old fell
low was a tramping pauper coming into
Kansas City for relief. He passed by him
without speaking, and thought no more
about it. Next day, when he started back
to his work, he was somewhat surprised
to find the old man lying upon the side of
the railroad track in helpless and appar.
emily dying condition. He approached the
old man, and on inquiry found that he was
quite sick and had been lying out in the
open air all night, and was unable to walk.
He gave his name as Angus McGregor,
and that he was on his way from Fort
Dodge, Kansas, to Kansas City. Mr..
Matheney came in and procured the as
sistarce OF an express driver, and brought
the t.al man to his house near the water
work and left him with his wife. The
old nsan maintained stolid silence until
night, but ate a hearty meal, thus show
ing that it was want of food rather than
sickness which had caused him to fall by
the wayside. But he was too far gone for
food to revive him at once, and when night
came on he was dangerously i'll, SO ill that
medical aid was deemed necessary. When
he was offered bed he declined it, and
positively refused to take off or allow his
dirty rags to be taken off his body.
he slept upon blanket ON the floor.
and under no persuasion would he take
of his boots. Yesterday, however, the
old man being unable to help himself.
gave up and ordered his boots taken off.
To the surprise of every one present, he
took from his boots between two and
three thousand dollars in greenbacks, all
nicely wrapped up in oil paper, and used
as pads for his sore and blistered feet.
In explanation, the old man said he had
been a soldier in the United States army
for the last twenty years; has served in
Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and Califor-
mia. He has recently been discharged
from McKenzie's regiment, in Arizona.
and started from Fort Dodge, Kansas.
about two weeks ago, to walk to Kansas
City. He says he is going home to Glas-
gov, Scotland, and that he has been afraid
OF being robbed on his way home. He is
close and penurious, and says he could
not afford to pay so much for railroad
fares. He was, after great difficulty, per-
suaded to deposit his long boarded wealth,
and take drafts on New York for the
amount deposited. He is very suspicious
and unusually reticent about his own af-
fairs. He paid Matheney literally for the
care bestowed upon him, and proposes to
continue his journey east as soon as his
strength will permit him to move.-Kar-
sas CITY Nous.
The new patent pocket cook-stove has
opened another path in the wilderness of
Journalism. When they come into COM
mon use this is about the way an item
will read: S The fire alarm last night was
occasioned bya conf1agration on the per-
son of Mr.. George McPheter. AS he stood
on the corner OF Woodward and Jefferson
Avenues fire was seen breaking out OF the
gable end of his left pants pockets. The
alarm was promptly given, but before the