The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1875-12-31
THE aoRBGoNIANn VS.. A "TRAMP. y

IHh -UhEGUh1AN' VS., a TRAMf,
During our recent visit to Walls
Walla, woman, with two little girls,
came up from Portland, styling herself
a sufferer by the loss of the steamer
'Paciic." She said her husband had
been deck-hand on the Pacific" and
his sudden taking off had left her and
her children destitute.
Mr.. O'Bryan, the worthy proprietor
of the Stine House, and his amiable
wife, were quite interested in her case,
Mr.. OBJ. going with her to visit the
Mayor, who kindly prepared petition,
representing her as worthy object OF
charity. The woman, thus armed,
made quite raid upon the pockets Ol
the philanthropic citizens of Walls
Walla; but, after she had collected all
the money she was likely to receive,
and had exchanged her shabby apparel
for a suit of Mrs O'Bryan's clothes, she
went again upon the street, and, the
next we knew of her at the hotel, she
was deeply intoxicated. The ladies
tried to prevent her going into the street
again. but she eluded their vigilance
and went out after dark, taking her eld-
est child, and remaining out till morn
ing, nobody knowing where.
The next morning, while the ladies
were at breakfast, the younger of the
two children appeared at the table, and,
upon being interrogated, explained that
her mother was drunk. She said, further,
that her father had died in Chicago;
that her mother was professional beg
gar; that she had begged her way to
San Francisco. and whilo there gathered
d great deal of money; that the author
tiles put the mother and children in Jail
and kept them nine days on bread and
water. Soon the elder of the two chill
dren came in, gave the other one a
warning look, and prevented a further
divulging of facts.
Mr.. O'Bryan confscated the woman's
liquor bottles, and partly sobered her of
by train time. She then came on to
The Dalles, where, under the Walla
Walla Mayors signature, she reaped 8
golden harvest, and departed on We'd
nesday of last week for Portland, where
we presume she is now victimizing the
philanthrOpic denizens of the metropo-
lis. In compliance with the request OF
a number of Walla Walla's influential
citizens, we wrote a statement of the
facts in the case for the Oregonidn,
knowing that the daily would appear
before the next issue of the NEW NORTH
WEST, and forgetting for the nOnce, in
our desire to warn the public, that the
Oregonidn had not for a number oi
years been honored by a gentleman as
editor-in-chief.
A week has passed and the Portland
public remains unwarned of the fact
that they are liable at any moment to
be imposed upon by a professional
tramp" of the worst order; the editor OF
what ought, in honor of its age, to be
the leading daily newspaper, refusing,
because of unwarranted personal pique
at US, to do his journalistic duty in the
premises.
Our chief object in publishing the
facts was to incite interest in the minds
of our good citizens in regard to the lit
tie girls this woman has in charge, who
will certainly grow up Injured to all the
worst and lowest forms of vice, if a
drunken, vagrant mother is permitted tc
educate them upon the street. The
mOLner Is past redemption, unless some
asylum for inebriatss were open to her.
But the little children can be saved il
the proper steps are taken. Will not
the Mayor and Chief of Police look out
for them? Cannot our good lady phi
lanthropists, who are ready to spend SC
much time and money to reform the
fallen men of Portland, pay just little
attention to saving these waits that will
certainly grow up to be the worst types
of fallen 1OOnlerl, if not secured from
their frail mothers influence and exam
pie? The mother is small, slight, and
fair, and understands the weeping beg
gar's lodges perfectly. She answers to
the name of Walker, and has a modest,
unassuming manner when sober that
enlists sympathy at once. The little
girls are bright and pretty, and if placed
in the Orphans Home at Salem, would
doubtless be readily adopted in comfort
able homes.
We did not send the above facts to the
OregoniGn because we liked its editor, or
should have been at all proud of the
company its publication would have
placed us in, but because it is every
body's duty to eschew personal animos-
tiles for the public good.
1t ill becomes the citizens of this great
Rannbli0 RI I