Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1875-06-18

The genuine and lively taste Of the tramp
nuisance which Brattleboro has had during
the past week, and which one or two other
towns in this county have experienced in
lesser degree, is only a sample OF what is
now constantly going on throughout the
country, and Of what any community is Ii
able to any day, under the present condi-
ton OF things. The affair in Rrattleboro,
indeed, is Of piece with the great wave Of
crime and violence which has swept over
the land during the past few weeks; for it
was from no lack of bad intention on the
part of his assailant that the blow on Mr..
Hadley's head was not fatal one.
1t is in the larger towns that the evil
wrought by these wandering brutes is chief
" felt, but the smaller towns are by no
means exempt, as our county news items
this week show. Probably few Brattleboro
people, even, have any idea Of the number
of tram ps which have passed through the
town during the Winter and Spring. Not
many private houses have, indeed, been
exempt from their opportunities, but it is
not generally known that scarcely a night
has gone by that one or more robust, vigor-
JUS ulCh haNN EObN " -tAAs PaN-A-
ing impecuniosity, and demanding food and
lodging as their right under the law. II
their demands have not been readily COM
piled with they have had no hesitation
about using violent language and making
Threatening demonstrations. They are
ella IS which it is not safe to leave out doors
over night, and it has been, and is, the Gus
tom to take them to the lookup, give them
beds, and FIRE If necessary, lock them Sc
curely in, and in the morning feed them
and tell them 10 "move on" Constantly
have they come, great army by install
ments, from Boston and down the river,
stopping at Springfield, Northampton,
Greenfield, Brattleboro, Bellows Falls, and
so on. Twice within three months has Mr..
Her rick given sereR such men quarters I'M
der the town hall in one night These
persons are not fools on the contrary they
are almost invariably bright and cunning.
Pew Of them are unfortunate, except in
training and disposition. They are mostly
vicious brutes, following a regular business
ofvsgabondism, and there is a vast differ
ence between and such actual and deserv-
ing victims Of misfortune as are willing to
work for an honest living. During the
Summer season the demand for lodg-
ings will probably be less, because hay
nows and by-plaees, with milk from the
cows, fresh eggs, ETC., have greater attrae-
tons than the lookup and bareback. But
the volume OF travel" will be greater than
In the Winter, on account Of the special at
fractions which warm weather gives the
country.
The cause Of this evil is found in the hard
times which have deprived this great horde
of their usual means Of existence, and
manual labor being the one thing which
hey tsiH not do, they take to vagrAncy like
ducks TO the water. As regards the RENE.
dy, we know Of none, nor have We seen any
I'D equate one proposed, except TO make the
bus iness as Improbable and uninviting a
possible. Our only object is to warn ouI
rea deFs, and especially the ladies, to be on
their guard. The pitiful stories which will
be told at every door this Summer are no
worthy OF credenee or to excite eommiser.
alton. They are the invention OF men who
are too lazy to work, aud whom cowardiet
alone, and not always this, prevents from
using force to accomplish their ends. Gel
rid OF the creatures As well as possible, and
turn them over TO the authorities II neeessa-
~. Feed them, II you must, but on no &C
count give them money or clothing. 1t i:
best not TO anger them, because there is nc
telling what deed they may do under cover
Of the night. 1t has commonly been sup
posed that person was secure from VIC
lence while attending 10 his own business
on his own premises, in broad daylight, bu
recent events in this vicinity and elsewhere
have phQen that such is not always the case
1t is wen, therefore, to use all proper eau
ton, aud especially will farmers and 9th.
ers, living in thinly settled neighborhOods
do we'll 10 see that, in their absence. theiI
wives aud ehildnen have suitable protection
aud safeguards.