The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1876-08-19
THE TRAMPS' PARADISE.
CAMPS OF IDLE vAGRANTs IN THE NEW
JERSEY swAMPs.

| During the past week hordes o
tramps have passed through Newark
and Elizabeth en- route either to New
York or Philadelphia. They travelled
generally in pairs or threes, but at times
ten or twelve were seen together. Some
were respectfully dressed and carried
valses, but the major portion were very
rough-looking, ragged, and flthy va
grants.
Since the irst of April these nomads
have slept in barns, beneath haystacks,
or under the shade of the trees and have
levied contributions on the barnyards OF
the farmers for their subsistence.
AT New Brunswick, hundreds OF
tramps who won't work, and know the
country, leave the railroad and walk
along the Trenton turnpike, which
pentrates one of the finest farming dis
trcts in the State, and is fringed almost
its entire length with noble oak and elm
tree. Under these trees they find shade
during the hot days and resting PLACES
at night. The farms, on either side,
are visited by them, and If their demands
are not complied with, barn is burn
ed or haystack fired at night in re-
venge. Such has been the terror in
splred by tramps in this section of New
Jersey that guards are kept on the more
exposed country seats at night, and vi
GLANCE committees have been organized
for the mutual protection of property
owners. But month ago party of
eleven tramps stopped at the residence
of well to-do country grocer, near
Penn's Neck, Middesex county, and
after parleying with his wife for victu-
ais for the crowd, forcibly entered the
house and carried away almost every
thing of value that they could lay their
hands on They were pursued to the
outskirts of Princetown where they dis
appeared in dense belt of timber
skirting the Raritan Canal.
The main retreat of the tramps, this
side of New Brunswick, is in the groves
and swamps bordering the Pennsylva-
mia Railroad, a short distance above
WaverIy station. AS this point is
nearly midway between Elizabeth and
Newark, tie officers of both cities dis
claim jurisdiction over it, and the
tramps, recognizing it as neutral
grounds, have taken possession. Night
after night during the past four months
their camp fires have lighted up the
swamp, and crowds of males and fe-
males have held carnival beneath the
trees. Tramps of every nationality,
age, and condition resort to this rrndez-
vous, and the farmers of the adjacent
district have suffered SO severely from
their depredations that they have de-
termined to take the matter into their
own hands, and drive out the marau-
derS. The Pennsylvania railroad Com
pany has also suffered from their pira-
cies and lawlessness, as new and old
ties have been burned, telegraph poles
have been injured and trains have been
stoned by some of the drunken miscre-
ants. A few nights ago at last thirty
of these Outcasts were cOngregated in
and around blazing log fire far in
among the trees in this swamp. Inter-
spersed among the crowd We're five hi
looking women, one of whom is
known to almost all the station house
keepers between Jersey City and Phila-
delphia as Red Mary" so called on
account of huge red 5umor on the
side of her face. Sitting close beside
her was q station house - hummer. 1"
known as Sailor Joe, or Bow WOW" :"
sobriquet applied to him on account
of his initiative powers. One of his Pc
culiar yelps while passing farm yard
at night, it is said, will set every dog
in the neighborhood to bowling, and he
is further distinguished as one of the
most adroit thieves on the road. In
close proximity to this interesting cOu-
pie, busily engaged in frying piece of
bacon in the copper bottom of broken
tea kettle, was tramp known to the
police as " Nosey Mulligan," formerly
a Newark vegetable hawker, but now
one of the LATEST and most desperate of
a gang of pretty thieves who make these
swamps their rendezvous. Not far fIom
him sat four men playing seven up"
for pennies, and scattered around in
various positions were dozen or more,
chatting or making preparations for
turning in" for the night. Empty
tomato cans, ham bones, broken crack
ers, and feathers, the debris of former
feasts, were scattered on the ground.
A short distance above, cooking their
evening meal, were several strange
tranps, ragged, filthy, ard, judging
from their language, down on" the
crowd below. One of the party, di-.
tier and more piraticai in appearance
than his companions, was pointed out
as French Lou" He said that he had
Just reached the retreat" the night
before, and had been robbed of a silver
watch by the other gang, pointing over
his shoulder. Wait and see," said
another, in a significant way, if we
don't get square yet wild dem fellows.
Wen put up a job on 'em that'll make
'em sick" When questioned as to
work and the prospects, the Frenchman
who spoke excellent English-re-
piled, Work to hell with it. What
do we care for work when there's plen-
ty to eat without it ?" That's so, "
chimed in another. It's no use for
us to attempt to work we coudn get
any If we tried. Down in Philadelphy,
the other day, / was arrested and locked
up for asking for work, and do you
think III run that risk again ? Why,
the county is rich enough to support
such gentlemen as we be, and then not
feel it. Talk about hard times, why
these are just bully IL