Middletown transcript., 1876-08-19
THE TRAMPs' PARADISE.
Camps of Hale vasrsnts in the New Jer
sey Swamps.

camps OF l01e Vagramts IN tine new SeF
sey swamps.
During the past week hordes of tramp
have passed through Newark and Eliz
abeth en- route either to New York o
philadelphia. They travelled general,
in pairs or threes, but At times ten O
twelve were seen together. Some wer'
respectfully dressed and carried yalises
but the msjos. portion were very rough
looking, ragged. and filthy vagrants.
Since the frst of April these nomadl
have slept in barns. beneath haystacks
or under the shade Of the trees, and have
levied contributions on the barnyards o
the farmerS for their subsistence.
At New Brunswick, hundreds ol
tramps who won't work, and know the
country. leave the railroad and walk
along the Trenton turnpike, which pen
etrates one Of the finest farming districts
in the State, and is fringed almost it's
entire length with noble oak and elm
trees Under these trees they find shade
during the hot days and resting places
at night. The farms, on either side,
for miles. are visited by them, and if
their demands are not complied with. q
barn il burned or a haystack fred at
night in revenge. Such has been the
terror inspired BY tramps in this section
Of New Jersey that guards are kept on
the more exposed country seats at night
and vigilance committees have been or
ganised for the mutual protection Of
property owners. But month ago a
party Of eleven tramps stopped at the
residence Of well-to-do country grocer,
near Psnn's Neck. Middlesex county.
and after parleying with his wife for
victuals for the crowd, forcibly entered
the hopse and carried away almost
everything Of value that they cculd lay
their hands on. They we're pursued to
the outskirts Of Princeton, where they
disappeared in dense belt Of timber
skirting the RaEitan Canal.
The main retreat Of the tramps, this
side Of New Brunswick, is in the groves
and swamps bordering the Pennsylvania
Railroad short distance above Waver-
ley station. As this point is nearly
midway between Elizabeth and Newark
the officers Of both cities disclaim juris-
diction over it, and the tramps, recog-
nizing It - neutral grounds. have taken
possession. Night after night during
the past four months their, camp 6res
have lighted up the swamp, and crowds
of males and females have held carnival
beneath the trees. Tramps Of every
nationality, age and condition, resort to
this rendezvous, and the farmers Of the
adjacent district have suffered so severe
~ from their depredations that they
have determined to take the matter into
their own hands, and drive ont the
marauders. The Penn r. r. Company
has also suffered from their piracies |
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 miscresnts A few |
nights ago At least thirty of these out
castSlwsFe 6ongrsgated n and around .
blazing log 6re far in among the trees
10 this swamp Interpreted among the
crowd were;fse bideous- -lookipg women,
one of whom Il Known to almost all the
station house keepers between Jersey
City and Rhilsdalphia ~ Red Mary"
90 called - fecount Of ! hugered tumor
on the side o. her face. Sitting close
beside her Was station house " bum
mer, known u Sailor Joe, or /" Bow
wow" sobriquet applied to him on
account Of biz initiative powers. One
Of his peculiar yelps while passing
farm yard q night. it is said, will set
every dog in the neighborhood to howl
ing, asd hs Ais further distinguished as
one Of The most adroit thieves on the
road. Ip elose proximity to this inter-
esting couple busily engaged in frying
. piece Of bacon ia the copper bottom Of
q broken tea kettle. wss tramp known II
to the police as Nosey Mulligsn. J" for
merly vegetable hawker. but now ono
of the LATEST and most desperate Of . i
gang Of petty thieves who make these
swamps their rendezvous. Not far from (
him sat four men playing "seven up"
for pennies, and scattered around in
various positions we're 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. we're scsitered on the ground. I.
A short distance shove, cooking their I
evening meal. we're several straDgel I
tramps. ragged, filthy, and. judging +,
IRON theiE language, T.down on the 9
crowd below. One Of the party, dirtier i
md more piratical in appearance than i
his companions. was pointed out as t
French Lou" He said that be had Z
Just reached the retreat The night G
before. and had been robbed Of silver
satch by the other gang. pointing over
bis shoulder "Wait and see," said /
mother, in . significant way. "if we \
loD't get square wid dem fellows. Wen t
put up, : job on 'em that'll make 'em Y
'ick.'' When questioned as to work G
md the prospects, the Frenchman-who a
poke excellent English-replied. Work! (
Q hell with it. What do We care for \
york when there's plenty to eat without Ii
Z" That's So" chimed in another. d
its no use for us to attempt to work Il
se'codldn't get any il We tried. Down d
. Philadelphy the other day. I was ar b
ested snd locked up for asking for Z,
'ork, and do you think I'll run that !,
isk againf Why. the country is rich @
nough to support such gentlemen as 81
70 be, snd then not feel it, Talk about d
ard times. Why these are Just bully !" v
aHov ahout'the coming winter 2 oi
TIE trshpa made 10 reply fotla min. e,
te or 50. when little dried-up fellow Ct
We'll get along well enough a,
We understand our business, and If 4,
here isn't hot times 10 the big cities by SC
christmas. Tn fool" /"
:. = 'Tpin,t going 70 be like il was last b,