The post. [volume] (Middleburg, Snyder County, Pa.) 1864-1883, 1877-06-21
Tran3s.

Thepapers bring us llily accounts
Of atrocities aud outrages perpctri-
ted by trGmps. These accounts are
increasing in number aul the bru~
tality Of the ousrages dem ind that
the people should bo relieved from
the pcrils anil dangers which are too
patiently endured By the people OF
our state as we'll as by tho people of
some other states. There is no doubt
that vagrancy is becoming systema
tizei. IL is said that in some parts
| Of the country, mysterious marks on
gate posts and door steps may be
seen, which there is reason to believe,
are notices put up to warn or en-
courage their fellows.
Ii does not matter whether trade
is brisk or dali, whether work is easy
or hard to get, the tramp is not the
man looking for something to do.
lie is professionally poor. He is al
ways looking for days work and
praying that he may not find it.
In fact the tramp is confirmed
vagraut. Why should he not be
dealt with as such
Almost oil our states have vagrant
laws but they are not enforced ii
thcy were the tramp nuisance which
is becoming worse every year, would
be quickly abatcd.
The vugrant law Of Pennsylvania
,coysrs tho case Of all tramps. If il
were executed vagrants would quick
" leave the state, or the neighbor'
hood where it was enforced. TIC
enforce it it needs the corporation
of good citizens. BY the act Of Sth
May 1876 pamphlet laws, page l54
Section 1st provides, "all persons
. going about from door to door oil
placing themselves in streets, high
ways or other roads to beg or gath
er aims, and all other persons vans
iering abroad and begging who have
no fixed place of residence in the
township DC" shall be doomed va
gratis.
Section 2nd provides that "any
constable or police officers of sucl
township or place, OF
notice, given him by any OF the in
habitants thereof, or without sucl
notice on his own view to apprehent
aud convey or cause to be conveyed
such person to n justice of the peace
, OF other committing magistrate o
the county &c. Being le'
gally convicted thereof he shall com
init him, "to labor upon any county
farm or upon the roads and high
ways Of any city, township or bor
. ough or in any house Of correction
, poor house, work house or common
Jail for term of not less than thirt,
days and not exceeding six months.
We have quoted some of the pro
visions of the Act Of Assembly tc
show our readers that they are no
without n remedy for the tramp nui
= sance. The law is quite sufficient
, There is no danger that the jails o.
' poor houses will be overcrowded
! for tho tramp is too careful of hi
, comfort to expose himself in local.
; ties where the people enforce tn
4, laws. Solitary confinement. n loy
y diet and hard labor, have great ter
', rors for the able bodied tramp. TIL
class Of vagrants that threaten o
attempt violence should be hunte'
down, and the offender brought t
Justice. \ fellow who takes the oc
. casion of q house being empty, o
' left in tho charge of defcnceles
women to threaten and insult then
is no better than wild beast h
; deserves no mercy from communi
. ty; the heaviest sentence of on
. . laws provided for such an outrage i
= too light for his deserts. Thes
= tramps are formidable only becaus
!, the people have become used to de
y pending upon the constable to cr
y force the laws without their hell
= but it is not safe to do this, Whe
tho continuity cooperate readil
with the officers in the apprehensio
" of nll warrants. This prcaL nuisauC