The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1877-07-19
A TRAMP,s hoNG JouRSEf.
Frcm Texas to Orange County, N. W.
Suffering, Crime and II Reformation.

Frcm Texas TO Orange County, N. Y..--
Suffering, Crime and II Reformation.
A tramp who recently sought and got
work of Farmer Knapp, near Coldenbam.
Orange county, N. Y, and who calls
himself George Kinbrook, tells a wonder.
ful story of his adventures on his trip
from Texas to New York. He says he
walked most of the way, and that he was
nearly three years in making the Journey
He is a man Of, abott forty-hve years Of
age. mid hlnst have once been strong and
vigorous. He now has lonG eHsh dh
the back Of his hetk, several ribs are
broksn, and he will limp for the rest of
his days.
Before leaving Texas in JANUARY, 1915.
he was employed oh Colonel Buelrs
ranchei taking care of mustangs. Hay-
ing incurred the ill-will of neighboring
herder, who threatened his life, he fed
the State, leaving his wife and two chill
dren behind. He has not heard from
his wife since, although he has written
her letters by the dosenj aid this silence
confirms him III the belief that the herd
efs threats were made with her knowl-
edge, if not ut her iiistigation, ind thht
the object Wis simply to get him out of
the way. Tears came into Kinbrook's
eyes when talking about it,
After leaving Texas he walked entirely
through the Indian Territory from south
to north. For days at time he bad
nothing to eat. He was new to tramp.
ing" it, and the early part Of his journey
told heavily Upon him. He slept out
nights. Walking barefooted; he soon
became footsore. At every place he
sought work, and in every Case failed.
Rut he often got what he always applied
for-something to eat and drink. He
was frightened once or twice by wild
animals, and in one instance had q severe
struggle with large snake that he at
tempted to kill. The snake was cross.
ing. his path when Kinbrook struck it
with his stick. The snake turned upon
him, and for twenty minites he says 1t
was anybody's fight; but he finally
whipped. Reaching Kansas City he
found work unobtainable, and was locked
up tor vagfai1cy. After serving six diff
terent terms, he started East on foot,
begging and stealing his food.
AT st. Louis he got in trouble. He
fell in with some other tramps, bad
characters, who inticed him into a
burglary. Tt was farmers house on
the outskirts of the city. They found
the farmer al alone, bound him,
and, put Kinbrook OH guard,
while they ransacked the house. The
farmer, Missouri giant, broke loose,
and attacked Kinbrook, Who fired at him
without effect. Kinbrook received an
ugly cash on the back of his neck, the
farmer striking him with sharp square
piece OF iron, which cut like knife.
The three burglars down stairs then fed.
The farmer, having, as he supposed,
finished Kinbrook, rushed down stairs,
and Kinbrook, jumping out of window,
succeeded in making his escape. He
under passenger car and stole
a ride to Chicago, stretched out fiat on
the trucks. Kinbrook says this ride was
worse than the night in the farmers
house; he would not go through it again
for all the wealth of the Bonanza kings.
In Chicago he got into another muss,
and had his ribs stove in. He had OBJ
tanned a job in a saloon. One night a
party of roughs came in drunk and were
very abusive. The proprietor, with the
assistance of Kinbrook, undertook to put
Vhohi oit, anu Ill tulS struggle hlnDrOOk
was jammed up against the chimes of a
barrel of gin. Before he left Chicago,
he says, he was arrested and locked up
several times as vagrant, and had come
to care but little whether he lived or
lied He would sleep in open lots, under
sheds and in barns. The thought of
his wife scarcely ever left his mind. He
seriously contemplated jumping in the
AXE and drowning himself.
From Chicago he walked successively |
to Detroit, to Dunkirk, N. Y, to Buffalo
and to Rochester, wi ere he broke his
leg in fall from ladder, repented, and
resolved to become man again. While
laid up he had nothing else to do but
think of his wife and children. He says
he is astonished that he didn't go crazy.
Limping out of Rochester, he made |
his way to Albany and thence down the
west bank of the river to the berry re-
gion of Milton, Highland and Marl-
borough. After picking berries for while
near the latter place he came to Golden
ham. His only object in life now, he
says, is to save money enough to go
back to Texas and get his children.