The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-09-19
THE TRAMPs IN PENNSYLVANIA.
several Collisions Between the Mara,l-
ders and the Police.
IN. Y. Herald.

IN. Y. Herald.1
COLUMBIA, Pa, Sept. s, 1877. The con-
tinuance and fagrancy of tramp out
RACES in Lancaster county creates much
excitement. The crimes committed by
the nomadic outlaws embrace arson,
outrage, robbery and murder. Hardly
n city, village or hamlet In the country
has escaped the depredatory incursions
I'of the lawbreakers. 80 extensive and
| fiagitious has their oriminality been
that the. people generally are rising
against the tramps, and serious and san.
culinary conflicts have already oc-
Cured between the marauders, vigil
lants and regularly constituted con-
regular rendezvous at Smoke
town, small watering place on the
Pennsylvania railroad. At this place
they organize their forces and make
raids into the surrounding farming
country and compel the citizens to fur
nish whatever they want. Between
five hundred aud a thousand of the
migratory lawbreakers arrive at and
depart from Smoketown In the course
of a day, the eastward and westward
bound freight trains, which stop for
water, affording them a chance to
Jump" from town to town at q quick
uuu GACug AatO. Lho
Railroad Company has issued strict
orders to its train men to eject all
tramps from the trains, but the
wanderers manage to elude the
railroaders' vigilance and board the
trains. The people Of the tramp
infested neighborhoods have formed
vigilance committees to drive out the
invaders, but the tramps have become
so numerous and savage in their dis
position that the vigilants and regularly
appointed law officers are apparently
powerless to cope with them. The sit
uation Is certainly alarming, and the
and peace-loving citizens is, what
shall be done to break up the prevail.
ing lawlessness ?" A month or So ago
the tramps confined their nefarious
operations to the more isolated and less
protected communities, but recently
they have openly perpetrated their out
| RACES In the larger towns and cities.
A terrible battle occurred some nights
since in Graybill's woods, near Lancas-
ter. Nearly one hundred tramps had
been destroying and stealing the crops
Of the farmers. The latter tried to
drive the invaders off, but the nomads
proving too strong for them the author
tiles at Lancaster were telegraphed to
for assistance. A detail of policemen
and number of armed citizens left
Lancaster for the scene of trouble.
When the tramps saw the approaching
forces they formed themselves in line
Of battle and prepared for the charge of
the police and citizens. The police had
no sooner got under fire than the as.
sailed opened upon them with vol
ley Of pistol shots. The police and citi-
zens reached for their revolvers, and
charging upon them fired at them in
discriminatory. A number Of volleys
were exchanged. Finally the assaulted
and assailants got to close quarters.
treated, leaving five Of their number
| wounded and in the hands Of the police,
| who took them to Lancaster and lodged
them in Jail. A farmer named Powers
was fatally wounded during the fight.
While this sanguinary affair was
being enacted a similar one occurred
further along the line of the Pennsyl-
vania railroad. A squad OF tramps
boarded the Eastern bound freight
train, which "slowed up" near here to
allow, passenger train to pass on the
junction road. The tramps said they
were in the late railroad strike at Pitts
burg, and threatened to take possession
of the train and run it. The fact was
telegraphed to Columbia, and Detective
| Brady and some railroaders were dis
patched to the point Of disturbance, and
after sharp but short fight captured
eight of the brigandish crew. The
others managed to escape. In taking
the party to the Columbia prison
an attempt was made by several Of
them to escape. Detective Brady fired
several shots at them, which brought
them to sudden halt. They were CON-
mitted to Jail, but subsequently, man
aged to break out Of the building.
From their description this party of
tramps are supposed to be the ones that
committed numerous illicit and terrible
acts in the Welsh mountains a short
time ago. 1t is said they were assisted
in their criminallty by the notorious
and red-handed "Welsh Mountain
Gang" which has terrorized the noun
tain country Of Lancaster county for
several years. The murder Of Mrs.
Isaac Reese in Salisbury township. a
few weeks since is also charged to the