The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-06-28
T R A NJ P S
Curious Signs and Symbols Of the
Vagrant Class.
A MENDICANT FREEMASONRY.
Itinerant Pauperism Become 9
Fixed Fact.
HAUNTS OF THE TRAMPs.

The frequent recital OF in papers OF outrAg's
perpetratsd by tramps abroad In the country has
drawn to this unhallowed OF people more than
ordinary public attention. The tact Is tho tramp APP
pears to have become axed and permanent insttu-
sion and there natural curiosity TO learn something
more than already know regard TO his character
and methods Within enc past ten years the growth
Of the tramp nuisance has been most formidable, until
now disturbed the rural mind all over the North
ern States to a most alarming extent. In the South
the tramp hardly KNOWN because the South Ia poor
and sparsey Inhabited, and tho tramp never stumoes
across any such frequently fall TO his lot in
his Northern peregrinations.
THE TRAMP As TERROR
The tramp looms up pest great that State
legislatures have taken TO cnactng laws Tor his moro
effective repression and local authorities have, in
many instances framed ordinances that ought to ex-
Iinguish him utterly, II such thing were possible
But the tramp Is not easily eradioa.ed from . soil
congenial as this whore plenty reigns aud poverty
comparatively unknown. The American tramp, how
ever, sui generis He is impudent and audacous 10
the last degree, and not alone that but he has the
deviIsh Instincts, In u measure, of red Indian TO
whom murder and rapine, when the opportunity
offers are as welcome meat ana drink. II is only
the other day the HERALD contained an account OF
tramp who paid visit to a farmhouse, where he
found an old woman alone aud attempted TO outrage
her
READY yoR AMI DESPERATE DEED.
Within the past lew years Of this kind have
frequent and the inspired among lone and
helpless women resd,ag in the country by such acts
has not been exaggerated. The tramp regulates his
conduct according to contingencies. He is humble,
aemure and respectful when no finds stalwart man on
The premises, but where 10 only woman his native
sbeek and usolence are freely developed Where the
favorable the tramp ready for tho
preparation OF any desperate decd Occasionally he
meets with unexpected opposition from quarter he
least expects It, In the instance the other day At
Great Falls N. H., where tramp entered house
during the absence OF the family and ordered the
female domestic to deliver up the money aud
valuaocs or be murdered. She found con-
vcnent excuse to so up stairs ana procure o
revolver with which she shot the intruder and
made example OF him for all future tramps journey
ing that way spirit OF angry hostility to those per-
ambulaory pests has been aroused 10 high pitch by
the recital from time time OF their outrages upon
women, either attempted or accomplished.
RISKS or THE PROFESSION.
The result Is that the of tramp carries ser
risk along with It, Yet, singular say, the stats
tics OF the State Board OF Charities go show there
many of this class OF people the road
there are at present It may be, strangely con-
environ the lie OF the tramp in the way Of loaded
shot guns, spring traps trained dogs &c, give zest
and charm TO his experience that formerly want
Ing There certainly q time before the war
when the itinerant bummers Of whom We afo now
discoursng mad tIs fear in their rural wanderngs
when they positively welcome at the lonely cabin
ranch Of tho farmer deep in the heart Of tho
prmeva woods or out the solitary clearing
THE ARMY TRAMps.
Tramps, however, were then lew number, and no
outrages OF any moment laid 10 their charge.
The ng oil the seaboard cities and the idle, loose
irregular habits engendered by the recruited
their ranks prodgously from that class Of worthless
vagabonds who despise long bread aud
butter be had without It, The name OF tramp has,
therefore, TO be regarded the rural districts
term By which TO conjure up dread iancies Of mid
night burglary and incendiarisnl, Of murder
anu lusttul desperation The resident of New
York eau but III CONCEIVE the apprenensions
that fill the bucolio mind this particular season Of
the year the tramp abroad the land and his
Tell shadow falls stnwart the threshold OF the iarm
er's dwelling.
PRESENCE or FoREIdx KLEMENT.
The race OF tramps as IL exists TO day in America
has consderable-in fact an NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
OF foreigners In It's composition. Many OF thcm piled
the vocation oi lramps IN England, where. however
II has long since ceased TO be either an agreeable or
profitable business. Coming TO this country they
brought with them many ancient traditions OF the
vagrant class and signs aud passwords that
current England among their brethren tor hundreds
DI years past. TueSe are Low universally knOwS TO
Inc tramps Of America among whom exists species
OF freemasonry that makes them guild 10 themselves
They have their grips and signals ana when they meet
little time lost In Informing each other how the land
lies; where the best meal and where the worst ID TO
had what house " would be well to avoid and what
TO PATRONAGE with other and useful nforma
lion.
SYMBOLS USER BY THE TRAMps
When the tramp Ii alon0 at the opening OF the sea.
pioneer, 80 to speak, with the world (of farm
houses all before him where to choose he takes his
biz charcoal chalk and marks for the information
n
hieroglyphics that the succeeding tramp easily trans
lRtcs and we'll understands He the English
tenn oil private marks aud symbolic SIGNS, and the io
lowing, their English interpretations from the
ngn language OF the tramps:-
EXPLANATION OF THE HIERoGLYPHIca
~ NO GOOD; too poor and know too mucn.
~ STOP-if you have what they want, they will buy.
They pretty IN" knowing
go IN THIS DIRECTION, it is better than the
other road. Nothing that way
q BONE (goodD Safe for cold tatur," IL for no
thing else" Chesse your paasr don't talk much)here
u COPER'D epolU. by too many tramps calling
there
q GAMMY o1nfavorabls, likely to have you taken up
Mind the dog.
q FLUMMUxED dangerous, sure of month in
"q1od (prison).
81 RELIGIOUS, but tidy the WHOLE
Anybody who happens he 10 tho country this sea-
con AID takes the trouble look will be
OF these phcs fence rails, street
corners, stoops or hitching posts.
CUNNING OF THE CRAPT.
In England where the begging craft is rs old as the
rlu Tim n how liur