The Bennington daily banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1877-1877, 1877-08-10
A Thrifty Tramp.

Several of our lawyers were visited yes
terday by an effeminate looking fellow, who
represented that he was on bis way IRON
Omaha aud wanted S2.70 TO help him toward
Portland, Me. At one Office he asked very
respectfully for copying to do. and the good
hearted lawyer, having no work fol. him,
gave him half a dollar to buy his dinner
Another lawyer gave him twenty-five cents,
which at first he was inclined to refuse, but
finally accepted, asking for his benefactOrs
business card that he might return the
money. At other places he got orders for
dinners on different restaurants. Finally lie
called on District Attorney Bailey, and re-
peated his request for 1910. Mr.. Bailey was
at first inclined to give it, although. he re
marked that S2.70 would not pay fare to
Maine. The boy, who is, perhaps seventeen,
but quite small Of his age, said he could go
for half-fa The more the District AttOr-
ney thought of it, the less he felt like giant
ing the request, and finally handed him
twenty-five cents told him that would get
him dinner, and that was all he could do.
{ This sum the boy handed back, as he had
done at one or two other places about town,
and in going out slipped under the door
card on which was written vile language.
Mr.. Bailey, convinced that the fellow was an
impOsteT, reported him at headquarters and
ACCOMPANIED Detective Dryer to the Whit
ney Landing, where the boy was arrested
Just as he was going To- Troy. Chief Maloy,
searched him carefully, and on his person
ed the places which he had worked" the
names of several Of his victims, the amounts
received each day, and various other data of
curious interest,
What's thlsi said the Chief, as he pulled
out two cigars.
Cigars, replied the prisoner; take one
They are not very good; ten centers gener-
ally smoke twenty-five centers.
You are q iirst-class fraud, replied the
Chief. and the boy was not in a position to
deny the charge. He said, however, that he
aOnlY 9 beat" those who could stand 1t. He
said he was born IN st. james parish, La, OF
Creole parentage. The name he goes by ie
Frank Taylor. although in his diary he calls
himself Frank La Belle" which may he O
pet name of his own, derived from his girl.
ish appearance ln fact he says he has been
three times arrested on suspicion of being Q
girl in male attire-the last time in Newark
N.J.-but never for any other offence. He
says. further, that he has Travelled with Mrs
Bowers, playing in "Lady Andley's Secret
His diary shows that he has visited cities
as far west as st. Paul as far south as Gal
weston, and has pretty thoroughly worked
Kentucky aud the Western States, and hai
Just been making tour OF the Central road
His cash account shows that from the 9TH o.
last December TO May 9, he took in $500
above expenses; from May 2 to Nav 0 his ne
receipts were 1886. His best days wOrl
was at Galveston, March 10, when he took II
$3.50. He remarks that Galveston an(
Houston are the best aud most gener0ui
plnces be has met with, The names of hli
victims include railroad and steamboat OH
! Gals, newspaper men, United States Sena
tors, bankers, LAWYERS, etc. b IlL-s ".
On being taken to the police court thil
morning, Frank La Belle was sent to TIN
Penitentiary for six mOnths as vagrant.-
Albany Times. tEtI attEF