The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1877-01-26
tFrom the Brooklyn EIgle.l
A SPECIMEN TRAMP.
A Fellow Who Can Earn More Money by
Begging Than he Could were he to Work.

A Fellow Who Can Earn More Money by
Begging Than he Could were he to Work.
Frerchy's hotel, on Main street, near
Water, is the bon ten lodging house for
tramps In Brooklyn. The prices charged
are but ten and fifteen cents, and the lodger
can stretch his weary limbs on a ttiaw mat
trees thrown on a common bedstead. Six
beds are in some rooms, and each bed IL
capable Of holding four. 81 have seen the
time" said an old stageT, whom the re-
porter found toaeiing his fingers before a
stove, in tho ! quor saloon opposite, "when
Freuchy used TO have to turn customers
away. It's different now" continued the
tramp, ''ncarly all the boys VINO used to
come to Brooklyn in the winter time, have
died or gone to the p~oorhouse."
''Have you been q tramp lor gf' queried
the reporter.
large printing office in New York, which
was burned down, and l lost twenty thou
sand dollars
1t may be remarked tba. 1t Is impossible
TO find a tramp who does not assert that
formerly he was in the possession of wealth.
Many of them tell the story 80 often that
they get the idea that they were rich 30
firmly fastened on their mind, hat they
believe the story themselves. To another
class Of tramps belongs he who has O rich
father or uncle, without any other living
relatives besides himself.
ITS easy now," continued the hummer,
''to get a bed all by yourself in Frenchy's.
I've slept 10 that house in the same bed with
five Others"
..Why don't you 90 to the almshouse ?"
mot much they would make a fellow
like me work If | went there. think it is
a shame to make paupeis shovel snow when
the county IS rich enough to hire men to do
it. l took a walk out TO the county build
ing the other day, and there saw a lot of
paupers hard at work. l don't think 1t is
right"
''aow do you manage to get a living now
that it is cold2"
81 can make from seventy-fve cents to a
dollar a day."
The reporter was surprised on hearing
this. The idea of an idler picking up a
dollar a day, when there are so many I'M
employed laborers who would gladly WORK
ten hours daily for such a sum, it being
the price paid by most of the contractors.
GLOW do you manage to make so much
money!"
81 don't mind telling you. 1 am not
afraid of having you running In opposition
To my lay. You see this heavy overcoat
that 1 have on2' The reporter ned led as
sent, and the fellow continued. 81 don't
wear that on my tour. l have an old rag
ged coat which l wear, and l go around
from house to house. telling people that ]
am freezing, and ask for cast off clothes.
A fair overcoat, given to me, l consider a
good days work, l can get about q dollar
and twenty cents for it, from the second
hand clothes dealers, in Baxter street, New
York. don't care much for old pants, !
can only get for the very best about thirty
cents small coats. ii not torn, bring forty
cents, and | can get ten and twelve cents
for old hats"
Il suppose you have to travel a great
deal to pick up a dollars worth of old
clothes"
at takes me three or four hours a day.
I got this ovcrcoat which l am wearing this
morning. II Is worth over a dollar; l will
eel il tomorrow"
"Are there a great many more in the
came b isin .ssr" inquired the reporter.
"No | know four others besides my.
self wei ! belong to the same gang; We
have travelled in company for a year last
winter we worked Chicago, but that is not
so good a city as Brooklyn. There are no
go many tramps in this part of the country
as there were a year ago., so The old etageri
tell me. The latter day tIamps, now tina
times are hard, and their skill as bcggarl
being not artistic enough 10 gain for then
a living, seek lodgings in the station houses
and very often they are committed as va
grants, especially when they go a secont
time to any particular station house. If
can raise money enough next summer,
intend going to England an American
tramp would he quite a novelty there, dom
you think so?"
When the reporter was leaving, the tramp
had the impudence to ask him to drink SOM
Of the villainous liquor sold in the place
II suppose" said he sneeringly, ''yoI
are too big a gentleman to drink will
me-"