Middletown transcript., 1877-06-16
outrnren I,Y Trnnrnn.


Outrages ~ Tramps.
The late brutal outrage by tramp;
J upon poor woman and her daughter
near Newark, N. j., which equals in
horrors even the late crime in De
Kalb, Miss, is one of many outrages
perpetrated by tramps, and precisely
parallel to one which occurred not
many weeks ago in New York, where
a rufian was convicted of having, in
company with two others, broken into
a tenement and outraged a woman and
her daughter, and was sent to prison
for three months, a sentence which was
simply an encouragement to like
crimes, and which, if inflicted upon the
perpetrators of the De Kalb murder,
would have raised a shrek Of horror
through all those regions which "com-
pound for sins they are inclined to by
damning those they have no mind to. !"
The fact that the women thus NAL
treated were poor and defenseless-
whether Of the best character or not
aggravates the enormity Of the crime.
Poverty and helplessness, if they can
not be defense against the base and
ignoble, should at least have the pro-
lection of the law and of civilized So
ciety. The tramp has become nui-
sance in this country in every way,
and is the harder to bear because,
though a familiar pest in Europe, he
has been until lately unknown here.
Like the locust, the scourge is felt
more in this country because a recent
Importation. In the old world the
tramp has been known under other
names from the most ancient times,
@begging Gas Roman author says for
the scraps of spoilt bread that had
been reserved for the dogs" For more
than five hundred years France has
been legislating in vain to get rid of
this nuisance, and from the earliest
periods the English laws have sought
in vain to deal effectively with the
nuisance. An intelligent essayist upon
this subject says that the conclusion of !
all European experience is that moth
ing can permanently affect the evil Of |
mendicity but a general diffusion of
prosperity, morality and intelligence.
We had arrived at this condition in
the United States before the war more
nearly than any modern nation, and in
some sections of the country, especially !
the South, beggars were almost un-
known. Even now mendicants, except
those who come from outside their own
limits, are very rare in the Southern
States.
1t is estimated that in Massachusetts
alone there are now $4,000 vagrants,
a great proportion Of them able-bodied.
The hard times is the excuse for many
of vagrant proclivities, who perhaps
were once able and willing to support
themselves by honest labor. Hence it
is, no doubt, that we have more of them
in this section than ever before. Vari-
Gus efforts were made at the last ses-
sion of the Maryland Legislature to
enact a law which would provide a
special remedy for this grievance, but
none of them were successful. Most of
the States have vagrant laws, but they
are not enforced. It seems strange
that no protection can be found in
such country as this against the
tramp nuisance, and that it should be
becoming more serious every year
According to late accounts a company
1f them took possession of a railroad
train, travelled as far as they wanted
10, and then left the train, only a few
of their number being captured. It
seems to be the custom of these people
% quarter themselves on the aims and
charity Of the large cities in the win
'er, and, in the spring, to make raids
nto the country, where they beg, steal,
murder, and commit such atrocities as
nave been lately perpetrated in New
Jersey: Even where the laws are most
stringent they do not seem competent
o deal with this nuisance. Public
opinion, however, which has sought to
express itself in efficient legislation.
will, in default Of that, justify individ-
lals in legitimate measures Of self-pre-
iervation, which is the first law of ma
ure. A powerful dog has been found
| valuable guard, and even a terrier (
gives an alarm which makes them {
it least cautious. Rural communities |
would find it to their advantage to act s
n concert for the abatement of this {
growing nuisance, and cooperate with
he officers of the law in the apprehen-
ion Of vagrant and criminal offenders. I
As every mans house is his castle !
of defense, of whatever kind, {
nay be used without ceremony when /
,ver protection Of household is not
Iforded by the laws and their adequate 6
When arrested close con- {
inement or hard labor have been found /
pecially distasteful to vagrants. Upon !
sudden emergency, like that in New
Jersey, there should be no hesitation
n taking the most summary measures. t
)f course, however, due caution should
llways be observed, as there may oc- :
be worthy poor among the Z
wanderers. Baltimore Sun. s
1t were better to have no opinion of =
rod at all, than to have such an opin- )
% as is unworthy of him, for the one !
/ unbelief and the other is contumelv. I