New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-08-08
YAGAB0ND PHILOSOPHY.
how MEN BECOME TRAMps.

For several nights a hale, hearty man,
dressed In good business suit with clean linen and the
appearance Of scrupulo neatness 10 har aud beard
seemingly q gentleman in lO5ks we'll as manners
and betayng culture in his conversation, has been
loungng IN City Hall Park by day and sleeping there by
night His appearance offered such contrast 10 that Of
the hundreds Of other beings who surrounded him that
the attention OF TRIBUNE reporter directed to bin.
and in the conversation which followed interesting
facts were disclosed. Comment incidentally made
at the start the fact that the man did not appear to
belong to the class surrounding him.
"No better perhaps than many in this crowd. though
hope superior to the majority. Il won't do to supposs
that all these tramps are lazy and criminal"
mo work to be hadf"
"That misfortune among Others makes great many
tramps but there other which make tramps
Of educated decent, industrious and temperate men"
"What, for instancef"
Well take my own case In illustration have been
we'll educated. good accountant. write clear,
round hand suitable for bookkeeping. am fair bust
ness man, and of good family. came here six months
ago with little money had saved. / had not rea.
left my State, and no Inducements to remain
where there was no business to do. have applied in
every place and way for anything to do Of which
was capable and where any hope was held out to
Of obtaining work. disappointed by not being able
to furnish local references lived for months at a
lodging-house where L was charged only 81 75 week
lodging, and my meals cost little more yet have
through all my money, have pawned all the clothes
had except this suit-my best one-and this brush,
comb and toothbrush displaying them from pocket
and here have been for week. wandering around this
great city by day and sleeping In sitting posture in the
parks at night"
And eatngP
Well I have begged for something 10 eat"
And saved the money which you got by begging for
drinks"
al suppose that suspicion Is natural however un-
charitable But don't drink liquor. Meantime have
nh Al, kuN.N
but it can convey 10 you idea Of the mental t0rtures
have endured the loneliness Of stranger neat city
the uncertainty Of the future the indignation at the
cruel rebufs have encountered There are doubtless
other like mine"
DO you know OF anYP
"WeII, yes. was told in instance by man I
talked with that lie had been colonel in the army,
a practical engineer. had smce the war been employed
at his profession South America and for reason
which ne did not fully explain failed to get his pay He
came back with wife and child ran through what
means he had and failed 10 get into kind OF bus-
ness His wife and child lived charity IN nelghbor
ing city while here. sleeping In the parks and
trying daily 20 get employment was told another
instance, by Of respectable appearance, an Eng
llshman think. who said he came here from Australia
aud showed papers from which It appeared that he
had held some kind OF position under the Municipal
Government in Melbourne. BE. had when he started
81 800 and had arrived here about month before, by
think he said at the Washington Hotel His wife
the custodian OF che money She left him soon AFTER an
rynR here and he supposes went to Canada she beng
Canadian. From the mans manners and appearance,
believed hm he seemed worried in mind and believe
he was IN a condition TO commit suicide. being Without
means and deserted among strangers by MS Wiie.
have had many conversations with Others, with which
did not tax my memory and some knew to be untrubs
when told me. and thought no more Of them
"You have seen disreputable people here have you
nOti"
"The parks are invested with numbers Of thieves who
are generally young men, from seventeen TO twenty-five
wears OF age They make their appearance after IL
O'clock at night. the Park Police going away at that
hour and begin their operations have seen them
steal hats from seepers and drunken men, as wen as
papers aud handkerchefs from their pockets ana nave
been told Of many instances OF men Wlo went IN .Reo
and Intentionally fell asleep having OeSn %
watches in the Park about O'clock at night on
one occasion though / was not al that Tune sleeping
there / noticed man asleep and drunk. passed oy
near bm and watching him lie displayed gold watch
cham. l WOKE him up much 10 toe annoya aI
Alter bringing hun 10 ms senses, aud telling Nun ne
would his watch inns hat was ALREADY goAr LOG
nm 10 a hotel opposite MadisOnsquareb and ne made
me sleep with him all night, ana u was hoS uhtn ths
next morning t1as ne wa, s Match and cham ae
had no money about bmb. called upon MN inc heAs
day nj his Office In Broadway 10 see II ne eOuo not a9
me- IN getting something do. though never followed
up the acquaintance. Women TOO steep IN tnOso places
omiHs there Iate at night. have found men WHO were
oc1naIIv satisfied with hfe OF idleness ana beggay
Sho would not do better II they could some seeking
w. mi sheIter from domestic troubles and unhappy
homes lettering Tor few moments ON tneif way
10 OF nom entertainment or social gatlensi some
In beasy state of nt01 ication some bent upon ROD
berry OF those VINO might b. sleeping. -,
what IL your theory OF inc sehsi1i ea'0 u ~ i"D'
destliutiOnf - -. 4, ~. p,.,,
chair and dropped into philosophy. he "as eVaguB
N,,re fond OF phOsOpbizng as 10 tho cause vi us
troubles than Of narratIns themi ana 'niS was us
wen known that It Is only since the that this
element Of society mas exsea anrt,nn n sgo
well known that war demOiauzts communities, ahui -
apr Co teach dis onesy in dealings among men exrayS
sance Am living for money gained in dishonest way
very apt 10 be spent oNtraVagahtly Soho Hgn "a ~
trbyloIsly rich IN time OF war, while some lose all ana
become poor the lattrr body, being generally te
more honest; and many who were naanssliy lunee
ME Driven 70 seek new occupations ana new hOmes,
from want OF success ana sometimes ai'e ;i %
daTTs or wnar may called tramps IN tho hrst stage
some have struggled hard with adversely 9utIor WANT o.
OF mind and cody, kept going fOm Oa 20 worse tnu
becoming entirely dishearened nave lost az a 1 5'
thsn set-respeeJ then IA semnsane state Oh nuh1'
actually self-gOntrol, and nave gone htNItaD{ othc
the tendency Of human nature ana d tro ~
OF al kinds from friends, ana SAIL uhueI Iase oolS
great many cases, a NIL tar tranblcs peeo they
might be saved from ruin N fortune ana nhui ont ~ 70
I'm many case otherwise. some IN order 10 save ne
selves become oefaulters emOezSers, some drub
ards, some rolling stones wanderers ana u"mpS
some commit suicide. IL Is often the ease that nen
when hey get in trouble OF any kind, even no sg1a
ia attached to IT, have desire to shun friends 70 Nan
der no seek new faces new homes, new countries They
are oronIpted 10 this By foolish or raise plde
shame and that when tReir means are eAhauS.u
nd minds impaired by troubles, they are IN stats w
fired for usefulness honest employment Inc result
s tnaL they must either starve 70 death, OF become Ou
lave ramps Of the worst type unless taAen caAe u
by m lie Institutions or authonueS" -.
You think the community ought TO take care oi "0
trampsi" -, -. -, civ
Ia prisons, some; in amshouses, a few but py kn
ing the strong and willing chance with WORK. LUG
charity thet win DO che tramp the most good u tlss
wnien viii give him a chance TO prove himself oapano
and nos necessarily dishonest" - cha
Al rms moment "A policeman, who had observed the
trs,nD ana reporLer lettering too long spot cas