The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1878-02-07
The Tale OF Il Tramp.

The story of two Massachusetts de-
tectives, who were sent out last summer
for the purpose of making observations
upon tramps and tramp life, is quite in
teresting. Their instructions were to
assume the role of the tramp, proceed
to his ground and by intimate associa-
ton obtain an inside view of his daily
life The plan was not difficult one
TO carry out The fraternity is so large
and its elements so diverse that not
much more than seedy clothing and a
decayed look are necessary for a pass
port.
Starting out from Springfield, it was
not long before the amateurs fell in with
professionals. These were two in num-
Der, and were disposed to be friendly
and confidential. They were Irishmen,
80 and 45 years of age, the one a. shoe
maker, the other tailor. Both could
get work if they desired, but preferred
to tramp. They only worked when they
wanted money to get liquor, and not
then if they could steal it. One had
tramped five, the other eight years. As
a rule they could get very little food by
begging, only dry bread and milk. What
they ate they generally stole, and rec
commended the detectives to do like
wise.
After parting from these cOmmunica-
tive and unsuspicious Migrants, the
next person interviewed was French
man. His plan was to tramp through
the country in the summer and fall, go
ing to some large city as cold weather
came on. There he would get arrested
for some petty crime, and spend the
winter months in the cOngenial retire
ment of a prison. His personal effects,
including four bottles of gin, were car
ried in a valise.
On following day the travellers met
three tramps who took them to rem
devious in the woods where were gath
cred fourteen others Of these, three
were German, two Dutch, one Swede,
one French, three Americans and two
Irish. The party had already been in
the place five days, subsisting upon
chickens and potatoes distracted from
neighboring farm-houses. For securing
the chickens such ingenious expedients
were adopted as tishhooks baited with
corn, and bread soaked in rum.
In leaving this retreat the party divld-
ed into four squads, those who went
first marking with chalk the prominent
points in the route for the guidance of
those who were to follow. Nearly all
of the regular tramps carry chalk OF
different cOloTs. On coming to villages
they would 90 through separately and
meet again outside. Plenty OF food was
obtained by begging and stealing. Old
men more frequently excited compass
sion than young ones. The latter when
they were asked why they did not go to
work always protested readiness, but
represented themselves as being familiar
with some trade which they knew would
not be practiced in that locality.
During the last week of these
travels the detectives encountered large
numbers of men on their way to the
railroad riots in Pennsylvania. At one
point, about twenty miles from Pitts
field, they met a gang of 80, and were
told that there were in the woods along
the line of the Boston and Albany Road
not less than 400 others expecting
strike to occur there. These outlaws
were ready for any plan of pillage and
destruction that might be proposed
1t is the testimony of the detectives
that of the entire number with whom
they conversed they found but two who
did not scout the idea of going to WORK
for the purpose of earning an honest
livelihood, and they express the doub
whether these two were ready to engage
in any laborious employment.
This experience, more authentic anC
suggestive than any thing of the kline
that has ever before appeared, will nc
doubt be of great value in the treatment
of the general subject. Itdehnes very ac-
curately the social status of the Tramp
He is no longer merely a nuisance. III
is a criminal.