The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1878-02-21
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TRAMPS.
Some Interesting Revelations of Tramp
Life

Some Interesting Revelations OF Tramp
Life.
The chief OF the State detective force
OF Massachusetts, says the New York
World, has enlivened his annual report
with an account of an expedition under
taken by two of his subordinates last
summer which reads like the skeleton
record out of which some of lie Sage's
stories of the adventures of rowing Span
ish rogues have been elaborated These
detectives set out early in July with the
intention Of learning something Of tramp
life through actual experience among
| the jovial vagabonds who are picking up
a living all over the country without
toiling Or spinning, depending mainly
| upon gathering into barns. They trans
formed themselves into members of that
careless fraternity whose anthem is the
old song with the ungrammatical refrain:
light heart and thin pair of breeches
| Goes over the world, my boys!
and traversed Western Massachusetts.
They had plenty of goodly company
from the beginning Of their journey, and
soon fell into gang Of twenty tramps.
They met at rendezvous in certain
woods, forming motley band made up
of all nationalities, and q single extract
from the officers diary throws a CLEAN
of light over their vagabond mode of
life:
July live divided into four squads, each
of which was to take it's turn in providing food
for the gang. The Germans went out to-day and
returned with a small pig, nine chickens,
quantity of eggs and bread. all of which, with
| the exception of the bread, was stolen. They
carried with them fsh-hOoks and lines, which
they used for catching chickens, simply by
putting on a kernel of corn for bait In some
instances when they have enough rum, they
soak bread with it and feed the fowls, which
are in condition to be easily captured.
On the march the gang divided into
four parties and pursued different roads,
moving for an appointed place of rem
devious, and using red and blue chalk to
mark the routes Tor the guidance of stray
comrades. The whole tendency of the
testimony is to the effect that there is a
certain system and organization among
tramps, and that they live less by impos-
ing upon the credulity of honest people
than by petty stealing. At the time of
the detectives expedition, however, the
CACAU0uonb dttSuuluS tH0 EaIlfOad FlOIS
was at it's height, and some of the wander
ing bands exhibited recklessness and
hardlhood that only needed an oppor-
tunity to break into violence and crime.
From the instances in which nationality
is given no bad pre-eminence can be as
signed to any particular class, and all
ages seem inclined to life of disreputa-
BILE idleness, though the old men are
most successful in soliciting charity, as
they have the most pathetic tales OF suf-
fenng ever at command, and long prac-
tice has given them great dramatic skill
in the rehearsal of their woes. The con-
illusions of the officers on the point to
which their special attention was direct
ed, namely, the disposition of tramps to
earn their living by hard work, are very
valuable. They say:
During all the time we were engaged in
tramping we made it our business, at the sug-
gestion of the chief detective, to ascertain
whether it was the lack of employment that
caused these people to become wanderers and
Migrants. Of the entire number with whom we
conyersed we found but two who did not scout
the idea of going to work for the purpose of
earning an honest livelihood and we very much
doubt if these two were ready to engage in any
laborious employment.