The Jasper weekly courier., 1878-02-15

The story Of two Massachusetts de-
tectives, who were sent out last summer
for the purpose of making observations
upon tramps and tramp life, il quite in
teresting. Their instructions were 10
assume the role Of the tramp, proceed
10 his ground and by intimate aSsoca-
tion obtain an inside view Of his daily
life. The plan was not a difficult one
10 carry out. The fraternity j. SO large
and its elements SO diverse chat not
much more than scedy clothing and
dccaycd look are necessary for pass
port.
Starting out from Springfield, il was
not long before the amateurs fell in with
professionals. These were two In num-
ber, and were disposed to be friendly
and confidential. They were lrishmen,
30 and i5 years Of age. the one shoe
maker, the other Il tailor. Both could
get work il they desired. but preferred
70 tramp. They only worked when they
wanted money to get liquor, and not
then II they could steal il. 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 vagrants. the
next person interviewed was a French
man. His plan was To tramp through
the country in the summer and fall, 90
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
riei in yalSe.
On following day the travellers met
three tramps who took them to rem
devious in the woods where were gath
cred fourteen otherss 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
rm-houScs For securing
the chickens such ingenious eNpedlents
were adopted a. fishhooks bated with
corn, and bread soaked in rum
In leaving this retreat the party diyid-
ed into four squads, those who went
first marking with chalk the prominent
points IN the route for the guidance Of
those who We're 10 follow. Nearly all
of the regular tramps carry chalk ~
different colors. On coming 10 villages
they would go through separately and
meet again outside. Plenty Of food was
obtained BY begging and stealing Old
men more frequently excited compass
l..ff
they were asked why they did not 20 to
work always protessed readiness, but
themselves A. 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 10 the
railroad riots in Pennsylvania. AT one
point, about twenty miles from Pitts
ield, they met "A gang of 80, aud were
odd that there were in the woods along
he line Of the Boston and Albany Road
lot less than 400 Others expecting
trike 70 occur there. These outlaws
we're ready for any plan of piilage and
destruction that might be proposed
IL i the testimony of the detectives
hat of.the entire number with whom
hey consersed they found bn, two who
Id not scout the idea of going to work
or the purpose Of earning an honest
livelihood, and they express the doubt
whether these two were ready toengage
y any laborious employment.
This experience, more authentic and
uggestive than any thing of the kind
hat has ever before appeared, will no
oubt be of great value in the treatment
4 the general subject. Itdeiines very ac-
urately the social status Of the Tramp.
IL i no longer mercy a nuisance lie
! a criminal.