The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1878-02-12
THE WAYS OF THE TRAMP.
Revelations Of Detectives who Joined ihe
Fiambers.

enson, of Massachusetts,, gives the adj
ventures of two amateurs sent out TO
study by association the ways Of the real
tramp:
July 10.-Left Springfield. Very soon
met two tramps, and we Immediately
made inquiry as to our prospects for get
ting food and lodgings while we were
pursuing our Investigations. These men
informed us that we could get very little
food by begging, excepting dry bread,
and sometimes little milk that they
generally stole what they got. These
men were Irish, 35 and as years of age,
one shoemaker by trade, and the other
tailor; they said they 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 and the other eight years. We all
slept together In the woods during the
night ut a place near Blandford, and
parted company in the morning, after
furnishing them with some tobacco.
JULY 1l.-Started from Blandford
toward Russell; soon met q tramp, Il
Frenchman fully so years of age. He
had tramped about eight years; went
with him. He said he tramped through
the country during the summer and fall,
going to one of the larger cities when
the cold weather came on, where he gen
orally managed to get arrested for some
petty crime, for the purpose of getting
sentence that would keep him in con-
finement during the winter months.
We gave him some bread. He had with
him large valise containing four bottles
of gin among other things. This man
was on the road to Buffalo, N. Y. Slept
during the night in Russell.
July 12.-Started from Russell at
daybreak in pouring rain; soon went
into barn, while the Frenchman went
out to beg some food. He returned with
large piece of corned beef, which he
had stolen.
July 13.-Left the barn quite early
where we had passed the night; soon
met three tramps; went with them into
the woods, where we found fourteen
more. Our party now numbered twen-
ty. or these, three were German, two
Dutchmen, one Sweed, one Frenchman,
three Americans, and the remainder
Irish. They had been camped In this
place some five days, subsisting princi-
pally upon chickens and potatoes which
had been stolen In the night. Conclud-
ed to remain with this gang for while.
JULY 1--we divided into foursquads
each of which was to take its turn in
providing food for the gang. The Ger
mans went out today, and returned
with small pig, nine chickens, a quan-
tty of eggs and bread, all of which with
the exception of the bread were stolen.
They carried with them fish-hooks and
lines, which they used for catching
chickens, simply by putting on kernel
of corn for bait. In many instances,
when they have rum, they soak bread
with it and feed the fowls, which are
soon in condition to be easily cap
tured.
July l5-Started with three others
to procure food. We were refused at the
first house we called at. Some of the
party found in a woodshed near the
house keg containing some five OF six
gallons of cider, which they appropria-
ted to their own use, and left for the
camp. We went on alone, and finally
purchased at farmhouse some bread
and meat, with which we returned to
the woods, where we found most of the
gang intoxicated from the too free use OF
the cider.
JULY 16.-Concluded TO leave this To-
cality, as 1t was getting rather hot on
account of the depredations made upon
the people in the vicinity. We di-
vided into four parties In order TO avoid
suspicion, taking two different routes to
the town of Washington. The party
who passed over each route first was to
mark with chalk lone party using red
and the other blue) the prominentpo points
in their routes, for the guidance of those
who were TO follow. An arrow is usu-
ally made upon large rocks, trees, &C.,
particularly at the crossroads, to direct
each gang to the place fixed upon as the
general rendezvous. Nearly all the reg
ular tramps carry chalk of different
colors. The Frenchman left the gang
to-day. A short time after he left, some
of the party, fearing that he might "sell
them out' to the people in the town,
and cause them trouble on account of the