Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1878-07-10
TROUBLESOME TRAMPS.
The Experience Of the People OF
Marshall County With Them.


MARsHALLTowN, July 6.-Several
days ago q company Of about forty
tramps forcibly boarded q freight
train on the Central railroad, and
rode from q point south Of Grinnell
to this city. Getting off here they
were taken in charge by the police
force of this city, and were marched
several miles outside Of town. Short
ly after their departure, another
large party took possession Of q freight
train on the Chicago & Northw estern
road, east of here, and rode to this city.
They noisily celebrated the Fourth
in camp about halfa mile east of
the depot, where they drank num-
Der of kegs of beer, and cooked and
ate stolen hoge, burned up fences |;
and they also waylaid passing trav-
eler, who resides at Lisbon in this
state, robbed him of all he had about
his person, and inflicted upon him
severe bodily injuries. The police
men, getting into difficulty with them
during the night, handled several of
their ring-leaders rather roughly, but
were unable to manage the whole
crowd. Yesterday morning Mayor
Taylor asked the assistance Of Major
Bells militia company to dispense
them, which, being promptly furnish
ed, the tramps were escorted out of
the city in front of glistening bayo-
nets, and their leader, who, for maxi
ing violent incendiary speech to the
soldiers in which he threatened that
Marshalltown should be burned to
aches, was unceremoniously placed
in jail. This morning this same gang
took possession of Central freight
train at Albion, and held it for sew
eral hours, but quickly slid off the
cars and ran upon the arrival of Sher-
i'll Hickox and his posse of thirty
armed men, who were carried from
here to Albion on q special train.
They were followed nearly to Lis
comb, when the Sheriff's party turn
ed back. The Central managers an
ticipate further tronble from this
body of vagabonds on their way
north, but the people along the line
of the road seem determined to lend
assistance whenever needed, and will
not tolerate them as they have done
other years.
PROCLAMATION BY THE GOVERNOR.
DEs MONIES, July 6.-The governor
has been in receipt to-day of dispatch
es from Marshalltown and other
points, stating that companies or mobs
of tramps had taken possession of
railroad trains. Some of the dis
patches were from mayors and sher-
ifs, asking authority to call out the
militia. The governor this afternoon
issued tho following proclamation:
WHEREAS, am officially informed
that large numbers of lawless per-
sons, sometimes called tramps, are
travelling in this state, stopping rail-
way trains and committing other vi
olent acts now, therefore, 1 do here
by urge upon the sheriffs of several
counties and the mayors of cities and
towns throughout the state, to be
prompt and diligent in preserving
the peace. Attention ia called sec
ton 4, jas, chapter 8, title XIV, of the
code, whereby any sheriff or other Of
ficer authorized to execute process
may, in case of actual or apprehend-
ed resistance thereto, command az
many male inhabitants Of his county
as he may think proper, and any mil
itary companies in the county, armed
and equipped to assist him in over
coming such resistance. The atten-
ton of the boards of supervisors of
the several counties is also especially
called to chapter SO, of the acts of the
sixteenth general assembly. 1
By the governor.
fSigned john H. GEAR.