The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1878-03-14

DrlnkinB-A Chepler Oi Vho h"DV' Ni''''
The appended diary, printed from the
report of Chief Detective Stephenson, o.
Massachusetts, gives the adventures o.
two amateurs sent out to study by as
sociation the ways of the real tramp;
July lO.-Left Springfield. Very soon
met two tramps, and we Immediately In
uuired as to our prospects for getting
food and lodgings while we were pursu'
ing our investigations. These men in
formed us that we could get very little
food by begging, excepting dry bread
and sometimes a little milk; that they
generally stole what they got. These
men were Irish, 35 and As years of age,
one a shoemaker by trade, and the other
tailor; they said they could get work ii
they desired, but preferred tramping
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 at night at place
near Blandford, and parted company in
the morning, after furnishing them with
some tobacco.
July ll.-Started from Blandford to
ward RUSSELL soon met a tramp, a
Frenchman, fully so years Of age. He
had tramped about eight years; we 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 gener-
ally managed to get arrested for some
petty crime, for the purpose of getting a
sentence that would keep him in con-
hnement during the winter. We gave
him some bread. He had with him a
large valse containing four bottles of
gin among other things. This man was
on the road to Buffalo, N, Y, Slept dur
ing the night in Russell.
July 12.-Started from Russell at day
break in a pouring rain; soon went into
barn, while the FrenChlnan went ont
to beg food. He returned with a large
piece of corned beef which he had sto-
len.
Jply 13.-Left the barn quite early in
the morning where we had slept; soon
met three tramps; went with them into
the woods, where we found fourteen
more. Our party now numbered twen-
ty. Of these, three were German, two
Dutchmen, one Swede, one FrenChman,
three Americans, and the remainder lr-
ish. They Lad been Camped in this
place some five days, subsisting princi-
pally upon chickens and potatoes, which
had been stolen in the night. Conclu-
ded to remain with this gang for time.
July 1--we divided into four squads
each of which was to take its turn provi-
ding food for the gang The Germans
went out to.day, and returned with a
small Zig nine chickens, quantity of
eggs and bread, all which, with the ex'
ception of the bread, were stolen. They
carried with them fshhooks 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 fowls, which are soon in condition
to be easily captured.
July 15-Started with three others to
procure food. We were refused at the
first house we called at. Some of the
party found in woodshed near the
house keg containing some five or six
gallons of cider, which they appropriated
to their own use, and left for the camp.
W. nl lnnn apI HnollNT nIirnb cod
at a farmhouse some bread and meat,
with which we returned to the woods,
where we found most of the gang intox-
iCated from the too free use of the cider.
July 16-Concuded to leave this To-
cality, as it was getting rather hot on ac.
count of the depredations madeup the
people in the vicinity. We divided 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 prominent points in their
routes, for the guidance Of those follow
ing. An arrow is usually made upon
large rocks, trees &C., particularly at the
cross roads, to direct each gang to the
place fixed upon as the general rendez
vous. Nearly all the regular tramps car
ry chalk of different colors, The French
man left the gang to-day. A short time
after he left, some of the party, fearing
he might "sell them out" to the people
in the town. and cause them trouble on
account of the thefts committed, follow
ed him for the purpose of compelling
him to return, but they failed to find
him. Slept in the woods at night around
a large fire, but suffered very much from
the cold.
July 17.-Reached Middlefeld, where
we met three men belonging to one of
the other gangs. We kept together on
the tramp, generally separating when we
came to villages, and going through sing.
ly. We laid in the woods most of the
day, getting plenty of food by begging
and stealing. The young fellows find it
difficult to get food of any description,
but the old men seem to excite more
compassion; they generally have a pitifIll
story ready for use, gotten up without
regard to truth The usual question to
the young tramp is, "Why don't you go
to work2" They always profess readi-
ness to work, but generally give, as a
trade to which they are accustomed to
work, some occupation in which they
are sure no employment will be offered
in that locality. One of the gang stole,
to-day, jug of bay rum out of farmers
wagon, all Of which was drank during
the night Slept in barn.
July,-It rained very hard when morn
ing came, but we intended to move on;
were prevented by the fact that most of
the party were sick from the effects of
'the bay rum. We finally started about
dusk toward Hinsdale; passed through
Pittsfield during the night, went through
Bipgly, because the old tramps thought
if we we're caught we should be taken to
the lookup and made to work for our