Morning appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1877-1906, 1879-03-29
AN INVOLUNTARY TRAMP.
THE SON OF A NOBLE ENGLISH HOUSE IN CAR
SON, AND BEGGING FOR MEAL
ON THE STREET.
STRANGE ADVENTURES OF THE SECOND son OF
SIR JOHN s. WRIGHT, BARONET.

| his hair was strongly sprnkled with white,
and he wore long, shaggy beard which looked
as if it had for many "a month been unused to
the luxury of a tonsorial artists brush This
individual had been noticed on the street for
several days, and attracted some attention by
his eccentric conduct. 1t not the first
| time that he approached us with the request
| for something to eat. His woe-begone appear
| ance and hungry look softened the reportorlal
| heart and meal was given him. His Ian
guage was excellent, evidencing that the man
must have seen "better days" Curiosity led
us to make some inquiries regarding his hail
ing place and destination. After finishing a
repast that would have satisfied the appetltes
of half dozen hungry woodchoppers, he re-
lated the following scrap of his own history,
which he probably would not have given US
had he known that it was intended for the
columns a newspaper: "You would not be-
ieve it, to look at me, that | belong to
noble family" he remarked, "yet l do. l
am the second son of Sir John S. Wright,
Baronet, of London. My father is still alive
and very wealthy You think it strange, in
view of this fact, that should beg for meal
on the public streets of Carson; do you not1
Well, will tell you what chain of unfortu-
nate circumstances have brought me to the
level of common American tramp. When
[ became of age my father purchased COM
mission for me in the English army. | had
not been in the service long when the Crimean
war broke out My regiment was ordered to
that scene of strife and carnage, and was en-
ployed in most of the heavy engagements.
l returned to England after the close of the
war, as captain. When the Abyssinian war
broke out l was major, and my regiment
followed the fortunes of that chieftan who is
now known as Lord Napier, of Magdala.
During that campaign became greatly addict
ed to drink, and the consequences were that l
made some objectionable mistakes, causing
my being sent back to England in disgrace
and there court-martialed The influence of
my family alone prevented my being cash
tered from the army, in which | remained for
several years afterwards. But my appetite
for strong drink had taken such frightful
hold upon the better part of myself, and
became involved in SO many difficulties and
social intrigues that my family concluded 1t
best to rid themselves of me before | publicly
disgraced them, so my senior brother induced
me to sell my commission. With the proceeds
of that SALE and 5000 pounds additional from
my father, was shipped to Australia, where,
upon my arrival, l bought a sheep range. 1t
was not more than six months after had en-
gagged in my new occupation, when, one morn
ing, dead man, with fearful cash across his
forehead, was found lying in front of my
house. Although had never seen the man
before in my life, | was arrested on suspicion
of having done the killing. The crcumstan-
tial evidence at the trial, perjured as it was,
for reasons that | am at a loss to understand
even to-day, convicted me, and [ was SEN
fenced to Imprisonment, with hard labor, for
life. l had been in prison. about two years, |
suffering only an innocent person can, |
when one of nay sheep herders confessed on |
his death bed, that he was the murderer of
the man for whose killing l was convicted. |
In the face of this confession | was retained |
in custody two months after that before given |
my liberty. My physical and mental health |
was greatly shaken from the effects of my un-
lust Imprisonment, and as soon as [ could dis
pose of my property, did so, and took sail
for San Francisco | arrived in that city in
February, 1875, with about 900, at
time when there was a great excitement in
the stock market and upon the advice of the
British Consul, | invested 1t was the old
song did not sell in time, and when | did
80 it was asolens volens, for my broker disposed
Of my securities without my knowledge or
consent. There was, in strange city with
put a penny. My situation was desperate
,ne. | left the city afoot for Santa Clara,
where engaged service as farm hand, and
n this manner l eked out miserable exist
,nce at different points in California, until
week or two since, when l concluded to try
nv luck in Nevada | walked all the way
rom Oakland to Virginia, but at that point
could get nothing to do, 50 / came down here,
where | met with no better success. Early
20 morrow morning l shall take Walkers line,
Is you Americans humorously call it, for
Bodie." This man seemed to be perfectly
honest in his recital of the vcissitudes of his
ife, and every thingtbat he stated appeared to