National Republican., 1880-12-25
TALE OF A TRAMP.
HIS EXPERIENCES IN THE ARMY.
Chcckcrcd Career.-Thc Different Stories lie Told
and How lie Succeeded IN His Rascalities-
bad Luck at Last-In Prison-Iiard
Trials-trcat Trlbulatlons.

used to be quite rospectablc-for mo-but that
was good many years ago. Now I'm nothing but
tramp. don't steal. however. only beg.
have pretty fair education was always con-
sidcrcd bright sort ofbOy, and stood well In my
studies. | was about nineteen when began to
grow crooked. At thirty.hve, was called hard
case. That was in the third year of the war.
then lived in Cortland County New York. I
was drafted.
As the law stood they could not lawfully take
me. / was my mothers only support.
lhnd two brothers one older, the other younger
than myself; the former, too old for the army,
poor, and burthened with family ofhs own; and
my younger brother, who had been given away
when Il small boy to stay until of age was married
and some where IN the West. ! aitcrward learned
that he was In the army.
Thus you see | was left the only support OF my
mother ] had been with her from child and
supported her since was old enough to do So
AMER was drafted ! took my mother and wit.
ncsses, went before justice and had the papers
made out to the effect that was her only depend.
cncc.
Twas called by some of the leading politicians
and temperance men of the Republican party
rather hard casc-ncNt In kin To what they called
coppeilcad-but l never passed my opinion to
that effect, But had been selling whisky without
liscnsc and when they lawcd me | generally
their influence with the board of officers and doc
tors ON the day Of examination to get me uc
ccptcd. "l was hurd case" they said. "Get him
out ofthe way They did IL.
Well, the day camc when / was ordered to re-
port to the enrolling officer at Syracuse. walked
in before tIe board, showed my papers to prove
that was exempt, but they were never read. The
doctor was told to examine me. lie looked me
over, and said was "ull right"
Dut | wasn't | Ind ind tn law hrnLyrn tbrc,
times In about two years before mo matter how,
and could not shut my front teeth together into
haitian inch. Besides, my face was sore; but the
papers, my broken jaw and lame hip had been
troubled with for ten years were ali no go." The
order was, Take him down and put the blue on
him. and 1t was done.
So you sec was forced to he a soldier Of the
army. called for ilirlough that might 60 home
and raise the $500 to buy myself OIL. They would
not give II to me.
MI the rest that had TO pay or go got flirlough
] can't imagine to this day why ! was refused
They took me TO Elnira where stayed three
nights and two days. Then there was a drait for
twenty men to go to the Fourteenth Regiment. OF
course got one Of the lucky numbers, aud had TO
60
The following morning We were called upin line
to he sworn into the United States service. An ol
Ger came along and had me step back out of the
ranks, which did, aud didn't lake the oath TO do
anything. The others were all substitutes. They
got 500 cach only S2j. Another piece of my
good luck.
told them did not want the money because /
was there unlawfully, and II did not belong to me.
An officer stepped up and said he would tlkc and
keep 1t for me. thanked him very kindly and
told him should need 1t more than he and never
saw him again.
We left soon afterword for Washington. From
| Washington we went to Alexandria, where the
| on vn ne ni,r s,tn o,rJ