Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1881-07-28
a CHINESE PUZZLE.
Some Of the Antics OF CseO(ke
Locke, the Veteran vagrmnM
and Rag Picker.

There went TO the County Poor
house to day the queerest genius to
be found anywhere, in the person of
an old Chinaman, who calls himself
George Locke. He has made life a
burden to the police for years past by
bis strange peculiarlties. He seems
utterly ignorant Of the first principles
OF fear, yet is as treacherous as a vi
per. His reckless disregard of conse-
quences, his utter obliviousuess of the
wishes of others, and his filthy habits
have made him wide though unen-
viable reputation. Years ago he made
his first appearance as
A RAG PICKER,
sleeping at night in deserted houses.
Finally he took up his quarters in a
vacant room in the Courthouse, and
though he was .tumbled out neck and
heels by the ianitor every morning,
came back regularly at night. Once
blaze was seen Pickering in the room, ,
and the heather was found seated over
little pile of trash he had iGnited in
the center of the floor. He and the
fire were promptly put out. But for
this timely discovery the building
must soon have been
WRAPPED IN FLAMES.
On another occasion he was found
in the Planters Insurance building,
where he had made a fire of a broken
chair and some scattered Goals in the
middle Of the room. His knowledge Of
English seems confined to its explosive
adjectives, and he can aud does curse
roundly and eloquently upon the
slightest provocation. Not long since
a poor blind boy made a complaint
that some one had struck him over
the head with stick while he was
seated in a doorway. This was re-
peated several times, and it was final
ly discovered that Locke made a
practice of watching for the boy and
then thwacking him over the head
with broomstick, for no reason what
ever, except perhaps to
wREAK SOME VENGEANCE
through him on the whole boy frater-
nifty, who pelt him with rocks. Day
before yesterday he was discovered
making complete change of toilet in
an alley within fifteen feet of Main
street. What he subsists on nobody
knows, except perhaps from the garbage
boxes. He was detected yesterday
stealing decayed stuff from barrel in
the ststionhouse yard and hiding it in
his bosom. He has served several
terms on the Island aud never pre-
tends to work while there. The rule
is that no prisoner can take anything
from the table after he has eaten, but
Locke used to practice all sorts of
tricksto get arodnd this. Food was
found in his bosom, in his hat and
once wrapped in his queue, which the
guard promptly chopped of, to the
eternal disgrace of oven SO depraved a
Celestial as George Locke. His queue
gone he had resort to his shoes, which
he
FILLED WITH MEAT
aud greens" putting his foot
in on top of all and walking
away with a triumphant air. This
little scheme was finally broken up
however, and his fertile brain sug-
gested the idea of complaining of stiff
neck, and binding fresh piece Of
meat to it after each meal. This
savory morsel was afterwards de-
voured with gushing relish. He is a
problem the authorities have so far
been unable to solve. He is of no use
to the workhouse lessees, and such a
thief that the poorhouse officials wont
give him a permit.