Arizona weekly citizen., 1883-11-24
KNIGHTS OF THE ROAD
A Gang of Ten Jailed For Sixt,
 Days.
Large Number Of Tr.mps n, ty,.. a,fi. road-Their Masonie-Like
 Frtteraity

road-Their Masonie-Like
 Fraternity.
 Yesterday large gang of tramrs ar
 nved Tn Hpcson on the east-boun,
 freight train. They occupied some opel
 box cars. When the train com nepee,
 to slow up jus, before arriving at th,
 depot they begau jumping off and tool
 to The brush. They were observed b,
 the train hands, aud the matter was re
 ported to the authorities. Last night
 Deputy Sheriff Yosburg and Horac, Appel made tour out over the table
 lana east oi thl railroad shops, and dis
 covered four of tn; tramps seated
 around fire made Of railroad ties and
 coal. They arrested these, and on re.
 turning captured four more, and two
 more dropped iu their way, making ten
 n all. One Of tuem was quite belligerent,
 and hut Appel in the face. They were
 lodged ID the city jail over nlght, and 1 tAis morning they were all brought be. ! fore Justice Meyer.
 First there were five brought in, and
 stood up in a row. Az fast AS the judge could write their names he pronounced sentence, aud they were led away The second batch was then marched in, and posed ln ba tie array.
 Laying aside his spectacles bis honor looked at them moment, and asked the name of each one.
 Then he sand: You are charged with being tramps, with having no visible means uf sdppOr', of going about with ont any money, and mt looking for work. What have you got to sayE"
 The spokesman commenced, i've are looking for work"
 Al right" interrupted the judge, "I will give you worK for sixty days. Thanksgiving and Christmas are com Ing, and You vii have something good to eat. Iurkeys are rather scarce thls year. You can stay here through the cold Of winter tIl 1t Is warm enough to go elsewl ere. Then when the buds begin to leave m the spriag, you cau leave, too. Mr. Sheriff, will give you thelr commitments as soon as 1 can make them out"
 The gang filed out with Deputy Sheriff fusDurg ID the lead and City Jailor Hal iiban m the rear, and they marched nve. and tOok up their quarters n the county lall. Arrangements were al once made by the Supervisors to set these ten tramps at work on the approaches to the sou b of the city, wO that has long been needed. They are healthy look lag set ui young men from eighteen tO tw suty i've years oil. When captured tuey were all more or less under the in- hu, uce of lquor.
 The evidence was not clear that they had stolen the ties that they were burn | ing, and SD the charge of yagrancy was entered against them.
 DIstr ct Attorney Smith in answer to l some Iuqrri-s -aid hat II was the chef ! of tramps that they always ] go in gangs. They are d class Of IuuO- l lent men wIt,out conscience and with | 1ut shame. They avoid wOr6 like | Christian does sin. There is strange | fraternity among them, and | tokens by whIcl they know one anOfhe, | and also where they san get the best l uppiIes. II they find a family who are | possessed of an abundance supply of | he milk of human kindness, and | { al out iib5rally the coffee, meat and | 'crap-. there will be ceri ain cabalIs'ic | marks on the fences or gates, which l ever, member Of the tramp frsternry | -,aG= and iuterpfets with unerring sccu- -.cy. At bis house Tn Oakland once hey served a man with food. The next lay another called. A new one came every day for thirty days. The annoy lnce became SD great that he shut of lls charity Co them, and after the first uau was refused another never came. lhey will kIll calves, chickens and raid gardens for their supplies. They have different beats, and when one Is afraid ie has worn out ms welcome he trades ,if bis beat Co 8 fellow tramp. TheN 1 nave "a dialect of their own,such as 'cOp' ur policeman, "swag' for booty, etc. There are honest men travelling across inc country looking for work, but they lever go 10 gangs.
 There was a gentleman in San Jose who was asked by a tramp for some clothes, and showed him a pair of shoes They were too small for the fellow and le left them. For several days different men kept calling for shoes. and when hown the pair did not take them On .ccnunt of their EmallDess. Going trough his gafe one day he discovered he outlines of a pair of shoes marked ID gate post. SuspicIOning it was that Ign that caused so many tramps to call Dr the shoes Le rubbed If the marks nd no tramps afterwards called for hoes.
 Another gentleman who had been in he haDit Of giving tramps rather full heals discovered a square mark or is front gate post aud Tubb"d 1t of. ,alls for food immediately ceased They are also ID the habit of register 1g themselves at different places on heir rounds. On the walls of lonely hanties, or sides Of barns and fences nay o.ien he seen the inscriptions Of rrsey Bill, Calico Jack, Frisco Joe. etc, nth various marks indicating the dlrec- lon they were going and the success hey had, thus giving each other a nowledce of their whereabouts.
 In the winter they seek the milier lines If Southern California and Arr l . oua. and ID the summer they swarm up nrougb Oregon and Washington Terri ory. They generally walk every foct of he vav. Some try the break beam acket, and often they 20 to make rail pad bologna. Others go east in the 1Mmer and return in the winter follow lg the trsusc1ntinental railroads. The tramp evil is Of rerent origin, and m only be eradicated by vigorous laws.