The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1883-12-05
THE STORY or rwo TRAMps.
four Days on n Freight Car Without Food
or Water.


couple of tramps named William Green
On Englishman and Corad Michael an
American, were taken yesterday morning to
the City Prison in Oakland by Officer
Fletcher. AT first sight the men did not ap-
pear to be anything more than ordinary
tfamps but word or two dropped by one
Of them led tho reporter to believe there
might be an interesting story attached to
them. The remark dropped was plea for
water. This plea from tramp was of SO nm.
usuala character that Ii was evident there was
something remarkable about the men. Ap-
proaching Green, who appeared to be the
brighter Of the two, the reporter asked why
he asked so earnestly for water. and his re
ply that he had not had anything TO eat or
drink for four days led to the following
story, told in these words -" A week ago
last Tuesday arrived at Deming on my
way to San Francisco and had only just re-
covered from bad attack of chills and fever
Previous TO the attack had been building
sczrals for Oakbarn j. Berks, at Plumas,
N. NJ, and was working there when was
taken sick and had to leave. After / had
recovered found nearly all my money gone
there being only about SIS left after l had
paid my bills. When reached Deming /
met my companion for the first time and
being alone we soon ehummed together, es-
pecially as he was going the same way
was. On the Tuesday night reached Dem
ing we went to the depot, where brake
man on freight train asked us if we wanted
to ride. We said we did, and he replied
that if we would give him $40 each he would
put us in freight car and we could ride all
the way After thinking the matter over we
iecided to do SO and the brakeman pointed
put car and said he would have it unlocked
for us. AT half-past nine o'clock that night
we got in the car, each of us having some
food and canteen of water. During the
night the train moved out, and in the morn
ing when we tried tho door of the ear we
found we were locked in We concluded 10
come on, believing that our food would last
for some time, and that when we ran short
we could make noise enough for some one to
hear us, but we found out our mistake. On
Friday night last our supplies of food and
water gave out. We Were in total darkness
and could not tell how nenr we wero to the
end of our journey. Getting nearly starved
to death we made all the noise we could,
but could not make any one hear until late
last night when we arrived here. After
beating ON the door with what strength we
had left We heard steps approaching and in
ieply to our shouting the car was unlocked
and we were taken out and handed over 10
a police officer. never thought / should
be glad to be arrested but prison was a
luxury after what we had gone through
In reply to questions. Green stated that he
had been in this country for about two and
one-half years, and most of the time had
worked ON farms in New York and other
Eastern States. The men are booked on
suspicion of burglary, but as nothing has
been missed from the car in which they
were imprisoned it is probable that they
viii be discharged. --iSaa byareisco Chroai,
eb.