Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1886-09-08
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in Washington, he continued. ssbut my
last trip beats anything / have ever
seen. 1 did not know that there were
SO many tramps and dead beats in the
country.
II had scarcely finished registering at
Wizards when man in the last stages
of intoxieation rolled up against me
and claimed my acquaintance. He was
so changed that did not at first recog-
nize him. His face was bloated, his
eyes bloodshot, his clothing dirty and
everything about him stamped him as a
drunken SGT.
Il recognized him as man l had
met few years ago-a young man OF
promise then, but with too great fond
ness for Washington whisky and gam
bling. 1 gave him dollar and hurried
away upstairs to my room.
ct had been there half an hour when
there was a knock at my door, and in
response to my summons a decently-
dressed man walked in. I did not know
him from Adam. He apologized for
disturbing me at that hour-it was after
eleven o'clock-and said that he had
met me with Colonel So-and-so the last
time was in town. He saw my name
in the register down stairs and thought
he would call to pay his respects.
"Curious to learn why he wanted to
nav his respects to comparative
Stranger, / did not follow my first
impulse and kick him out Of the
room.
AFTER making few perfunctory in
quiries about affairs in New York, he
came to the main point. AS l might
have known.i it was my money he wanted.
I forget just how he wOrded his request.
but his embarrassment, which l believe
he said was temporary. was caused by
the failure of the mails to bring an ex-
pected remittance. Twenty-Five dollars
would help him out. His manner
was perfectly cool, and one might have
imagined that had asked him to do
me favor.
81 told him, however. that was
short of funds, and kept all my money
in New York. He waved his hand and
said:
"'Oh, it's of no consequence
son my arrival here a few days ago
I found draft on me from this man for
S2S. He said in note that he owed a
bill for furniture, and he should take it
as favor if 1 would take up the draft
and allow him to pay for it by some SER
ne he might be able to render me in
the future.
81 met hundreds like him. They
dress pretty well, and the majority OF
them have seen better days.
1t is wonderful how quickly they
spot stranger. They do not wait for
an introduction, but throw themselves
in your way and begin conversation at
the slightest provocation. They have
many ingenious ways, and have reduced
the art Of deadbeatism down to a
science. They could give the most ex-
perienced bunco man points.
IF was asked once was asked fifty
times for temporary loan, and,
what's moro remarkable, none OF the
amounts requested, with the exception
noted, exceeded SO.
What makes these Washington dead
beats more dangerous is their frequent
DISCUSSES. Their former position in
many cases gives them a sort Of hold on
members and senators, and they are
received in places where the professional
swindler would not dare show his
face.
Senator Smith may introduce you
to one of these persons without thinking
of or really knowing his true character,
and before you have been in CONVERSE
ton long he will strike you for loan.
His story is always plausible, and
meeting him as you do you generally
come down.
Ct have paid for my experience. =
Philadelphia Times.