, 1888-04-06
A GANG OF TRAMPS.
A Horde of the Migratory and I'm,
peCunious in Town.
One of the Gentry unbos0ms Him
self to a Reporter.
How the Observing and Swift
footed EIude Officers.

The town is overrun with tramps. The
migratory incidents usually invade the
city in large numbers at this season of the
year. Where they sleep, where they eat
and how they exc out a worthless exist
ence are profound mysteries to those who
only know the tramp as a plteous and per
sistent beggar. To the police and kindred
~nighthawks their methods are well
known.
A LEADER reporter who sauntcred
along Fifteenth street yesterday afternoon
observed no less than a score of tramps
engaged in the pleasing occupation of sun.
ming themselves. In the ranks of the I'M
washed were divers specimens of the
class. They were a study. There were
tall tramps, short tramps, fat tramps,
lean tramps, dirty and ragged tramps and
Il few of the shabby genteel order. The
countenanccs OF some of them were indica-
tive of intelligence. On the foreheads of
several was a fair crop of hair. All
looked well led. Several smoked con-
tentedly and "a number perused newspa-
pers. The reporter struck up an ~acquaint-
ance with one of the latter by PROFOUND
ing a query relative to his last stopping
point.
I'm Just from New Orleans" replied
the man, who proved to be a laxative
and typical impecunious tourist.
Have any trouble in making the trip"
was the next in~terrogatory.
Not a Bit" was the response. Il
was delayed somewhat by the o strike,
but managed to pull through all right and
will keep an engagement at San Francisco
for next month"
"Woald you mind" continued, the re-
porter rather TREMENDOUSLY, telling me how
you cover so much territory with so little
money!
Not in the least, me bloomin' inno-
cent. came the retort. Gall and per-
sistency does the work. If you're thrown
out OF one car, climb in the next one. If
you're put to rout entirely, wait for the
next train. Never walk"
YES, but how about catIng?"
Simplest thing in the land. Beg, but
use judgment. When you approach a
house see that the inmates burn nothing
but coal and have no dog. Always knock
at the back door. Sometimes they'll
close the opening in your face, but that's
nothing. If a good talker can secure an
audience with the domestic, he is sure of
getting something If she's Dutch, tell
her your father was killed in the Franco
Prussian war; if she's Irish, quietly put
her on to the fact that you're a thorough
bred Fenlan; if she's q Swede, Just make
the announcement that you uncle, Yon
Yonson, has moved from Dakota to Cali
fornia and you want to Join him, and if
the hired girl is a niger, only politely but
firmly inform her that you are hungry
that will be enough"
At this iuncture Constable Goddard
approached on horseback. AT the sight
Of the man in blue clothes every mothers
son Of the gang took to his heels, half a
dozen squads disappearing in as many
dir 1ctions.
Among the horde of tramps is a num-
Der of sneak thieves and shrewd 'fakirs."
They have committed no depredations as
yet, but will doubtless give the police con-
siderable trouble in the near future.
Marshal Schmtger is making every
effort to rid the city of the pests. The
officers are seriously Handicapped by their
uniforms. The tramps are ever on the
alert, and sighting an officer several blocks
away quickly disappear.