Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-02-24
The WANDERING TRAMP.
Born not Made---a Creature Of Choice not
Circumstances.
Some Interesting Facts Related by a
Jail Officer

Journal reporter recently. II have had a
great deal of experience with them he added
land | am forced to conclude that the
majority seek the life because they like il
and II ministers to a certain desire for excite.
ment, rather than because they are forced
into it by the pressure of circumstances.
Now for instance take the tramps here
was told by party who assumed to know
that slim" who is awaiting trial for arson,
has money in the bank He was born in
Pittsfield and was well educated. He had
every chance TO make man Of himself but
preferred to take up the life Of tramp and
has followed ii ever since 1t has peculiar
fascination for him and he is unable to break
away from it. Yet he is very likely ap-
pearing fellow. He is well read and i. an
interesting talker. If he desired he would
have no trouble in securing employment tina;
would enable HIM to live like a civilized
man. The road has a fascination for him
however. and he will probably never give it
up till old age comes upon him and he is
unable to tramp any longer. One of his
companions told me that he had said he
should never use cent of his propertv a.
| long as he able To tramp but should
reserve it for his old age He has lost part
Of foot which was cut OFF by a railroad train
on which he vas stealing a ride. This little
incident did not dampen his ardor for tramp
ing however. Indeed it seemed rather to
add an additional zest of excitement 10 the
life.
do you hear any of their experiences
here?"
"Yes,it is amusing to hear a crowd Of these
fellows get together and relate their expert
ences. They get as excited in living over
their adventures as you can imagine, and
gathered about in little groups they while away
many weary hour of jail life during the
winter months with stories of adventures up
on the road. They seem to glory in these
episodes of daring exploits and hairbreadth
escapes. There is just excitement enough
in them TO suit their ideas of life. and lost
limb IL most honorable badge in the frater-
nifty for it indicates some exciting expert
eucc.
They differ in honesty, as much as other
classes of people. They are not all criminals
ny any means, although it must be admitted
that they help oftimcs to swell the criminal
classes- forming sort of reserve force from
which the new members of the striped bri-
gade may be recruited. Now Slim is a fell
I la 1 g..
az anything malicious is concerned Irish
however, would 10 more trust than would
a wild beast. He's hard ticket in my
opinion Shorty the tramp shot by
Stevenson was another hard ticket. He was
well connected, however He has brother
in Providence, Il. L., who is doing a good
business and is quite wealthy and who would
have helped him out of the life if ne had
desired to leave it. lie could never be any
thing but a tramp, however. The excite
ment of the life had peculiar fascination
for him aud he was utterly unable to break
away from it,"
These fellows then will actually turn
away from the comforts of good home for
the hardships Of life upon the road, will
they"
There is no doubt of it. A friend of
mine related to me an incident which came
under his own observation and which very
APPLY illustrates this very point. He was in
business in California. Next to him was an
| elderly Irish gentleman who kept a whole
! 10 g
siderable wealth, good business habits, well
read, and very pleasant person to converse
with. My friend got into the habit of running
in now and then and chatting with him, one
day while he was talking with him ragged
looking tramp came in. My friend noticed that
the old gentleman looked up and spoke to the
man who passed OH into the private office. A
moment later the old gentleman asked to be
excused, and went in after him. Through
the glass panels of the door my friend saw
him take some money from his safe and hand
it to the tramp, who Immediately left My
friend said he did not know why he did not
ask the old gentleman who that fellow was,
but he did not The conversation was re-
sumed, and he soon forgot all about the incl
dent. \ day or two later he heard someone
remark that Jack had got back He asked
who Jack was and was told that he was the
old liquor dealers son, and that he was a reg
uar confirmed tramp. \ day or two after
wards the young fellow appeared all spruccd
up in new suit of clothes, hair cut face
shaved, and good-lookiug fellow generally.
/ Nv friend. during the course of few days,
made his acquaintance. and had number of
conversations with him. He said that it was
utterly impossible for him to give up the life
of tramp There was a singular fascina-
ton in it which he could not resist. He
said he could stay at home with his
father for month or two very we'll.
but after that the old desire to tramp came
upon him and he was obliged to go
He was sitting with my friend one day when
five or six ragged dirty looking tramps passed
by. None of them appeared to recognize
the Young fellow nut when they were ont of
hearing. he turned 10 my friend and said,
II am going away tomorrow with that party.
/ | want You to take these clothes and what
money have and give them to father when
I | am gone shall need neither on the road
/ All want is Il little tobacco and | am all
| fixed for the trip" Sure enough the next
dav he left. and that was the last my friend
ever seen or heard of HIM He
said he had been in Jail in
nearly every state and described several of
the iail> in Maine where he had been confined
Well. this fellow is fair sample of large
part of the army of tramrs, Do not under
stand me as saying that all if indeed any of
/ them are blessed with rich fathers, for such an
idea would be ridiculous. know however,
that great many Of them who have come
under my notice have had folks in eomforta-
BILE circumstances, and that their mode of life
| $3.50. =. a., resrac. frnt,, tipreSSit hut simply