Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1889-06-20
THE "BLUE.JEAN TRAMP"
A Connecticut Character Who Rivals the
"Old Leather Man"

Connecticut Character who Rivals the
"Old Leather Man"
During the debate in the mouse re-
Gently on the bill making it a crime
for a man to become a tramp Mr.. Nev
of Lebanon rose in opposition to the
measure and in the illustration of his
position alluded TO a poor unfortunate
in his vicinity known as the BLUE
Jean Tramp" Ii was merely a refer
ence. bat It awakened in the mind Of
the writer, says the Hartford Times,
desire to know more Of the story about
the man, and subsequent inquiry has
developed a story as thrilling as any
that has been made public about the
cold Leather Man"
The story, as picked up from various
sources. is as follows: Way back in the
thirties there resided in town in the
northern part Of this state family of
the name OF Hicks, consisting Of John
Hicks, a wife, a daughter. Jennie. and
Dwight, a son. The young children
were given all the advantage possible
in those times, for Hicks was a we'll
TODD farmer and not at all stingy. He
was proud Of his children and moth
ing that money could buy was wanted
to make their lives complete. There
was one sorrow that disturbed the old
man, however, and that was the en-
yious nature Of his daughter. She
embodied the very principle itself of
getting all you can and keeping all
you get"
There was no charity, no generosity,
in her nature. She would take the be-
longings Of her brother and without
compuncliOn appropriate them to her
own use. Her brother, however, was
almost Numerically opposite; free
hearted and generous to a fault were
the fundamental principles underly-
ING his nature. This wide divergence
of the two was the cause of much
trouble between them. She grew to
hate her brother with an unnatural
hatred, and he grew bitter and indif-
ferent, but was Of too happy nature
to acquire the aspect of more than for
getfalness.
In this way they grew to manhood
and womanh0Od, and Jennie married
the man of her choice. Then the father
and mother died, leaving the two
children equal portions in the estate.
This CALLED the spirit Of Jennie. Her
avaricious nature could not be con-
tented with half, Tut She wanted the
whole. Then began scheme which
robbed her brother of three things
his intended wife, his money, and his
reason.
A year after the paren death
Dwight became euamored Il a pretty
miss named Ida Arnold. She had been
a resident Of the town but a short time
and she reciprocated his affection.
Now it happened that Dwights sister
had taken violent dislike to Ida, and
with apparent friendship she Whisper
ed cruel words into her promised Sis
ter-in-law's ears. They bore fruit
Suspicious as most women the vIle
ISLANDERS grew to certainty, and she re-
pouuced almost at the altar the man
She mad promised to love. Dwight,
COMPOUNDED and crazy. left the house.
Drink was the only soloce for his sor'
row and into dissipation he plunged.
His sister without computation or
fear, then began a systematic method
To gain his wealth. His brain gradu-
ally softeucd under the influence of
alcohol Returning one day to the
mousse of his sister with whom he had
lived, he was spurned from the house
without "a dollar in the world. What
litle of Dwight's reason remained was
shattered. aud he left, homeless
man. without money or reason to sus-
tain life, and left to the tender mercies
of cruel world.
For years he tramped, going over
and over the same route until now he
has become Il regular caller in Leban-
on, always wearing "blue-jean'
Jumper, which has won for him the
sobriQuet of the "bluejean tramp
No one fears him; every one pitleS him
and welcomes him to the hreside. Re
trbutiou has oyertaken his sister. a
few years ago she was thrown from
her carriage and killed.