Telegram-herald., 1890-08-18
THE KING or TRAMPs.
How Wilson Becker Earned Fhss
G-esIionsbls 54tls.
ns = oais L@a ~ rWsaty sut sas 49,
Ezperf kuisht ~ lAe ksaa ia ths
CsNstrs --~fsry 81 Eis Araas-
CoEtl1sat4l EAPs 4 ssssn.

Wnson Becker, alias sailor Eld. TIE
regularly eleetea king oi the trsups.
has last completed trap shlch gives
hin perpetual elain CA the throne II
Ameriesa ysgraEey, seys the Baltimore
Herald. Ia May, the young nan. shose
pr0a5 beas. Is that he never aoae :
ltck O. work less / had 10 Ia MS life
Nas made the subject Of a wager 81 Bos-
ton. dis hacker bet larse sum thSt
the ..Sail0r hid" would sravel from the
Hub 70 S4n Francisco aud return ia The
space Of taenty-one DAYS without spend
ing cent for railway fare o. food The
feat VAS accomplished, aud the sport
who risked his money on the tramp pre-
sented him, the other evening, with
$500 OF his winnings.
Becker now offers 70 venture this sum
the most money be ever had in his
life-on the proposition that he can
beat his way around the world under
the same conditions as those OF his
transcontinental trip, in l02 days.
Meanw hile he bssks in the homage OF
his ragged subjects, who declare that
''der king can't be downed by any man
wot works der road"
1t may be interesting 10 note how this
lad, not yet twenty years old. has solved
the problem OF living without labor and
gained the names by which he is known.
He was born in Demarara, British
Guiana, and was christened Wilson
Becker. st the age OF nine he ran
away. Working on the sympathy OF
sailors by romantic but untruthful tales
OF woe, he made voyages TO Calcutta,
Hong Kong, Honolulu and England.
After an absence OF eighteen months
he reached home. But the fever OF
travelling was in his veins, and he next
essayod land journeys throughout the
United States with success that has
no interruption up 10 the present time.
In 1887 young Becker, who, because
Of his nautical experience. Was known
TO the fraternity as Sailor Kid at
tended a big convention OF tramps at
the Nanticoke pa coal breaker. 1t
was decided by this convention to
choose a king. Tho convention de-
veloped two candidates OF about equal
strength-Patsy Bolivar and Sailor
Kid" Each was popular and had
large following. After several unsatis-
factory ballots, numerous fights and the
consumption Of oceans of beer, the
contending factions made a COM
promise. 1t was agreed that the crown
should grace the brow of the candidate
who made the quickest trip from New
York City to San Francisco and back,
via New Orleans. Becker won with
hands down.
While en- route he chanced TO learn
that Indians were allowed to ride free
on trains crossing the western prairies,
and while PATSY" Bolivar plugged
along" slowly in freight cars, the"Sailor
Kid" with feathers in his hair. paint on
his face and a blanket over his shoul-
ders, sped westward in the smoker OF =
lightning express. This was but one OF
the many schemes be found available,
and as q result he gained the insignia
of royalty. 1t took twenty-six days to
make the race for the throne, and on
the twenty-eighth his majesty assumed
the scepter with the title Of Wilson l.,
and received the submission of his mot
ley gang of subjects.
Organization seems TO be the keynote
Of modern existence, and the tramps
are, perhaps, as we'll organized as any
body of peaceable, industrious, sober
artisans. The knights of the Road
as they call themselves, hold yearly
ooDvaotscrc oDI 1raar M ,.o,,rl.- ..1.,
munication with each other by means OF
a sign language unintelhgible save to
the initiated. These signs indicate
where TO GO, what places to avoid and
the route taken by the maker. They
appear cut or cbalked on fences, ere dis
played in paint or pencil along the cir
cumference Of water tanks or round
houses, and disagure the walls OF coun-
try depots. Door posts o. gates are also
utilized for conveying information about
dogs, "hand outs" square meals" and
the possibility Of being compelled TO
work for nights lodging.
One custom is common to the million
aire and the tramp. Each is denizen
of the city during tho winter and seeks
the country in the summer. But while
the farmer welcomes tho one, the other
is an object OF aversion and distrust,
save, perhaps, in haying or harvest time.
when, for large compensation. the
knight OF the road may be induced to do
q little work.
It is estimated by King Wilson /. that
he has $4,000 subjects throughout tho
United States. He doesn't comprise in
this number the honest poor, who are
looking for employment, or the capital
istic gypsies who own horses and wagons
and journey from place to place, tinker
ing broken pots and pans. making sharp
trades and devastating hen roosts and
melon patches. His lieges are those
only who don't have 70 work" and who
would fee woodpile OF a Job quicker
than they would pest house. The ever
present nuisance Of this great army OF
leeches has become 50 fntOlersble that
many States carry on their statute books
laws that might seem harsh and unress-
enable 70 the theoretic philsnthropists.
but which, with sll their severity. seem
70 avail nttle in checking the growing
evil Of voluntary idlsness.
VAx HorTES's CocoA-"Unce tried
~r1 "a rf- -rF y