The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-07-03
WOMEN DISGUISED AS TRAMPs.
They Beat Their Way Across the
Country to Their Home.

Country to Their Home.
From the ST. Louis Republic.
WILKEsBARRE, PA, June 2S.-This coun-
try can boast of its full share of male
tramps, but this county Q4uzerne) can boast
of two successful women tramps
They tramped the whole dis
Wilkesbarre-1, 800 miles. Three years ago
George Griffith and Nelson Heller left
their homes in Port Griffith, this county,
for Kansas City, where they had secured
positions as railroad brakemen. After
working in the west for year or two they
returned to their old home here and mar
ried two sisters named Hessler.
The brakemen took their brides to Kansas
City, where they lived till about one month
ago. In January last Griffith was killed in
a railroad wreck and he left his wife with
out means of support. Previous to this
Heller, who had married the other sister
took to drink and lost his job. He left
the city, but his wife did not know where
he had gone. The sisters now found them
selves in the midst of poverty and among
strangers. They longed for their home in
Pennsylvania. They wrote to relatives
here for money 10 pay their car fare back,
but the relatives were poor and could not
afford the money. One of the sisters then
went TO work as chambermaid in a hotel.
The other tried her hand at work in but
ton factory. But Mrs. Heller found that
the confinement of the factory did not agree
with her health. She, therefore, had to
give it up. This disheartened the other
sister. Both continued to pine for their old
home.
One evening the two sisters got together
and hit upon the novel idea of dressing up
in male attire and tramping home. They
deliberated long and finally came to the
conclusion that this was the only way they
ever could get home. They were well up in
the ways and doings of railroad brakemen,
as they mad often heard their husbands talk
''shop." The two sisters douned suits of
clothes lately worn by their husbands. They
were black, greasy and dirty, and in every
way in keeping with u tramp's outfit. They
cut their hair short and creased and black
ened their faces and hands The women
were of short, plump stature and no one
could detect their disguise unless upon very
close inspection.
On the night of May 81 the two female
tramps in disguise boarded freight train
leaving the Kansas City freight yard for
Chicago The women watched their oppor-
tunity, and when the drovers were not
looking they dropped down from an open
ing in the top of the car to an upper deck
of a sheep car. On the second day Mrs.
Heller was so badly squeezed by the sheep
that she tainted. AT the Chicago stock
yards the tramps managed to escape. They
walked into Chicago, and lived for a day
or two by doing odd jobs. One of the
women also succeeded in securing an old
pair of trousers, which she was badly in
need Of, the sheep having badly injured
that part Of her apparel.
Next night they got away on a car loaded
with lumber. and found that some tramp
printers had preceded them in their hiding
place. They reached Cincinnati safely. and
after begging little while they stole ride
to Cleveland. After many adventures they
reached Plttsburg, and finally made their
way home. They say they encountered
fully 300 tramps between Pittsburg and
Altoona.