The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1890-11-21
THE KING OF TRAMPS.
How Wilson Becker Earned This
Questionable Title.
He Il oniy Lad OF Twenty But the Most
Expert knight OF the Road In the
Country-S,ory Of His Trans
Continental Expedition.


regularly elected king OF the tramps,
has just completed a trip which gives
him a perpetual claim on tho throne of
American vagrancy, says the Baltimore
Herald. In May. the young man, whose
proud boast is that he never done
lick o. work less / had 10" in his life,
vas made the subject OF wager at Bos-
toy. His backer bet a large sum that
the Sailor Kid" would travel from the
Hub 70 san Francisco and return in the
space Of twenty-one days without spend
ing a cent for railway fare or food. The
feat was accomplished, and the sport
who risked his money on the tramp pre-
scented him, the other evening, with
$500 of his winnings.
Becker now offers to venture this sum
the most money he ever had in his
ife-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.
Meanwhile he basks in the homage Of
his ragged subjects, who declare that
der king can't be downed by any man
wot works der road
It may DO interesting 70 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 wzs born in Demarara. British
Guiana, and was christened Wilson
Becker. At the age OF nine he ran
away. Working tho sympathy Of
sailors by romantic but untruthful tales
OF woe, he made voyages 70 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
essayed land journeys throughout the
United States with success that has
no interruption up 70 the present time.
In 1887 young Becker, who, because
OF his nautical experience, was known
70 the fraternity as Sailor Kid" at
tended a big convention OF tramps at
the Nanticoke (Pa.) coal breaker. 1t
was decided by this convention 70
choose q 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, thc
contending factions made a com
promise. 1t was agreed that the crown
should grace the brow OF the candidate
" llO LA1LAC ALIt A4AAf7Hb UP AAoAA4 Wv
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 70 ride free
on trains crossing the western prairies,
and while Patsy Bolivar plugged
along" slowly in freight cars, e''Sailor
-,fd," with feathers IN his hair, paint on
his face and blanket over his shoul-
ders, sped westward in the smoker Of
lightning express This vas but one OF
tho many schemes he found available,
and ss result he gained the insignia
of royalty. Il took twenty-si1 days %
make the race for the throne, and on
the twcpty-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 90 be the keynote
os modern existence. and tho tramps
are, perhaps, as we'll organized as any
body OF peaceable, industrious, sober
srtisaas Tho knights OF the Road"
as they call themselves, hold yearly
conventions and keep up regular COM
with each other by means OF
q sign language unintelligible save 70
tne lnlNl1Leu ntSG b4H44S ALt
where 70 go, what places 10 avoid and
the route taken by the maker. They
appear cut or chalked on fences, are dis
played IN paint or pencil along the cir
of water tanks or round
houses, and disfgure the walls Of coun-
try depots. Door posts or 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 the winter and seeks
the country IN tho summer But while
the farmer welcomes the 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 1
3 little work.
1t is estimated by King Wilson I. that
be has $4,000 subjects throughout the
United States. He doesn't comprise in !
this number the honest poor, who are I
looking for employment, or the capital 1
stic gypsies who own horses and wagons |
and Journey from place to place, tinker 4
ng 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 flee woodpile or 4 job quicker
than they would pest house. The ever
present nuisance of this great army OF
eeches has become so intolerable that 1
many States carry on their statute books
avs that might seem harsh and unrcas-
snable To the theOretic philanthropists, 4
put which, with all their severity, seem
70 avail little in checking the growing 1
evil o. voluntary idleness. -