The Big Stone post. (Big Stone Gap, Va.) 1890-1892, 1890-11-07
THE KING OF TRAMPs.
How Wilson Becker Earned This
Questionable Title.
He Is Only a Lad of Twenty But the Most
Expert Knight Of the Road in the
Country-Story of Ills Trans
Continental Expedition.

American NGSFalCN, StN = IuC A''sio1h'OAS
Herald. In May. the young man, whose
proud boast is that he never done
lick O work less had to" in his life,
was made the subject of a wager at Bos-
ton. His hacker bet large sum that
the "Saifor Kid" would travel from the
Hub 10 San Francisco and return in the
SPACE Of twenty-ono days without spend
ing 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
lifc-on the proposition that he can
beat his way around the world under
the same conditions as those OF his
transcontinental trip. in 102 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
1t may be interesting to noto 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. At the age of nine he ran
away. Working on the sympathy OF
sailors by romantic but untruthful tales
of voc, he made voyages to Calcutta,
Hong Kong, Honolulu and England.
After an absence OF eighteen months
he reached homo. But the fever OF
travelling was in his veins, and he next
essaycd land journeys throughout the
United States with a success that has
no interruption up TO the present time.
In 1887 young Becker, who, because
of his nautical experience, was known
to the fraternity as ''Sailor Kid" at
tended big convention of tramps at
the Nanticokc (Pa.) coal breaker. 1t
was decided by this convention TO
choose king. The convention de-
vcloped two candidates of about equal
strength-Patsy Bolivar and "Sailor
Kid" Each was popular and had
largo 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 CHANGED to learn
that Indians were allowed to ride FREQ
on trains crossing the western pralrles,
and while PATSY" Bolivar plugged
along" slowly in freight cars, thc"Sailor
Kid" with feathers in his hair, paint on
his face and blanket over his Shout
ders. sped westward n the smoker OF q
lightning express. This was but one OF
the many schemes he found available,
and as a result he gained the insignia
of ROYALTY. 1t took twenty-siX days to
make the race for tho throne, and on
the twenty-cighth his majesty assumed
the sccpter 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 peaccable, industrious, sober
artisans. The "Knights of the Road"
as they call themselves, hold yearly
conventions and keep up regular COM
mnnication with each other by means OF
q sign language unintelligiblc 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 chall1ed on fences, arc dis
PLAYED in paint or pencil along the cir
conference of water tanks or round
houses. and disfgurc the walls of coun-
try depots. Door posts or gates arc also
utilized for conveying information about
dogs. "hand outs" square meals" and
the possibility of being compelled to
work for Il nights lodging.
One custom is common to the million
airc and the tramp. Each is denizen
of tic city during the 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 hayingoc harvest time,
when. for large compensation, the
knight of the road may be induced to do
little work.
1t is estimated by King Wilson l. that
he has 80, 600 subjects throug' at the
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. Lii lieges are those
only who don't hav to work. and who
would fee woodpilc or 4 job quicker
than they would pest house. The ever
present nuisance of this great army Of
iccches has become so intolerablc that
many States carry on their statute books
laws that might seem harsh and unreas-
enable to the thcorctic philanthropists,
but which, with all their severity, seem
to avail little in checking the growing
evil of voluntary idlcness.