The St. Johns herald., 1890-12-04
THE KING OF TRAMPS.
How Wilson Becker Earned Tai
 =. Questionable Title.
He Is Only Lad of Twenty But the Most Expert Knight of the Road in the
 Country-Story of His Trans- = Continental Expedition.

regularly elected king of the trampS
 has just completed trip which give:
 him perpetual claim on the throne ot
 American vagrancy, says the Baltimore
 Herald. In May. the young man, whose
 proud boast is that he mover done Q
 lick O work less 1 had to" in his life,
 was made the subject of wager at Dos-
 ton. His bacl1cr bet a large sum that
 the ''Sailor Kid" would travel from the
 Hub to 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
 Hfe-on the proposition that he can
 beat his way around the world under
 the same conditions as those of his
 transcontinental trip, in 1O2 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 note how this lad, tyet 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 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 essayed 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 Nanticoke (Pa.) coal breaker. It was decided by this convention to choose a king. The 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. It 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"SailoI Kid" with feathers in his hair, paint on his face and blanket over his shoul. ders, sped westward in the smoker of a express. This was but one of the many schemes he found available, and as result he gained the insignia of royalty. It 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 well organized as any body of peaceable, industrious, sober artisans. The Knights of the Road" as they call themselves, hold yearly and keep up regular com with each other by means of a sign language unintelligible 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 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 a denizen of the city during the winter and seeks the country in the summer. But while the farmer welcomes the one, the other Is an object of aversion and distrust, save, perhaps, in hayingo or harvest time,  when, for large compensation, the knight of the road may be induced to do 3 little work.
 It is estimated by King Wilson I. that he has SO,OOO subjects throughout the | United States. He doesn't comprise in . this number tho honest poor, who are . looking for employment, or the capital stic gypSies who own horses and wagons | md journey from place to place, tinker ng broken pots and pans, making sharp ! .rades and devastating hen roosts and I melon patches. His lieges are those | only who don't have to work" and who would flee woodpile or job quicker han they would pest house. The ever present nuisance of this great army of eeches has become so intolerable that many States carry on their statute books avs that might seem harsh and unreas- )nable to the theoretic philanthropists, put which, with all their severity, seem .o avail little in checking the growing evil of voluntary idleness.