, 1891-06-24
HOW IT WAS DONE THEN
Early Day Methods of Dealing With
Tramps in Cheyenne.
The Style Was Remarkably Unsent-
mental But Effective.
1t Might Not Do So Well Now But It
Contains Valuable Hints.

The present tramp nuisance recalls TO
the minds of old timers the troubles ex-
perienced in 1873 from the tramps
who stopped here in Cheyenne for a few
days while following the railroad west
ward. JEFF Carr was at that time CITY
marshal and handled the tramps without
gloves.
The town hen had an old log cabin
back of the Dyer house for a city Jail and
as it was small, the question would arise
what to do with the prisoners. The
people we're very much worked up by the
tramps and buns flooding the town, and
decided to run them out. Every once in
a while a bunch would be caught who were
guilty of petty thieving, and then they
were in hard luck. A mild form of the
vigilance committee was organized and
each member, with a cowhide or a quirt
under his coat. would meet at an appoint
ed place. Some way or other they would
always find the tramps at the same place
and then the fun would commence.
Each tramp or thief, which eyer he
might be, was asked which way he wanted
to 90. The destination of some would be
Ogden, and others Denver or Omaha.
Each member of the viGilants would pick
his man and face him in the direction he
wished to go, and then tell him ito GIT,
accompanying his injunction with a sharp
blow OF the whip he would jerk from be-
Taufh he anaN TLa Ill -.=a
and run with his nemesis on his trail,
who would give him a lick at every jump,
and keep it up until tired out with the
running. The tramp never would quit
running while in sight of the town; and
it was very seldom that any of them ever
returned, as they we're Informed before
starting that if they came back they
would surely be killed, and from their
nights experience they thought that they
were certainly in danger OF their lives.
jim Bean was at that time a justice OF
the peace and he know exactly how to
handle a hummer. When brought into
court for trial, with the air Of great JUS
tice and wisdom. Bean would get down a
big law book and read to them a few
chapters. The law the judge read was
wonderful, and was chiefly a creation Of
his own brain. He found whole para
graphs relating to tramps, showing how If
a man was caught begging twice it was
work with a ball and chain, three times
the penalty was twenty lashes, and for all
crimes of a graver sort it was at the op-
ton of the justice to send the offender to
imprison for life or else order him hung to
the limb OF a tree.
If a prisoner was impairment enough
to question the judges law, Bean had I
club. made from the big end of a billiard
cue, that he would use in making the
prisoner think. at least for the time be
ing, that the law lie had heard was COS
pei. Beans law and method of running
a police court, while not exactly humane,
was at least effective, as he never had to
try a prisoner but once, and when the
sentence was Get out oftown 10 ten MN.
utes, the tramp would generally obey
aud thank his stars that he was permitted
to get out alive. Bean oerved his term
out with distinction to himself and at
small cost to the city and county for the
feeding and trial of tranps.
At that time the notorious Doc Baggs
and his gang of bunco men were working
along tho Union Pacific system. Their
headquarters were at Sidney and there
they reapcd a rich harvest. A Messenger