St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-01-18
MINNEAPOLIS.
THE TRAMP NUISANCE.
The Police Ready to Begin n Sys-
tematic Attempt to Abate II.

The Police Ready to Begin n Sys-
tematic Attempt to Abate 1t.
The tramp nuisance is becoming ST
pronounced in Minneapolis that the po-
lice are being forced to take cogniZance
of it and hes if themselves to CHI eek it.
1t has il re lSed enormously in the past
few months. Of course. at this season
of the year, and especially during run
OF cold weather, rs has prevailed III
Minneapolis recently, the number OF
trampS IS increased; that Is, the visible
supply is augmented. There is the same
number of trampS abroad in the lane
nj other times, no doubt, but they are moi
seen in such numbers The cold weather
drives them 10 the necessity OF sleeping
at the central station and working for
something - eat or begging. They seem
10 have adopted the latter alternative III
MinneapU is. The outlying districts of
the city are overrun with them. The
people who live close 10 the business
center. or inside the patrol limits do not
know much about The tramp nuisance.
The old-time tramp Is foxy" as men
are made. He is careful 10 keep as far
from the eye of the policeman as posi-
bic. He knows that # the blue coats
find him begging he Will be rewarded
In many cases, in the portions
OF the city fartheSt removed
from the business district, where
the patrolman is most numerous.
the tactics OF the tramp are assuming
some of the prominent characteristics
OF the highwayman. He is no longer
content with asking for bite of broken
Victuals. 1t is his delight to approach
some house that has been carefully
spotted beforehand and which lie knows
has been left in the care OF the women
of the family, and asks for pie. If he
does not get it he assumes an air that is
threat. He friehterS the women into
treating him as a YelcOme guest Many
neighborhOodS are being Systematically
terrUrised by these pests The police
are unable 10 do anything in case like
that. They canIot run iii man unless
they have a case against him. SO the
nuisance gees on.
The tramp room of the central police
station is the clearing house of the
tramp association during this period Of
rigorous weather. They cannot sleep
In unOuTricG water mains when the
mercury indicates that tie temperature
Is away below zero. Neither is a coal
bin or Il hayloft, when one can be found.
the cOsieSt sort of bed on such night
tramps center at the police station. All
through this cold weather the tramp
room at the centaal station has been oc-
rupied by from thirty-fve to seventy
five men every night A good many of
them are merely unfortunate men who
would work could they find anything
TO do. They are always welcome.
But missed in with them are good many
cnronics. They soon become known to
the police and are refused admittanee
after they have come there to sleep long
enough to reveal their true character.
The police are thinking of making an
attack upon these fellows and attempt
Ing TO weed them out. 1t is probable
that this week the police will begin
sending few wagcnIoads of the fellows
to the workhouse for thirty days each.
They can be got at handily III the morn
Ing when the time CONES for them to go
out into the world. A few doses of the
workIOuse will make the other fellows
weary OF Minneapolis, and they will be
apt TO light out for some more hospit-
able city. The housewives who nave
been almost frightened out of their wits
by the threatening approach of these
tramp9 will bless the police for do
Ing it.