Los Angeles herald., 1892-11-06

with solitary cells and jailyards where
| convicted tramps could be confined or put
to work. One of the principal causes why
| the tramp's life in Jail is not hard one is
| because OF this reason, which more than
| one jailer has given me: AS a general
| thing in midwinter and early spring
| tramps travel from town to town in pairs
| or groups, and are so committed until the
| Jail is crowded beyond its proper capacity.
| This means bad sanitation and the devel-
| opment of ugly and vicious temperament,
which at times makes the bravest taller
| apprehensive when he enters the jail On
| such occasions n liberal supply of solid
| food causes the herd of tramps to gorge
| themselves, and when not dreaming the
happy hours away they are quite good
| natured pending the advent of the next
meal.
There is provision in the law that con-
victed tramps can be turned over to the
city authorities to labor on streets 1t is
astonishing how little common sense is
used by municipalities in dealing with the
tramp nuisance. 1t costs every town and
| county Of Iowa goodly sum to feed and
house the struggling army of tramps from
the 1st day Of December until the first
warm days OF April, and for this service
the tramps render no equivalent what
ever.
AS q usual thing the ordinary town Gala
boose, which serves for police station, is
u small shanty, narrow and cramped, with
out sanitation, and pestilential in all of it's
appointments. 1t should be large and
commodioUs structure, surrounded by an
ample yard with open sheds, where the
tramp fraternity, among whom are often
found worthy, but unfortunate men, could
have the opportunity of earning their food
and lodging by labor. Not one tramp in
twenty is possessed Of an overcoat or pair
of gloves In the winter time the city
should furnish these necessary supplies
for the temporary use of these men during
their employment. The sidewalks and
streets could be cleaned of snow, and in
the station yards stone could be prepared
for matchmaking streets, and in other
ways this labor could be utilized by the
city at a profit without the necessity of
treating them as criminals and outlaws.
1t is true there are great many incorri-
gible cases who are unwilling to work, but
even with this class arbitrary but humane
measures could be devised to bring them to
terms. The average cost for the trial of a
court and officers fees is s375, exclusive of
cost for feeding and lodging If courts
and officers choose to connive together to
arrest and try them singly the court costs
alone are enormous, as often large num-
Der of tramps are arrested in single day.
l recall five days of March, 1891, when
fifteen tramps were arraigned, and during
this period l iotted down memoranda of
story q
tried separately, in groups of three, was
curious to ascertain how their stories
would compare. To my surprise nearly
every one related a similar experience, and
l was convinced that their stories were
true in the main. The average age Of
each was twenty three years, though
among them were many boys under twenty
years. All used tobacco and fully one
half confessed to the drink habit. Not
more than one-third had acquired trades.
Two-thirds were ordinary "day laborers."
Each of them averaged two meals day.
AS general thing the very poorest people
cheerfully divided with them of their
meager stores, and frequently invited them
to sit at their tables and often treated
them as guests. The well to do classes
persons who lived in comfortable and mod
est thouses-seldom turned them away with
out food, but at these places they were
rarely invited indoors.
Uninitiated novices on the road. taking
their first tramp, made one mistake, and
that was applying to q wealthy mans
house for food. This mistake was seldom
repeated, for there was not one rich man
in fifty who would give tramp a bite
except that of a bulldog-and rich women
and their servants invariably slammed the
door in their faces Several of them testi-
fed that they had been driven from the
doors of rich mems houses with clubs, and
number of them, when questioned as to
the reasons assigned by their wealthy
brethren for their refusal to supply them
with food, said the invariable reason as
signed was that they could not afford it.
have had some experience at the bar
and on the bench in weighing and analyz-
ing evidence, and this testimony of these
wandering brothers of mine, which seems
to be the universal testimony Of the whole
fraternity, told on different occasions,
without collusion with each other, in
modest and respectful manner, with
out the slightest evidence of ill will to
anybody, with no reproaches for any un-
kindness, and with grateful acknowledge
ment of every benefaction, impressed me
as the words of soberness and truth.
And l have often wondered if after all it
isn't easier work to feed tramp occasion
ally than to weary yourself throwing him
over the fence or pursuing him with club.
And wouldn't it be cheaper to feed an oc-
casional tramp than continual bulldog,
or to pay policemen, judges and jailers FOR
arresting sentencing and feeding himp
And then | conjure up Bishop Myrie,
and Jean Vatican, and whatever others
may think 1 cannot help but be glad that
the spirit of the good bishop lives and
glows in the cottages of America among
the poor and lowly. S. II. DAVIS.
Curious Revolutionary Relics.