The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1893-04-13
TIE KING OF TRAMPS.
How Wilson Becker Earned This
Questionable Title.
no Is Only Lad OF Twenty But the Most
Export Knight Of tho Road in the
Cnnntry-Story of His Trans
Continental Expedition.

|
regularly elected king Of the tramps
has just completed trip which gives
him o perpetual claim on the throne OF
American vagrancy, says the Baltimore
Herald. In May. the young man, whose
proud boast is that he never done a
lick O work less had to" in his life,
was made the subject Of wager at Bos
ton. His hacker bot a large sum that
che ''SailOr Kid" would travel from the
Hub to San Francisco and return in the
space CT twcnty-ono days without spend.
ing cent for railway fare or food The
feat was accomplished, and tho sport
who risked his motley on the tramp pre-
sented him, tho other evening, with
$500 OF his winnings.
Booker now offers to venture this sum
tho most money he eycr had in his
lifc-on tho proposition that he can
beat his way around tho world under
the same conditions as those OF his
transcontincntal trip, in 102 days.
Meanwhile he basks in the homage OF
his ragged subjects, who declare that
'dcr king can't be downcd by any man
wot works der road
1t may be interesting to note how this
lad, not yet twenty years old, has solved
tho problem of living without labor and
gained the names by which hci known.
lie was born in Dcmarara, British
Guiana, and was christened Wilson
Becker. At tho age OF nine he ran
away. Working on tho sympathy OF
sailors by romantic but untruthful tales
of woo, he mado 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 4 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 Gs "Sailor Kid" at
tended big convention of tramps at
the Nanticoko (Pa.) coal breaker. 1t
was decided by this convention to
choose king. The convention de-
veloped two candidates of about equal
strength-Patsy Bolivar and Sailor
Kid" Each was popular and had a
large following. After several unsatis'
factory ballots, numerous fights and the
consumption Of oceans Of beer. the
contcnding factions made com
promise. 1t was agreed that the crown
should grace the brow of the candidate
who mado tho quickest trip from New
York City to San francisco and back,
via New Orleans. Bccke: won with
hands down.
While en- route he CHANGED to learn
that Indians wcro allowed to- ride free
on trains crossing tho western prairies
and whilo PATSY" Bolivar plugged
along" slowly in freight cars, he"Sailol
Kid" with feathers in his hair, paint on
his face and blanket over his shout.
ders, sped westward In the smoker Of q
lightning express. This was hut ono Of
tho many schemes he found available,
and as result he gained tho insignia
OF royalty. Il took twentr-aia days to
make tho raoo for the t5conc, and on
the twenty-eighth his majesty assumed
the scepter with the tito Of Wilson l.,
and received the submission Of his NOT
ley gang Of subjects.
Organization seSArns to DO the keynote
of modern existence, and tho trampa
are, perhaps, as we'll organized as 1:y
body Of peaceable, Industrious, sober
artisans The "Ilnights of tho Road. u
as they call themselves, hold yearly
conventions and keep up regular com
munication with each other by means OF
o sign language unintclligible save to
the initiated. These signs indicate
where to 60, what places to avoid and
The route taken by the mallcr. They
appear cut or chalked on fences, are dis
played in paint or pencil along tho Cir.
conference of water tanks or round
houses. and dishgure the VOLS CT ooun.
try depots. Door posts OF gates arc also
utilized for. Conveying information about
| dogs, "hand outs" square meals" and
the possibility Of being compelled to
work for a nights lodging.
One custom is common to the million.
aire and the tramp Each Is a denizeu
of tho city during the winter and socks
the country in tho summer. Eat while
the farmer welcomes tho one, tho other
is an object Of aversion ard distrust
save. perhaps, In hayingor harvest time
when, for large compensation, the
lsnirht OF the road may be induced to dc
q little work.
1t is estimated by King Wilson !, THAI
he has 10000 subjects throug cat the
United States, Ilo doesn't comprise II
this number the honest poor, who arc
locking for employment, or the capital
istic gypsics who own horses and wagon.
and journey from place to place, tinker
ing broken pots and pans, making shar!
| trades and devastating hen roosts ant
melon patched. III: liegcs are those
only who rdon't hav to work and who
! would fec woolpilo or job quicker
than they would q pest house. The eve
present nuisance Of this great army G
leeches has become so intolcrablo tina
many States carry on thejr statute book
laws that might seem marsh ANA unreas
onable To- the Sheorctic philanthropists
| but which, with Ill their severity, seen
to avail littlo In checking the growing
evil of voluntary idleness.
| .<-.----------
| Awful aud lawful.
| 4 Windsor Locks Comm little girl
| just old enough to enter tho infantclas
7 at tho s.undaY-sclool, wns ambitious t