The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-12-14
HIT THE GOVERNOR
LEWELLING ACCOSTED BY A TRAMP
AND HE DIGS UP A QUARTER
He Thought, However, That He Recognized
the Gentleman as q Man Whom he
Caught Pooling With His Chickens
When he Was Engaged in
the Poultry Business

How does Governor Lewelling trea
tramps, himself? This has probabl,
been asked many times since his recent
proclamation. An experiment was tried
last night.
81 want a slick fellow to do a job quick, y
said an EAGLE reporter to the proprietor OF
a 15-cent lodging house last night.
ANY crooked work in it? ~
mo"
'All right, then. John, come here"
A quiet-looking colored man presented
himself. He cast his eyes about him sus-
piciously and inquiringly asked: "What's
upf"
"Were you ever tramp :" asked the re-
porter.
Eyes, sah."
'.Can you play tramp todightr'
"Yes, sab, you bet; if there is anything
in il, ?"
do you know Governor Lewelling?"
"Yes sab. / knew him when he handled
chickens, boss"
Cant you look tough and strike him
for the price of a beds"
''Lawd! no sab. Dat man Lewelling
would have me in Jail"
"Wh,."
"Why Lawd, white man. rse done took
more chickens from dat man than would
buy farm"
There's drink in it,
Gall right honey, you're my buckle
berry,"
In three minutes more John was trans
formed into as seedy specimen OF tramp
AS could be found In days travel Five
minutes later he sbuffi-d up to Governor
Lewelling in the billiard hall of the Carey.
'Say, boss, couldn't you gi'me the price
Of Il bed?''
The governor looked at the tramp in as
constituent, aud after surveying him from
head to foot said
"Where do you hail froms"
From Neodesha."
what are you doing here?"
Looking for work. boss"
'Havn't you any friends here?'
Il had friend mere, Mr.. ORGY, but he
has moved to Topeka understand" (Ir.
Grey is the governors messenger.)
What do you do for living?"
Il job around, sab. am willing to do
anything honest"
"All right, sir, said the governor, pull
ing out piece of paper and writing on it
as follows: 'ToChief Conceive this man
lodging for the night aud breakfast in the
morning. L. D. LEwELLING.
As the governor was about to present
him with the paper he drew his hand back
and said:
81 think know you. You look exactly
like the niger that caught fooliug with
my chickens when l lived in Fairmont +"
The African heard this with alarm.
Boss" said he. lin relating it to the
reporter, ~ did think 1 was n conner shuah
when he spoke bout dem chicks"
"What did yon do-gvs the snap
away?''
'Lawd, no. boss; dis niger is too smart
for dat. 'splained to him dat warn't
dat niger. l looked innocent and sad
and done told him dat was a believer in
the bible and a christian and dat didn't
believe in stealing chickens"
''What did he say to that?"
He done scratched his head and looked
at me with a pow'ful look. I'll tell you,
boss, dat gub'nor can look down into a
mans heart. he can"
what did he do then?"
"He went down into his pocket and give
me dis yere two bits"
did he lecture youp
''He said dat must not spend it for
Ticker"
Much oblige, John, you did your work
cleverIy."
Hold on dar, boss, let's spend them
two bits and drink to de health of the COB
ernor."
The idea OF the interview was to dis.
cover how Governor Lewelling, anent his
recent proclamation. receives tramps per-
soually. To most people they are sore
pest aud there was some curiosity to
know what the governor who had cham
pioned them, would do.
The interview between the counterfeit
Weary Watkins is given rs nearly as pos
sible as the colored man repeated it. The
EAGLE sent quarter by mail to the gov
ernor this morning. 1t was not intended
that he should suffer any loss from the eX-