The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-03-21
READY TO MOVE ON
Tramps BeSieging the Township
Trustee for Transportation.
Warm Days Set the "HObOs" TO Moving
dropping Names at the Food
Market.

The warm, fair days have caused a falling
off of the demands on Township Trustee
Gold. In former years the clustering days
so common TO March have called forth
great deal of help from the trustee in the
way Of fuel and provisions. but the excep-
tional weather of this March has effected
a decrease in the demands The great de-
mand on the trustee is transportation. 1t
is not generally understood that the trus-
tee furnishes transportation for small dis
tances 10 those applying for it and VINO
found worthy of aid. The usual ones I'm
need" are the professional tramps or "ho-
bos," to use vernacular. When the appli-
cant asks for transportation he is required
to give an account of himself and the
township trustee then takes a day two
to investigate the story by writing to the
trustee Of the town from which the appli-
cant stated ne had just arrived. If the story
of the applicant is found to be all right he
is given the much-desired railroad pass and
makes his exit from the city with over
flowing heart.
The investigation of the record of the
tramp generally reveals peculiar state of
things. The tramp. as he applies for aid
with rare exceptions gives a heartrending
tale of woe which is generally accompanied
by a flow of tears as he relates the story
The trustee is not to be fooled. He investi-
gates the story without having apparently
been touched by the sad tala He usually
informs the applicant that nothing can be
done for him. There is class of tramps
that in many towns get the desired railroad
pass in this way. The tramp is arrested for
vagrancy and is given trial in Police Court.
The judge informs him that he will be
given an hour TO leave the city. The tramp
departs from the court, but goes directly to
the township trustee, He politely informs
pass to any point 1t matters not where.
The trustee Invariably inquiries into the
case, but in like manner Is coolly informed
by the tramp that as he had been given
time to leave the city and he had no
money with which to buy 1lilroad ticket
II would be better for the township trustee
TO give him pass, as the cost OF getting
him a ticket would be less than that of
keeping him at the workhouse in case there
is no work at that place. 1t is generally
the case that the trustee sees the case In
that light and accordingly the tramp gets
the desired pass and goes to the next town,
where he repeats the dodge.
Trustee Gold has recently failed TO see
audience with such an individual he always
makes the reply that this county can AFFORD
better 10 take care of him in the wOrkhouse
than get him out of the city by giving him
a railroad pass. The tramp departs crest
fallen, and it is not long before he is again
within the confines of the cage at the po-
long, free ride to the workhouse.
The expenses Of the township trustees
office during December were about $780, In
January they had decreased to about 500,
while in February they were but about $500.
During February there were 3SI applicants
for aid in all the lines. After the inyestiga-
ton invariably made by Township Trustee
spective demand. The remaining 163 were
found to be either impostorS or persons who
applied for aid. hoping thus to increase their
supply of provisions and fuel.
1..v.tsN IL.
month has been greater than the correspond
ing month for several vars past This is at
tributed TO the warm weather. Trustee Gold
lily in great destitution. This causes him to
believe that tie people in general are man
aging 70 get along, even though II Is day
The food market had on its list last week
the names of over $500 persons. The week
be seen from this that the list is gradually
decreasing. Last week about two hundred
names were dropped from the list. Yester-
day there were employed on the streets
twenty-one men. If there is no further work
done al Garfield Park there is great danger
that the work already accomplished there
will be undone, as the spring rains will
wash the dirt back into the channels that
were made. 1t is not known that the lake
hope of the committee that financial matters
will soon be in such a shape as to enable
them to proceed with the work The COM
mittee have received about $500 of the
amounts subscribed In the. first canvass,
but which were never handed over by the
donors. The second canvass has not been
pushed very actively for the reason that the
committee has at present suf1cient money
with which to proceed with the work, if
the County Commissioners appropriate the
$4,000 10 carry on the work of the Charity
Reorganization societies. which heretofore
has been kept up by the committee. If the
commissioners donate this amount the COM
mittee will proceed with its work without
making any further canvass. In the second
canvass about $500 was received.
Money for the Sick Poor.
The County Commissioners yesterday re-
ceived Cummings, the agitator and his
committee The committee wanted to
lrnnur Snr,at hing about the fnnr-t hnuSa nd