New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-05-08

ARMY WANDERING AROUND THE CITY
AND sUBsIsTING ON THE PROCEEDS
OF BEGGARY- ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
EXPECTED-SOME OF THE
FELLOWS TALKING
OF DYNAMITE.
|BY TELEGRAPH TO TEDUNEl
Washington May 1T seems to be Time TOT
some plain talk. The authorities of the District
OF Columbia inviting pestilence III the
southwestern quarter of the city of washington
bordering upon a so-caled canal which Is
actually an open, fetid sewer these authorities
have allowed General" COxey to estaDhsh
a camp" In which from 500 TO 700 men eat and
sleep. 1t Is on made" ground-ground made by
the dumping Of .ity offal of every description
and degree Of founess-the surface of which is
not above high tide 1t is not honest earth
that one trea1 is there. but a Shiny. sticky. bad
smelling composition. every cubic inch of which
bears a thousand germs of contagion and disease,
which a few hours Of hot sunshine will liberate
Danger turks in every breath. The CITY OF
Eden" described by Dickens in Martin Chuz-
zlewit" was a health resort compared with this
spot upon which the authorities of the Nationai
Capital have allowed men enough to form a
regiment TO take up their quarters and feed
and sleep in straw like swine The camp is
q space perhaps 200 feet square, Enclosed by
high close fence In the centre stands circu-
lar tent large enough to shelter about 100 men,
and on two sides of the square canvas mas
been stretched from the fence, so as to form a
canopv perhaps dozen feet wide. under which
the rest Of the army" is bestowed at night.
third side of the square-and the least undesir-
able one-is occupied by the horses of the
"army" whose shelter is the same as that or the
men. 1t should be, noted, however that the
natrician animals belonging to General Coxey
are kept in a comfortable stable several squares
distant from the camp" Like their owner who
stays at a frst-class hotel. they do not snare
the dscomforts of camp" life
When a Tribune correspondent entered the in
closure this afternoon. after the payment of an
admission fee, his nostrils were assaed by
variety Of pupgent. offensive odors that would
have put garbage cart to shame Puddles Of
foul water dotted the surface and filled the shall
low bitches which have been dug at intervals.
Over several open fires men frying meat;
few were working in feeble. languid way 10
Improve the drainage of the grounds; others were
asleep in the straw and the rest were playing
cards or reading newspapers. Military discipline
prevailed to the extent that "marshaf' detailed
two men, who were persuaded that 1t would not
hurt them TO work an hour on some matter OF
camp improvement, and others were detailed TO
unload wagon which had been driven in with a
load of wood. For the most part. however. the
zoo men in camp at tha. tire were enjoying
perfect II not elegant leisure Bad smells were
nothing TO them, apparently, so long as the ra-
lions held out, and none Of them evinced the
slightest curiosity as to where employment could
be found.
One Of the "marshals" Informed The Tribune
that tha rod
about seven hundred men, SO that about five
hundred were wandering about the city this af-
ternoon-not TO seek employment, but 10 loll
the benches in the parks or crafty their aes-
beauties Of the National Capitol. or to obtain
donations" for the cause"
THE ARMY" LIVING BY BEGGARY
General" Coxey was not in the camp" The
marshal" said that "he had gone 70 dinner at
his hotel" When asked how the army pro-
cured food. the marshal" said that
obtained from the markets. being such the
marketmen found themselves unable to sell. and
the rest was contributed by the god people Of
Washington" "Th' %. people Of Washington"
~. contributing generously to the support Of the
deluded followers of Coxey and Browne. but they
are not doing so without solicitation. In other
words, the army" personally and through It's
agents. is engaged in public begging and every
Coxey is liable 10 arrest vagrant If
man. however honest and industrious. though un-
fortunate he may be- is caught begging on the
public streets for the price Of a meal nights
lodging he is arrested and either the
workhouse allowed a few hours In which 10
leave town Yet day after day, the authorities
of the District of Columbia allow this wholesale
begging by and behalf Of CoXeys army to
go on without let hindrance.
At the camp this afternoon the correspond
ent asked one Of the "marshals": What are you
here for, and how long do you expect TO stay?
and he answered:
"well, don't know how long we shall have
to stay but are here to have General Cox
ey's bills passed We want the interest on all
Government bonds stopped. because they are
owned by monaires; and we want the Govern
ment to issue $500 100000 Of Greenbacks at the
rate of $20,000.000 a month, to be divided among
the several States. according to population and
expended In the building of roads Each man
will get petition from his friends at home. and
present 1t to his Senator and Congressman, and
ask him to vote for these bills shall take my
petition. when get it. to Senator Daniel and to
Congressman Edmunds, who represents my dis
trict In Virginia.
well. suppose they decline to vote for the
bills?"
''Then we'll decide what to do next" was the
answer.
"Are you expecting reinforcements?"
"Oh. yes; parties are coming from different
parts Of the country. and recruits are Joining us
every day..
"This camp will soon become too small to ac-
commodate You. thenT' suggested the corre-
"weli. we will then have to find larger
place" responded the marshal"
MENAcING LANGUAGE OF coxEYs MEN.
1t was evident from this mans tone and
manner that the rank and file Of the army"
expect to stay in Washington Indefinitely, and
that II he knows the plans of the leaders more
serious developments may be in store than the
fantastic performances Of the last week would
seem to indicate. In this relation IT Is pertinent
to add that. in conversation with a Tribune
correspondent on Saturday Representative Cogs-
well. OF Massachusetts. said
"A member of the House told me that he spent
an hour mingling with CoXey's crowd several
evenings ago. while Coxey was delivering one
OF his speeches. and he overheard one Of them
say to comrade That's the talk that will
fetch them or II II don't, dynamite will He