The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-12-13


the Bar, Pulpit or Medicine-Rich
Ones Die, Leaving Money to Found
"PaIaces" For Paupers, in the
neutrality-suspicious. the Glass That
See and Know the Tramp at Close
Range.
Copyright, 1896.
New York, Dec. 1.-THE merriest man
in the world to-day" said a physician con-
uected with the board of health, lis a
man who will spend his Christmas day In
a hospital and eat his Christmas dinner
from the hospital table. His palor glad
dens him; his feeble heart leaps with joy
at its own weakness; his quavering limbs
cause his soul to experience a happiness
of which he has long despaired. His
case is one of many with whom doctors
have to deal. But the newspapers rarely
know about them, though they are inter-
esting enough.
This man the nerriest one in the
world, is Isl Cook, King of the Tramps.
He has been member of his profession
twenty-five years and its shining light
for ten. AS King of 1'ramps, he heads
a calling that is truly American. No
other country has the tramp as we have
him here. In Russia the tramp would soon
find himself in Siberia as a suspect a
travelling insugator. In Germany he
might meet a similar fate. In England
there is not room for good tramping
tour, and other countries have each pro.
hibitory obstacles.
In America the tramp has a broad field
for his operations He can go upon a
tramp 5000 miles wide and 1900 miles long,
from north to south. Cat-a-cornered ne
can take a trip much longer. He can ac-
commodate himself to all seasons and TO
all zones. Dry ATTITUDES can be visited
by him in damp seasons and cool chimes in
August. No globe-trotter with millions
in his pocket can Guido the tramp in va
riety. We see him everywhere.
AS witness that the tramp's profession
Is an aluring one in this country it may be
cited that there are more members of the
tramp profession than of the legal one
Massachusetts has 5000 tramps, and that
state has fewer members of the American
Bar Association. New York has 500 tramps
tramps, and only few more
lawyers New Jersey has 1000
more tramps than legal lights
and as the states get larger and more
thinly settled the tramp profession in
creases.
When 81 Cook, king of the tramps, ar
rived in New York city the day before
tour OF six months. He started from
Cramps shipyard, where ne went to see
battleship launched, and went north to
Niagara. He hung around the Falls for
few weeks, and, then, as the police were
Vigilant and watehful, and as he had been
ordered to move on too often to be pleas
ant, he took a step across to Chicago.
where he spent only one day. From there
he stole rides as far as Nebraska to see
the election fun and came back, getting
home in time for Thanksgiving turkey.
During this time he had enjoyed sew
eral delightful rests in public hotels at
taxpayers expense. A hospital home re-
ceived him in Detroit for ten days Again
he rested in Toledo and again in Buffalo
The last rest was for thirty days, and
though satisfying, as the bed was a good
one and the food plentiful though coarse,
he was glad to move on, for his window
opened on a brick court and the days were
long
THE question of winter now faced him,
as it does every tramp in winter. What to
do when it comes cold weather is the only
thing that keeps tramp awake He can
tramp 1t to Florida, to be sure, but there
he must mix with the blacks and that is
beneath his dignity.
when ST Cook arrived in New York
and found the first blast OF winter upon
him he sat down TO ruminate
newspaper caught his eye. 1t
told of the tuberculosis suspects and ad-
vocated the taking of poor consumptives
into the hospitals until spring. They could
be experimental upon, and kept from
contagion, perhaps.
"'Well, said 81 Cook, they can expert
ment upon me and no mistake. and If
amt a consumptive I'll hope ter eat my
shoes, and 1 guess I'd have ter SOON
THE next day l was surprised to have
appear before me a big, bury fellow with
a face streaked with -four to simulate pal
for. What is your name?' 1 asked, 81
Cook King of the Tramps,'
Q smile creep over the faces of the
dispensary staff he added quickly, but I'm
sick now, doctor. I've been sleepin' near
cow wild tuberculosis and my cough is ter
rible painful and my lungs
81 motioned him away. Into Bellevue I'M
ill he improves said /, knowing well that
the wards are filled with tramps in cold
weather 81 thanked me gratefully and was
led away, emitting little hollow coughs
like barking dog. The next day he told
me about himself and the profession of
which he is king.
How tramps get their money during
these long tours is a question that kept
the statistician busy for a long time. 1t
was finally answered by questioning the
tramps themselves as they were taken to
prisons, and hospitals, especially the lat
ter
ut was found that 25 per cent. work for
what they want The smallest sum on
which tramp can live is 81 per week
This includes his clothing, his shoes, his
hair cuttings-for a hair cut is a luxury
I'm which every tramp indulges-his drinks
and his food. All foot up to that amount
BY working one day week the tramp
can manage to live all the year round,
and during the weeks he is doing time
he can take his rest In many of the
time places a small sum is paid the la
borer for his work, and this is the tramp s
delight. The name of such benevolent
institution is passed along from tramp to
tramp, and the place is generally filled to
the doors Tramps will purposely get
drunk or steal a copper to be sent to an
institution of this character
Twenty-Five per cent. of all tramps
beg and steal what they get. They stop
at a farm house over night, make them
selves generally entertaining and go
away with a little money. either gracious
gift or something appropriated Women
can be relied upon to help this branch Of