The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-09-07

A Xr1mp-COvered Observation-Disclosures
Brsaking-reps-0saer~l Progressive.
ness.
Correspondence of The Messenger.)
Rocky Mount. n. c.. Septe alber ?.
Every section. or North Carolina
~traversed by a railroad Is just now
sorely infested with the tramp vermin.
Tuesday night the residence OF j. G..
Higgins. a prominent railroad man.
was burglariously entered and his gold
watch stolen. The burglar, a negro.
escaped.
A mar named Short. a few miles in
the country. was absent from his
dwelling and in his field at work: his
wife was visiting a neighbor. when a
negro tramp broke into his dwelling
and pillaged IL OF money. clothing, jew
elry. etc. When caught and sent to
Nash Jail yesterday. besides the arti-
Giles stolen from Short. the negro had
three pistols in his yalise.
A negro. who had been killed by
blows on the head and thrown into Tar
river. was found there Tuesday. The
deceased, who was in the mploym
of the railroad, had drawn $40. which
was not on the body when drawn out
OF the river. The assailant has not
been caught
AcoI itdutIS are IdfnlIlaI Win the
case of Blackwell recently killed by
the negro tramp Purvis, in Harnett
county.
Negro tramps are rather a novelty
and a dangerous addition to the
genus. The professional white tramp
is apt 10 take no hazardous risks in
crime. His happy-go-lucky. careless.
though reckless kind of life forbids. He
likes the open air two well to court
prison life, and in that he differs with
his colored brother.
Both sorts are equally disinclined to
pedal locomotion. He cleaves to rail-
way lines. When elected from one train
he boards another. Time. nor place,
constitutes the essence Of tramp life.
Is there a remedy? Chapter 63, sec
ond volume of The Code is full and ex-
plicit on the tramp nuisance. If ii be
conceded that if tramps are kept off
h railroad trains they will virtually
give the state a wide berth" that
fact may guide us to the remedy.
Make it a miSdemeanor to be caught
stealing a ride on any train. punish
able by Imprisonment for not less
than twelve months in the states
prison. The state can use and hire
all it's convicts. Justices of the peace
hesitate to send tramps to Jail to be
fed by the tax payers.
Train officers might be made police
detectives along their lines and their
duty should be to turf Over offenders
to nearest courts of competent jurisdic-
ton and prosecute them. The details
Of such a statute can be readily sup
piled.
Harsh" some p~hilanthropist may
exclaim. True, but Shakespeare says:
desperate diseases by desperate ap-
planes are relieved"
At least twenty handsome dwellings,
are in process Of erection or in near
contemplation.
There are big breaks every day at
the four large tobacco warehouses and
the farmers are satisfied with prices.
The large crop has been well cured and
this tells the story.
Battle & Thorne, the attorneys for
the prosecution in the "~whitecap" cases
procured bench warrants from Judge
Sutton and the parties have all been
arrested, whom the victims identified.
They will be tried at Nash criminal
court, which begins on the 18th of Sep
TENDER.
Colonel Worthington, a prominent
attorney, has removed with his family
to Wilson. Rocky Mount great loss is
Wilson's gain.