Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1897-07-01


with tie ''wea-y W'illies."
About two weeks ago. so Marshal
Klien says, the tramps came in large
numbers saying they were hunting
work in the harvest field. When the
people heard of their laudable inten.
ton they offered no objections to their
staying in the town and cheerfuly
trotted to the back door FIVE or six
times per day in answer to the knocks
Of the tramps and of course supplied
them with Handouts. The tramps
had been with the Ellinwood people
four or FIVE days when the farmers be-
gan coming in hunting fcr harvest
hands. The tramps would then meet
the farmers early in the day and with
a smile of gratitude would agree to
work for very low wages. some of them
accepting as low as 81 per day.
This great bargain would naturally
elate the farmers, and as result the
farmer and his soon to be employee
would seek z summers drink shop and
one drink would naturally be followed
by another Until finally the farmer
would get ready to go home. This is
the point where the tramp would get in
his work by doing the vanishing act
and the farmer would be again hunting
harvest hands.
This continued for three or four
days until the farmers finally caught on
and refused to bite. The trannps then
organized Harvest Hands Union and
OF course elected officers. After the
election it was sound that the tranaps
had secured al the efices and the few,
poor, misguided, honest laborers who
had been worked into the scheme were
simply members. After the election
the officers of the union got together
and decided that no union man should
accept job for less than ST.. so per
day.
The union then began to carry things
with snch ahigh hand that the citizens
organized a posse and drove most Of
the tramps from the town and broke
up the union.
After this everything was peaceable
and quiet until last Wednesday when
upon being refused ride on the Santa
Fe freight, the tramps drew guns and
attempted to capture the train, How
ever, they were unsuccessful as the
train was backed into Ellinwood and
posse again organized and started
after the tramps. The posse finally
succeeded in capturing two of the
tramps and they were placed in jan.
When searched they were found to be
well armed having, besides revolvers
and knives, several dynamite caps, fuse
and full kit of burgular tools. They
we're held in Jail a couple OF days, but
were finally released, the railroad com
pany refusing to prosecute. When
they were released the marshal depu-
tized several Of the citizens and, with
blacksrakes and clubs, they proceeded
to clean the town of the tramps-about
twenty-five being driven from the city.
Towards the last the tramps KEEP:
most of the women pretty well fright.
ened at least for night or SO. One OF
the tramps, who was undoubtedly a
cocaine fend, got very wild one night
and proceeded TO the eas$ end OF the
Down where he ran Several women
from their houses and made hinsel!
decidedly at home During the pro-
ceedings the man of the house returned
and the tramp proceeded to run hin
back down town.
! 1t really seems as though these
worthless characters who would no
work when they had the chance got of
entirely too easy though their depart
ure was undoubtedly for Ellinwood s..s
good radiance of a bad nuisance"
However. Eliinwood was not tht
only town afflicted with these undesir
able characters as reports from othel
towns indicate that the state is at pres
ent bountifuliy supplied with thes.
pests. though IN NJ other town did the,
attempt to carry things in such
high handed way as they did in Ellin
wood.