The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-08-02
KANSAS INVADED BY AN ARMY OF
VAGABONDs WHO WON'T WORK.
Plague of HObOs That Worries the
People More than the GrasshOpper
Pest-Many DepredatiOns.

Topeka, Kan, Aug IA plague worse
han the grasshoppers now infests Kansas
Tramps were never so numerous or their
methods never evil as now. In the midst
Of plenty and their services in demand. they
offer not to work but go up and down the
State begging, and even plundering. In
dimes past these vagabonds have been sat
isfed to beg food from door to door, but
this year they have adopted the methods
and practices of highwaymen, and hesitate
not to break into homes, stores and rail-
road stations, and attempts to capture
railroad trains are of daily occurrence They
ride on trucks, on the blind baggage, on
the roofs of coaches, and if +'0ir numbers
be sufficient they resist the of train
men to dislodge them. On raj occa-
sions bands of tramps numbel from fif-
teen to forty have boarded freight trains
and ridden for miles secure from molesta-
ton on account of their numbers. Two in
stances of this kind were the capture of
an Atchison. Topeka q Santa Fe freight
train by band of tramps at Larned, and
later the boarding of freight train near
Ottawa by small army of the vagabonds,
numbering over forty. All of the other
roads of the State have had similar eX-
perience during the past two months.
On a number of occasions tramps have
presented d warlike front when approached
by conductors or brakemen and nave bat
tied with the trainmen. At SpearVille not
long ago two Atchison Topeka * Santa Re
trainmen were seriously injured in such an
affair BOldness seems to be the chief char
acteristlc of the trampS in Kansas at the
present time. Hardly day or night now
goes by without damage to railroad prop
erty in the State by tramps Depots are
broken open on all lines and at all points
in the State and depredatons in this par
ticular have become so numerous that di
vision superintendent of several lines have
issued orders to station agents to leave
nothing worth stealing in the depots at
night. AT larger points switchmen nave
been instructed to keep a close watch on
railroad property during the hours Of the
night. lowering about the outskirts of
Topeka, and camped along the railroad
leading from the city there are between
two hundred and three hundred tramps
They are living off the country around
them and occasionally come into the CITY
to beg food or money, and, If mend be, 10
demand ii.
The Topeka Police Department has been
making q strenuous effort to drive these
unwelcome strangers away They nave
succeeded to a certain extent in getting
thom out OF the corporate limits of the
city, but the Vagabonds only go beyond the
line and camp in the woods. The number
! is rapidly increasing and the police are at
a loss to know what TO do with them
west OF the city and in the woods between
the Chicago, Rock Island q Pacific Rail-
road and the Kansas river most of the
tramps are camped. They have places
marked on telegraph poles on trees and on
railroad ties indicating the city limits
When pursued by officers they run over this
line and disappear in the woods. knowing
that they are safe from city authorities
Along the Atchison. Topeka & Santa Fee
| both east and west and within a mile of
the city limits tramps are camped in large
numbers North of tho city the Rock
Island and on the St. Joseph branch of the
| Santa Fe and on the Union Pacific there
are more tramps. The police are sent out
| after the tramps several times every day.
| Often they find a gang of from twenty To
| thirty together around a fire. where they
| are cooking meal. At sight OF the Of
| ficers they take to the woods at great
| speed,