Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1897-06-05
The STORY Teller.
HERE IS A RICH TRAMP.
A Vagrant Breaking Stone Who Is
Worth $75, 900.
SUPERIOR (Wis.) Cor. New York Times.

Superior (Wis.) Cor. New York Times.
"Seven days at the work house" wa:
the sentence pronounced by the mum
cipal court a few days ago upon the
queerest character that ever slept in
box car. 1t was "Pokey Bill" the
miser tramp; but the name he gave
the Judge was William Beaton Lorriss
A night patrolman found Lorriss, witt
three fellow travellers, sleeping soundly
in half.loaded refrigerator Car in the
Omaha Railroad yards, and the result
was that they were all sent up to the
work house to serve out term fol
vagrancy, in default of the small fine
imposed.
"Pokey Bill" is known to the officers
of hundreds of towns and cities in the
United States, but his interesting his.
tory in known to but few. There is
nothing particular about his makeup
to distinguish him from the ordinary
wayfarer, except the unmistakable
sign of advanced age. He is, if any
thing, just a triAe dirtier and, per-
haps, a little more poorly clad than
the average Weary Waggles, but his
age generally commands for him more
consideration.
He lays claim to the distinction OF
being the oldest tramp in America,
and according to his own statements
and those of police officials and others
familiar with his condition, he is cer-
tainly the richest tramp in the world.
Though a common vagrant, wander
i ing about the country, sleeping in
straw stacks, barns, and other familiar
roosts pursuing the adopted course OF
tramps in the matter of procuring eat
ables, he is nevertheless reputed to be
worth, in government bonds, railroad
stocks and ready cash the snug sum OF
$75,OOO.
He asked the judge what the charge
was against him, and upon being in.
formed that he was strongly suspected
of being a man without visible means
of support, the word "guilty" drop.
ped from his lips, and the court said
.next." "Pokey Bill" followed limp
ingly behind the officer and the other
prisoners on the way to the train. He
mumbled gruf1y to himself all the
way, as if something had displeased
him, and when the station was reach
ed the old man jerked the red hand
kerchief parcel off the end of his
staff, cast the staff across the platform
with an angry twist, and finally gave
vent to his wrath in the following ex'
pressions, addressing himself to nc
one in particular, but in voice loud
enough to be heard quarter of mile
away:
"This is the fourth time I have been
sent to the work house within the past
month. If I'd known they was a
work house here you ken bet your
taste for spirits that my carcass would
never have been glued to by that
round head of pincher. No, sir, I'm
too old to be pounding rock inside the
barracks, and jest as sure as there's
such thing as death I'll never ag'in
| lay myself open to the clutches of the
law. But, then, this is the two thou
sandth time I've sed that same thing,
and what's the use of talking?"
At the work house the old man was
put through the formality of pounding
rock, but the official respected his gray
hairs, and all the rock that he pounded
during the day could be placed in q
half bushel measure. His fare at the
table, too, was a triae more nourishine
than the regulation bread and water
and at night his grizzled head rested
on something softer than rock.stuffed
pillow. He was allowed the liberty o.
the cooks quarters, and after the other
belligerents had been huddled into the
comfortless dormitory for the night
old "Pokey". sat putting clay pipe by
the kitchen fire, and amusing little
group of listeners with the story of his
| life. 1t was hard to get the old man
started on that story. He protested
repeatedly that only one person be-
sides himself was posted as to his true
condition, and he did not propose to
trouble the world with the tale of his
trials and tribulations. But the plead
ings and entreaties of the officials who
had been so kind to him on this occa
sion finally took effect, and the story
flowed from the old mans lips without
hesitation, and in such an earnest
reasonable manner that no one was in
the least inclined to discredit his state
ments.
"As stated to the court this morn
ing, my name is William Beaton Lor'
riss, better known as 'Pokey Bill
am now 81 years of age, and l have
been on the road for something like 2(
years. They call me the miser tramp
| / suppose, because I buy grub with
my money whenever I happen to ge!
any, instead of buying whisky and
beer. I never took drop of liquor
in my life, and I never committed q
crime in my life, unless you call sleep
ing in box cars crime. figure that
I'm worth nigh on to SIS, 900, but I'm
a tramp. acknowledge that all right
and don't calculate that no man can
say nothing agin me for it. I'm nc
common, everyday pauper, if am q
tramp, and if that judge had compel.
lad mo to now q fine this morning