The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-11-27
n1sconnAarn CRIMINALS.
some views Of Life That Prevail Among the
inhabitants of Hoboland.

lnnhVlNhnth VI AhpboiAhNs
What becomes OF all the criminals who are
discharged. from time to time. from the peni-
tentiaries and are never heard OF again in the
criminal. calendar? Do they reform and be-
come respectable citizens under assumed
names or has life behind the bars been so Sc
we're that the bulk OF them die soon after re-
lease? Or are they. perhaps. still doing crinli-
nal work. but 80 successfully that the police
cannot locate them? or a number OF eX-con-
vlcts all OF these things may be said. Some
reform, some die and others have improved
their thievine methods and are eluding their
pursuers. There are thousands. however. to
be accounted for and q great many cannot be
found among the reformed. the dead OF those
still In the business. Where are these absent
ones1 Unfortunately the bureau of statistics
and the intelligence departments Of the peni-
tentlaries can throw but little light on this
matter, They have. II Is true, certain data
concerning former prisoners. but these are
very faulty and deal with only a small fraction
Of the thousands. Prison wardens are too
busy keeping track OF prisoners already under
their care to be able to give much time to those
who have served out their sentences, and the
Investigator must look them up unaided by
official apparatus II he c~ontemplates a search,
The bulk Of these missing men. the writer
has discovered after several years OF observa-
ton, must be looked for In tramp life. Some
OF them get there early and some late. but II IL
the retreat OF practically oil criminals who can.
not be located anywhere else. They become
tramps because life on the road comes the
nearest to the career they had hoped to sue
coed In. There are a number OF men In the
world who 10 into crime as a profession with
all the seriousness and determination of other
men who go into the law. medicine or bust
ness. They have been born in criminal sur
..al.n .~l -AA ..al. - -ltA. Ala -.a
cessfuf thieVng is the most desirable and re-
muuerative occupation going. After II few
years of life behind the bars the majority OF
them discover. that they lack sufficient crimi-
nal wit and perseverance. to. do successful
thieving and they then become discouraged
criminals and Join the hobo fraternity to get
O living and to watch as closely as possible the
careers OF men who are able to hang on longer
than they were. In a way, all tram ps may be
called discouraged criminals: all have tried,
at one time or another. to become thieves. and
those who have tried.the longest expect and
rece I've the most homage and respect, A ma
who has spent twenty years in prison is the
big man In hobo society. His stories at hang
out gatherings always receive the greatest at
tention and his opinion about criminals still
active is accepted as the best that can be got.
Accordin Inc to hoboes. 1t takes about five
years to discourage the average man who tries
10 make a profession Of crime. They say, as
do other people In other professions. that
many are called but few are chosen. and that
consequently the failures must necessarily be
very numerous. You may hear tramps and en-
criminals discuss the talents and prospects OF
u young apprentice at the business in quite
the nhee, same I'm !, way %a,,n mat a. m NJ nSl pF fShow AZ jndg-
or think they know. what is necessary and es.
sential to success in crime. and they can tell
you exactly why they had'to give 1t up and
how they might have succeeded had some
thing notshappened; but. once discouraged.
effort. This Is q popularity about crime as a
business that di1erentiates 1t from, most other
Instance. He may fail a dozen times In his va
rious undertakings. but he. seldom gives up
hope OF eventually SUGGESTING. This Is true
we're after fifteen years of Imprisonment.
society might be enthusiastically divided into
active criminals and discouraged criminals.
there is the making OF an average criminal.
and that people would all turn, out criminals il
Morality. in their opinion. is not Unborn or
y 5S,T IbSp ;u .sa l 3 .ss,ly T 'Ss ytr ,iL.5 I'll, ga sr RsGjBisI
t RIssu'; and 4 that tnss II fFe their naT s sss.ase % 9, u fif e"s were
in, homes, %eallines would turn out leaders in
crime. They ,'explain their own defeats on
enough how to stand punishment. An Old
man who now spends most of his days 10 the
trained to be criminals were Instructed in
boxing as soon as they can stand on the!E feet
rnaided; and bs-d M Epece ese ~ TONED b to G, ISsg and M
mensely In withstandinR the effects OF con-
fnement in penitentlaries;
nails is thinking out the details:of crimes that
they would commit If. they, had not lost their
carry around with them in. their heads moves
that they mean to Try on this and that adyer-
they have been laid on the shelf, Continue 10
think out Jobs which they wonder no one tries.
There is no more pathetic scene In low life than
when one OF these decrepit. toothless wrecks
buttonholes a young pal and elaborates for him
with quavering voice . scheme which he would
to the very moment when they curl up submfs.
slvelv in some old hogshead and die, many Of
which some young bloEe" will some day Eet
They are noless interested in critieising the
work of men still active. There is no great
crime committed any where in this country
but the discouraged criminals In hoboland
cali tell YOU to a nicely how :.,BfiinKy", Nor.
Know exactly GoT jack the Rippor Gould Id have
been caught in the United States. Like Doli-
OF some political f%svorite. so they regret OF
praise the doings OF a popular pal. The most
now and then In their retreat. gives them bits
OF gossip about the b~usiness which they could
not otherwise get. and leaves them q dollar
or. two for "a BOOZE Such a one may even
do bad work occasionally. and they viii for,
giy. him on account OF his good fellowship.
They know practically where every pro.
fessional criminal In the country is to be
found. II = man is settled" lin prison. they
get wind OF It almost as soon as the chiefs OF
the detective forces. and they can tell you &c
the very day when this and that convict Is to
be released. They also, know the names and
many of the characteristics Of u number 81
the regular detectives in the large cities. Ii
is not necessary for them 10 keep up 10 date
In regard to these matters. but they do &c
from force OF habit and because IL pleases
them to keepSin touch with the life that was
SO dear to them.
They get their living by begging. and sope
OF them discover. after they have been u few
months Oh the road. that they have much Oore
talent for mendicancy than for crime proper
but. as 4 rule. Il takes them years to Learn
them. when they nrst reach hoboland. ar,
ashamed to beg, and they often have to bt
taken care OF for months by croniss whc
an OLD discouraged criminal in Chicago who