The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-07-20

MANY TRAMPs IN WHEELING.
Police Lieutenant Max supler. during
three years of incumbency Of the office
OF night lieutenant at police headquar-
teri has earned a reputation as q
faithful and energetic officer.
Yesterday the "blg fellow" added to
lis lnurels.
supler had left his post of duty at z
an. going to his home on Jacob street,
East End. where he hoped sweet repose
would lose no time in locating in his
immediate vicinity. But, alas and
alackl his hopes were far from realized.
and when the big bell on the capitol
dome struck the midday hour, the leu
tenant was very much awake, very
warm and far rom being In a good
humor.
And then came an attack on the dooE
bell. Somebody felt impehed TO ring the
blamed thing for keeps, and finally the
lieutenant muttered woSds that cannot
be chronicled here, and walked into the
front room to secure glimpse OF the
importunate caller. One peep was
enough 10 stamp the fellow as Hobo.
Another look, and "our hero" was half
dressed and making break for the
front door. Half a minute later the pair
were marching TO police headquarters,
Mr. Hobo Directing with some violence
but finally subslding.
But that wasn't ali. En- route home,
SupieF ran across another case" a
man was selling spectacles on Sixteenth
street, near Supler's home. Women
from several houses were engag-
ing the fellow In conversation,
while Mrs. Supler telephoned TO
poliee headquarters for an officer.
Being the wife OF police lieutenant, YER
nose for criminal plck-ups was very
much In evidence. However, before
Lieutenant Bickerton arrived on the
scene, supler was there, and engaged
the unlicensed psddler in conversation.
Seeing Bickerton coming, he told Supler
70 keep pair Of specs" he was inspec-
ting, and hastily concealed his stock In
trade. Imagine his surprise, therefore,
when Supler coolly turned tho fellow
over to Bickerton, with the remark:
II am a policeman myself"
Well earned was the reward Of undls'
turbed repose that came to the neuten-
ant after his double exploit In on
hours" l-G.AIa.A
The tramp nuisance in this city has as
sumed greatly increased proportions in
thelastt three months. but there seems no
chance Of Its abatement in consider
able degree so long as the tramps rather
rehsh q term in the excuse for a munic-
ipl Work-house of which wheeling
boasts. It is an actual fact that Wheel
fngfs city prison Is considerered soft
snap" in trampdom. So long as the
work-house is but a work-house In
name only this city will continue
TO be a Mecca for the Weary Willies OF
a large section Of the country. You see.
they know that their stay ION the hill"
Is limited only by their own pleasure.
II the weather is very hot and Gabd
Jackson's soup Is a little off-color, Mr..
Tramp Just pulls stakes and sides out
one Of the numerous exits that were not
down IN the architects plans, but are
there In reality, and walks to freedom
down the hillside. This Is no parttcu-
lar reflection on the guards; 1t would re-
Qulre at least hundred men to do the
work they attempt TO do. And again.
the prisoners do not work as well as
they would in a well regulated work.
house where escape Is impossible. Take
Il all In all. the city prison Is anything
but u worlp-house for the punishment:
by imprisonment and manual labor OF
criminals But 1t is a comfortable way
station FOR tramps who happen to visit
this city--a place where these undesir-
able visitors obtain refreshment and re-
pose, also lovely view Of the river and
surrounding country-and at the ex-
pense Of the municipality.
Fakirs are working a scheme in this
city and surrounding towns that has
caught not o few OF the unwary ones,
A man approaches you, extends pair
OF what appears TO be elegant gold
trimmed spectacIes nearly new, and vol
unteers the information that he has
found the spectacles, that he cannot use
them himself ard would consent to dis
pose OF them for-well at first 81, and
then down the line according to the VIC
TINS degree OF gunlbihty. The pros
pectiYe victim usually tries the glasses
and in nearly every case he sees as well
as he did without them, for the very
good reason that the glasses are only
high quality OF plate glass. OF course
the game doesn't work every time. but
when II does work the price Is usually
more than dollar. AS they cost the
fakIr only $3.50 dozen, his profit IL
handsome. Very soon the purchaser
iearns that nll is not gold that ghtters.
A news butcher" on the Cleveland, Lo.
rain C Wheeling railroad was bold
enough to try to work this trick on sew